Driving Tests

CCRI Driver Education in Rhode Island: Cost, Hours, Rules

informational·how to guide·Published June 18, 2026

Do you have to take CCRI driver's ed in Rhode Island, and how much is it?

Yes, if you are 16 or 17. Rhode Island law requires the 33-hour driver education course before a limited instruction permit. CCRI teaches it to students from 15 years 10 months to 21. As of 2026 it costs $145 tuition, plus a $10 registration fee and a $39.95 textbook. It is classroom only, and online driver education is not accepted.

Where these rules come from

The course rules are in R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-10-19 (the 33-hour course) and R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-10-20 (who needs it and what counts as an equivalent course). The class details, cost and attendance rules come from the CCRI driver education page. The CCRI Student/Parent Agreement (2025), the CCRI driver education curriculum, R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-10-6 (the permit) and § 31-10-21 (the course exam) add smaller details. This guide is current as of 2026, and CCRI can change its price and class times. Confirm the rules with the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.ri.gov) before you drive.

CCRI driver education at a glance

CCRI driver education at a glance
Item	What CCRI lists (as of 2026)
Length	33 hours of classroom teaching. Accelerated one-week courses run in summer and school vacations.
Ages	15 years 10 months to 21. You must be 15 years 10 months old by the first day of class, but you can register earlier.
Cost	$145 tuition, plus a $10 non-refundable registration fee. The textbook costs $39.95 extra.
Textbook	AAA How to Drive, 15th Edition. Bring it to each class.
Format	Classroom only. Behind-the-wheel driving lessons are not included, and online driver education is not accepted in Rhode Island.
Where	Warwick, Lincoln, Providence, Newport County, Westerly and Woonsocket, plus partner high schools and community partner locations.
How to register	Online through the CCRI Workforce registration system, with a credit card.

Who has to take the course

At 16 or 17, yes. The law lets the DMV issue the limited instruction permit only after you finish the driver training course. Section 31-10-20 of the law ties the course to applicants up to age 18. If you are 18, confirm your case with the DMV.

CCRI teaches students up to 21 because the law sets that age range for the program. It is not a duty for every 19- or 20-year-old. A person over 18 who held a license from another state or country for one year immediately before applying does not need the course.

After class, read how the Rhode Island limited instruction permit works at 16.

How to sign up for CCRI driver education

1
Pick a class
Choose a CCRI campus, an education center, a partner high school or a community partner location. In summer and school vacations, you can also pick a one-week accelerated course.
2
Register online
Use the CCRI Workforce registration system and pay by credit card. Cost as of 2026: $145 tuition and a $10 registration fee.
3
Buy the textbook
Get AAA How to Drive, 15th Edition ($39.95 as of 2026) and bring it to every class.
4
Read the Student Parent Agreement
Read the CCRI rules for attendance, materials and behavior, and confirm that you agree before the first class.
5
Go to the first class
You must attend it to stay enrolled. Bring proof of age: a birth certificate, passport or permanent resident card.

Attendance and refund rules

Miss six hours or less, and you complete an approved make-up class.
Miss more than six hours, and you cannot finish the course.
Be on time. If you are late, you make up the missed time after the course ends.
For a refund, give CCRI at least 48 hours' notice before the course starts. The $10 registration fee is not refunded.
With less than 48 hours' notice, or if you do not attend, you get no refund. After the course starts, CCRI gives no partial refunds.

What you learn in the 33 hours

The law sets 8 of the 33 hours on the effects of alcohol and drugs on a driver. Practice that idea on the free question about why feeling fine is not a safe test for alcohol.

The law also puts the dangers of distracted driving, including cell phone use, and your rights and responsibilities when police stop you into the course and the license exam. A 2023 change to the law, effective June 19, 2023, adds the dangers of marijuana-impaired driving to the classroom curriculum once the state board of education approves that course.

The CCRI curriculum also covers sharing the road, intersections and freeway driving, and drug-impaired driving.

The final exam is your permit test

The final exam of the CCRI course is the Rhode Island DMV Knowledge Test, and the pass mark is 70%. By law, certified instructors give this standardized written exam at the end of each course, so you do not have to take the written examination at the DMV.

Pass the class and the test, and you can apply for the limited instruction permit at the DMV. If you pass the class but fail the exam, you can retake it at the Cranston DMV by appointment. If you fail the class, you take the class over. Read the Rhode Island permit test pass mark guide for more on the score.

Special cases

You took a driver education course in another state

CCRI says you must submit the required documents for review, and approval is not automatic. The law lets the course count only when the Rhode Island state board of education recognizes it as equivalent: at least 33 instructional hours, at least 3 hours on Rhode Island traffic laws and the graduated licensing law, and 8 hours on alcohol and drugs.

You plan to take an online course

Do not. Online driver education is not accepted in Rhode Island, so an online course from another state does not count either.

You have an IEP or a Section 504 Plan

With a current IEP or 504 Plan, you can ask CCRI for accommodations. CCRI also offers accommodated sections of up to 10 students. Send the request at least 14 days before the course starts. CCRI reviews each request one by one.

Key takeaways

At 16 or 17, you need the 33-hour driver education course before the limited instruction permit. CCRI offers it from age 15 years 10 months to 21.
As of 2026, CCRI charges $145 tuition, a $10 non-refundable registration fee and $39.95 for the textbook.
The course is classroom only. Online driver education is not accepted in Rhode Island.
Miss more than six hours and you cannot finish the course. The final exam is the DMV Knowledge Test, with a 70% pass mark.
Next step: check your road-rule knowledge on the free Rhode Island operator license practice test. It is free, in English only, and it is practice, not the real test.

CCRI driver education: common questions

Can I take driver's ed online in Rhode Island?

No. CCRI says online driver education is not accepted in Rhode Island. You can register online with a credit card, but the 33 hours are classroom hours at a CCRI campus, an education center or a partner high school.

How old do you have to be to take driver's ed in Rhode Island?

You must be 15 years 10 months old by the first day of class. You can register before you reach that age. CCRI teaches students up to 21. The permit itself is for ages 16 and 17.

How much does CCRI driver education cost?

As of 2026, CCRI lists $145 tuition, a $10 non-refundable registration fee and a textbook that costs about $39.95 extra. That is about $194.95 in total. Check the CCRI page for the current price before you register.

What happens if I miss a class?

If you miss six hours or less, you complete an approved make-up class. If you miss more than six hours, you cannot finish the course. Late time is made up after the course ends. You must also attend the first class to stay enrolled.

What happens if I fail the driver's ed final exam?

If you fail the class, you take the class over. If you pass the class but fail the DMV Knowledge Test, you can retake the test at the Cranston DMV by appointment. The pass mark is 70%, and after a pass you can apply for the limited instruction permit.

Does the course include driving lessons?

No. CCRI teaches classroom instruction only, and behind-the-wheel instruction is not included. You practice driving separately, with a qualified supervising driver or a Rhode Island licensed driving school. See the three license stages on the free question about the order of Rhode Island license levels.