R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-57-38
This is the official text of R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-57-38, part of Rhode Island’s Gen. Laws — part of the compiled statutory law of Rhode Island, published by the state as "Gen. Laws." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 5-57-38. Local governmental regulations of alarm business or alarm agents.
Official statutory text
(a) Immediately upon the effective date of this chapter [September 1, 1977], no local governmental subdivision within this state shall enact any ordinance or promulgate any rules or regulations relating to the licensing of alarm businesses, alarm agents, or other individuals required to obtain an I.D. card under this chapter.
(b) Sixty (60) days after September 1, 1977, any provision of any legislation or rules or regulations of any local governmental subdivision within the state requiring the licensing of an alarm business or requiring that alarm agents or other individuals employed by or associated with an alarm business obtain I.D. cards are no longer effective.
(c) The provisions of this chapter are not intended to and do not prevent the legally constituted authority of any local governmental subdivision within the state by legislation, rules, or regulations, and within the police power of that local governmental subdivision, from requiring alarm businesses and/or alarm agents to register their names, addresses, and license certificate number or I.D. card number with the local governmental subdivision within which they operate. Those local governmental subdivisions may also require that alarm businesses and alarm agents shall be given reasonable notice of termination or suspension of licenses and I.D. cards. No fee may be charged nor may any application be required by any local governmental subdivision for that registration.
(d) Although this chapter preempts local governmental subdivisions from enacting any licensing legislation or promulgating licensing rules or regulations applicable to alarm business or alarm agents, local governmental authorities may, by legislation or reasonable rules or regulations, require alarm system users in their jurisdiction to obtain a permit at the time of installation and fix a nominal fee for those permits; those fees shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
(b) Sixty (60) days after September 1, 1977, any provision of any legislation or rules or regulations of any local governmental subdivision within the state requiring the licensing of an alarm business or requiring that alarm agents or other individuals employed by or associated with an alarm business obtain I.D. cards are no longer effective.
(c) The provisions of this chapter are not intended to and do not prevent the legally constituted authority of any local governmental subdivision within the state by legislation, rules, or regulations, and within the police power of that local governmental subdivision, from requiring alarm businesses and/or alarm agents to register their names, addresses, and license certificate number or I.D. card number with the local governmental subdivision within which they operate. Those local governmental subdivisions may also require that alarm businesses and alarm agents shall be given reasonable notice of termination or suspension of licenses and I.D. cards. No fee may be charged nor may any application be required by any local governmental subdivision for that registration.
(d) Although this chapter preempts local governmental subdivisions from enacting any licensing legislation or promulgating licensing rules or regulations applicable to alarm business or alarm agents, local governmental authorities may, by legislation or reasonable rules or regulations, require alarm system users in their jurisdiction to obtain a permit at the time of installation and fix a nominal fee for those permits; those fees shall not exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Rhode Island?
Find a Rhode Island lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.