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Texting while driving ticket in Rhode Island

A texting ticket in Rhode Island costs $100 on the state schedule.

Fine$100state schedule
PointsNo points, tickets are counted
Defensive Driving (court-ordered)No

Add up my ticket All Rhode Island rules

What does the Rhode Island state schedule charge for a texting ticket?

TicketYou pay
Using a handheld phone or texting while driving, first offense$150 for a second conviction and $250 for a third or later.$100[9]

Does a texting ticket add points in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island does not use driver points. Instead it counts convictions. Four moving-violation convictions within 18 months can bring a fine of up to $1,000, 60 hours of driver retraining, 60 hours of community service and a suspension of up to 1 year. Repeat speeding within 12 months raises the fine per mph and can bring a suspension. Most civil traffic violations come off your record after 3 years.[2][8][21] Suspension rules →

Will a texting ticket raise your insurance in Rhode Island?

Probably, once it is on your record. Insurers rate a texting ticket as a moving violation. In Rhode Island one speeding ticket raised a full-coverage premium about 32% on average[1], or about $3,180 over three years. A texting ticket usually lands in the same range.

Estimate based on the state's speeding average, not a quote.

How long do you have to respond to a texting ticket in Rhode Island?

You have 20 days to pay or respond to a texting ticket in Rhode Island. These are the dates that matter:

  1. 20daysPay or respondfrom the ticket date[3][4]
    Details

    Pay the ticket without going to court. If you miss it: You lose the option to pay by mail and must appear in court on the date on the summons.

  2. 10daysLast day to appealfrom conviction[7][18]
    Details

    Appeal a decision to the Traffic Tribunal appeals panel. If you miss it: The appeal will not be heard unless the late filing was due to excusable neglect.

  3. 45daysPay fines and costs set by a judgefrom conviction[17]
    Details

    Pay fines and costs set by a judge. If you miss it: Your license can be suspended for nonpayment. You can ask for an ability to pay hearing and a payment plan.

  4. 180daysAsk for a good driving record dismissalfrom conviction[6]
    Details

    Ask for a good driving record dismissal. If you miss it: The tribunal cannot dismiss a charge this way more than 6 months after the disposition.

Can you keep a texting ticket off your Rhode Island record?

Every way to handle a Rhode Island ticket, from paying to contesting →

Texting tickets in other states →

What else do people ask?

Will a texting ticket raise my insurance in Rhode Island?

Probably, if it goes on your record. Insurers rate it as a moving violation. In Rhode Island a speeding ticket raised full-coverage premiums about 32% on average (ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026), and a texting ticket tends to land in the same range.

Does a texting ticket add points in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island does not use driver points. Instead it counts convictions. Four moving-violation convictions within 18 months can bring a fine of up to $1,000, 60 hours of driver retraining, 60 hours of community service and a suspension of up to 1 year. Repeat speeding within 12 months raises the fine per mph and can bring a suspension. Most civil traffic violations come off your record after 3 years.

How long do I have to respond to a texting ticket in Rhode Island?

20 days from the date on the ticket. If you don't pay in time and then miss your court date, a judge can enter a default judgment and decide the case without you.

Sources

Rhode Island law and DMV sources (12)
  1. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-4 Schedule of violations, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  2. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-3 Method of payment, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  3. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-5 Failure to answer or appear, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  4. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-6 Hearings, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  5. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-7 Application for dismissal based on good driving record, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  6. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-8 Appellate review, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  7. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-24 Multiple moving offenses, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  8. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-22-30 Distracted driving prohibited while operating a motor vehicle, Rhode Island General Assembly.
  9. Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal Payment Instructions (revised February 2026), Rhode Island Judiciary.
  10. Know Your Rights: For Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal Violations, Rhode Island Judiciary.
  11. Driver Retraining, Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles.
  12. R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-41.1-10 Expungement, Rhode Island General Assembly.
Insurance sources (4)
  1. State of Auto Insurance in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  2. Car Insurance Rate Increases with a Speeding Ticket in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  3. How Does a DUI Affect Your Auto Insurance Rates in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
  4. How Much Will My Car Insurance Rates Go Up After a Crash in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).