Unwanted calls and texts in Rhode Island: what the rules say

Rhode Island prohibits certain unsolicited commercial advertising texts to Rhode Island residents' cell phones or pagers. Its separate telephone-sales law also regulates covered calls and requires sellers to maintain do-not-call procedures.

Where the rules draw a line

The text ban has exceptions, including specified existing-business relationships when the recipient is given an opt-out. The telephone-sales calling window is weekdays 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; the chapter's definitions exclude Sundays and state or federal holidays from operating hours. These provisions do not cover every unwanted message.

What this can mean for a consumer

A purchaser may sue a telephonic seller for a material violation of the Telephone Sales Solicitation Act and may recover three times the amount actually paid to that seller; attorney fees may be allowed. The Department may separately pursue an injunction and a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation. The text statute also provides a misdemeanor fine of up to $500 per violation; neither public penalty is an automatic consumer payment.

Keep the details

Save the full text thread, call log, voicemails, dates and times, the company or product named, and any reply asking the sender to stop. Those details can help show what happened; they do not establish by themselves that a law was violated.

Official Rhode Island sources

This page is general information, not legal advice. State and federal rules have different definitions, exceptions, and deadlines. Whether a rule applies depends on the facts and current law.