The legal BAC limit in Newport is 0.08 percent for drivers 21 and over under Rhode Island state law. Drivers under 21 face a 0.02 percent zero-tolerance limit. Commercial drivers face 0.04 percent while operating a commercial vehicle. Newport sees an unusually high proportion of out-of-state defendants because of tourism, summer events, the Newport Folk Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, and the Newport Mansions visitor traffic. The BAC rules apply equally to RI residents and tourists driving through Newport.
