Driving on a suspended license in Providence is a criminal misdemeanor under Rhode Island law, not a civil infraction. Penalties include possible jail time up to 30 days for a first offense, fines, additional license suspension extending the original period, and a permanent criminal record. Second and subsequent offenses carry mandatory minimum jail time and longer suspension extensions. If you were originally suspended for DUI or another serious offense, the penalties for driving on suspension are amplified. This is a charge where prompt defense matters because the additional suspension period stacks on whatever original action caused the underlying suspension.
