A Rhode Island DUI conviction stays on your criminal record permanently unless you successfully petition for expungement after the statutory waiting period, which is 10 years from completion of sentence for a first-offense misdemeanor DUI. Multiple DUI convictions cannot be expunged. The conviction also stays on your Rhode Island driving record visible to the DMV and to other state DMVs through the Interstate Driver License Compact. Insurance companies treat DUI convictions as priorable for at least 3 to 5 years for premium calculation purposes, sometimes longer. Background check companies typically report DUI convictions for 7 years or for the life of the conviction depending on the report type.
