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To replace a lost Rhode Island learner's permit, use a current Rhode Island DMV branch or the DMV mail/drop-box process for a duplicate permit. For an in-person transaction, a duplicate permit can be handled at any current DMV branch. Complete the LI-1 for a duplicate and bring the required identity document.
Do not drive while waiting - there is no legal temporary digital permit option. See shoro.ai Rhode Island Learner Permits.
Rhode Island currently lists two verified routes for a duplicate learner permit: an in-person DMV branch transaction or mail/drop-box processing.
| Method | How It Works |
|---|---|
| DMV branch | Use any current Rhode Island DMV branch for the duplicate-permit transaction. |
| Mail / drop box | Duplicate learner permits are listed among transactions eligible for mail or drop-box processing. |
AAA's published Rhode Island service list does not list duplicate learner permits, so do not use AAA as the permit-replacement route.
Do not assume a phone photo is enough to keep driving. Rhode Island allows duplicate learner-permit requests by mail, and the posted mail/drop-box processing window is 7-14 days. If you are away from Rhode Island and need the credential sooner, contact DMV at (401) 462-4368 before driving or changing your travel plans.
Use the replacement as your active credential. Do not treat the old card and the duplicate as interchangeable copies. Keep the current credential with you and dispose of the old card securely so it is not used by mistake.
A duplicate replaces the credential; it is not a permit renewal. Requesting a duplicate does not create a new permit term. If the permit is close to expiring, use the separate renewal rules rather than expecting the duplicate transaction to extend its validity.
Yes. Use the duplicate-permit process rather than applying for a new permit from the beginning. Rhode Island DMV lists duplicate learner permits among transactions available at DMV branches and through mail or drop-box processing.
Filing a police report is not mandatory for DMV processing of a stolen permit in Rhode Island, unlike lost license plates.
However, filing one at your local station is advisable to protect against identity misuse if the permit was taken with other personal documents.
Yes - the temporary paper receipt issued at the time of your replacement request serves as a valid learner's permit. It carries the same expiration date, restrictions, and supervisory requirements as your original permit. No re-examination is required.
If the DMV issues temporary transaction documentation during an in-person duplicate-permit visit, keep that valid document with you until the replacement credential arrives. Mail/drop-box requests follow the processing instructions provided by DMV.
A 17-year-old in Warwick discovered that the address on her DMV record was still her family's old address while preparing a duplicate-permit request.
Rhode Island allows an address change online or by mail, as well as through applicable in-person service. Update the address before submitting the duplicate request so the replacement is sent to the correct location.
A 16-year-old arrived at the Cranston DMV headquarters at 600 New London Avenue with a completed LI-1 form - but his mother had signed the original permit application, not the duplicate section.
The staff explained that the prior signature does not carry over; the parent must re-sign specifically for the duplicate request.
Because his mother was at work and could not come in, the in-person application was rejected.
He had to return the following day with his mother present. If a parent cannot accompany a minor, the LI-1 must be notarized before the visit - not signed in the DMV parking lot afterward.
A teen who lives in Providence lost her permit two weeks before a scheduled operator road test at the Rhode Island DMV road-test site at 600 New London Avenue in Cranston. She had already started the duplicate-permit process and was waiting for the replacement document.
Before the test, she confirmed that the document she planned to present was acceptable for the road-test transaction.
The physical duplicate arrived later. For any road test scheduled while a duplicate is being processed, confirm the exact document DMV requires before test day rather than assuming a receipt or copy will be accepted.
At a DMV branch, an applicant reported that the permit credential was damaged and could not be used normally. A duplicate was requested.
Don't attempt to drive on a permit with a failed mag strip; file for replacement before getting behind the wheel..
Maya reported her permit lost and went in for a replacement. The clerk found the original had expired six days earlier. RI does not issue replacements for expired permits. She paid the full renewal fee and reapplied.
Download the LI-1 replacement form from dmv.ri.gov before your visit.
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