§ 31-10-1 - License required to drive.

SECTION 31-10-1

   § 31-10-1  License required to drive.– (a) No person, except those expressly exempted in this chapter, shall drive anymotor vehicle upon a highway in this state unless that person has a validlicense as an operator or chauffeur under the provisions of this chapter. Noperson shall receive an operator's license unless and until he or shesurrenders to the division of motor vehicles all valid operators' licenses inhis or her possession issued to that person by any other jurisdiction. Allsurrendered licenses shall be returned by the division of motor vehicles to theissuer together with the information that the licensee is now licensed in thisstate. No person shall be permitted to have more than one valid operator'slicense at any time. Any resident as defined under § 31-1-18 shall berequired to obtain a Rhode Island operator's or chauffeur's license withinthirty (30) days of establishing residency.

   (b) No person shall drive a motor vehicle as a chauffeurunless he or she holds a valid chauffeur's license. No person shall receive achauffeur's license unless and until he or she surrenders to the division ofmotor vehicles any operator's license issued to him or her, or an affidavitthat he or she does not possess an operator's license.

   (c) Any person holding a valid chauffeur's license under thischapter need not procure an operator's license.

   (d) Any person licensed as an operator or chauffeur underthis chapter may exercise the privilege granted by that license upon allstreets and highways in this state, and shall not be required to obtain anyother license to exercise that privilege by any county, municipal, or localboard, or by any body having authority to adopt local police regulations.