Driving without a license in Rhode Island can be a crime, and how serious it is depends on why you did not have a valid license. If you simply never obtained a license, the charge is usually a lower-level offense, though it is still a criminal matter and not a civil ticket. If you were driving while your license was suspended or revoked, the charge is a criminal misdemeanor under Rhode Island law, and repeat offenses and suspensions tied to a DUI carry much steeper penalties, including mandatory jail in some cases. If you had a valid license but simply did not have it with you when stopped, that is a far smaller issue that can often be cleared up by later showing you were licensed. The exact charge on your summons is what determines the stakes.
