5.1 Rhode Island Fair Housing & Special Topics
Key Takeaways
- The Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 34-37) protects more classes than federal law, adding sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, lawful source of income, and military/veteran status.
- 'Lawful source of income' makes refusing a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher a Rhode Island fair-housing violation, even though federal law does not list source of income as protected.
- Complaints go to the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights (RICHR), which must receive a charge within one year of the discriminatory act.
- RI conveyance tax is paid by the seller at $3.75 per $500 of price (effective October 1, 2025, up from $2.30), with an additional $3.75 per $500 on residential value above the indexed high-value threshold (about $800,000-$824,000).
- The 2026 Human Trafficking Prevention Notice and Training Act (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-14.1) requires real-estate licensee training and notice posting, and CRMC regulates development near the coast and freshwater wetlands.
Rhode Island Fair Housing Goes Beyond Federal Law
The federal Fair Housing Act protects seven classes — race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and familial status. Rhode Island's Fair Housing Practices Act (R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 34-37) keeps all of those and adds several more. The state portion of the exam loves to ask which classes are protected in Rhode Island but not under federal law, so memorize the additions.
| Protected class | Federal? | Rhode Island? |
|---|---|---|
| Race, color, national origin | Yes | Yes |
| Religion | Yes | Yes |
| Sex | Yes | Yes |
| Disability (handicap) | Yes | Yes |
| Familial status | Yes | Yes |
| Sexual orientation | No | Yes |
| Gender identity or expression | No | Yes |
| Marital status | No | Yes |
| Lawful source of income (incl. Section 8) | No | Yes |
| Military status / veteran (honorable discharge) | No | Yes |
| Age and domestic-abuse victim status | No | Yes |
Most-tested RI item: "Lawful source of income" includes child support, Social Security, SSI, public assistance, and Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers. A Rhode Island landlord who advertises "no Section 8" or refuses an applicant solely because the rent will be paid with a voucher commits a fair-housing violation — even though refusing a voucher is not a federal violation. If a fact pattern shows a landlord rejecting a voucher holder, the RI answer is illegal discrimination by source of income.
The Prohibited Practices
The same discriminatory acts barred federally are barred in Rhode Island, just across more classes:
| Practice | What it means |
|---|---|
| Refusal to sell/rent | Denying housing because of a protected class |
| Steering | Channeling buyers toward/away from areas by class |
| Blockbusting | Inducing panic selling by claiming a class is "moving in" |
| Redlining | A lender refusing loans in certain areas |
| Discriminatory advertising | Stating a preference or limitation (e.g., "no vouchers") |
| Different terms | Charging a higher deposit or rent based on class |
Enforcement: The Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights
Fair-housing complaints in Rhode Island go to the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights (RICHR), not to DBR. (DBR disciplines the license; RICHR adjudicates the discrimination.)
| Element | Rule |
|---|---|
| Where to file | Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights (RICHR) |
| Filing deadline | Within one year of the discriminatory act |
| Process | Investigation, finding of probable cause, conciliation, hearing |
| Remedies | Damages, civil penalties, injunctive relief; the licensee may also face DBR discipline |
Exam Tip: A single act can trigger two tracks — a RICHR fair-housing complaint and DBR license discipline. Do not assume the only consequence is one or the other.
The Rhode Island Conveyance (Transfer) Tax
At closing the seller pays Rhode Island's real estate conveyance tax under R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 44-25. The rate changed recently, so know both the new number and the method.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who pays | The seller (grantor) |
| Base rate | $3.75 per $500 of price (effective October 1, 2025; was $2.30) |
| High-value add-on | An additional $3.75 per $500 on the residential portion above the indexed threshold (about $800,000-$824,000 for 2025-2026, CPI-adjusted) |
| Rounding | Price is divided into $500 units; any partial $500 rounds up |
Worked example: A $300,000 home sells. $300,000 / $500 = 600 units. 600 x $3.75 = $2,250 conveyance tax, paid by the seller. (Under the old $2.30 rate the same sale was $1,380, so expect questions that test which rate applies based on the closing date.)
Worked example (high-value): A $1,000,000 home closes in 2026. The base tax is $1,000,000 / $500 x $3.75 = $7,500. Because price exceeds the ~$824,000 threshold, an additional $3.75 per $500 applies to the portion above it: ($1,000,000 - $824,000) = $176,000 / $500 x $3.75 = $1,320 extra. The exam usually tests the base calculation, but know the high-value layer exists.
No County Recording — Municipal Land Evidence Records
Rhode Island has no county government for recording. Deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements are recorded in the land evidence records of the city or town clerk where the property sits. A question that sends a document to a "county recorder" is wrong for Rhode Island.
Lead Hazard Mitigation — Old Housing Stock
Rhode Island has some of the oldest housing in the country, so the Lead Hazard Mitigation Act is woven through licensing (the mandatory 3-hour pre-license course) and disclosure. For pre-1978 housing, the federal lead rules also apply: disclosure of known lead hazards, the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home," and a 10-day inspection window. Many Rhode Island rentals also need a lead-conformance / mitigation certificate for units with young children.
New for 2026 — Human Trafficking Prevention Notice and Training Act
Effective January 1, 2026, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 5-14.1 (the Human Trafficking Prevention Notice and Training Act) reaches real-estate licensees, requiring awareness training and the posting/display of a human-trafficking notice (hotline information) in covered settings. It is a current-events item likely to appear as a "what is new" question.
CRMC and the Coast
The Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) regulates development within Rhode Island's coastal zone and along tidal waters; the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) governs freshwater wetlands and septic (ISDS) systems. A buyer of waterfront or wetland-adjacent property may need a CRMC assent or wetlands permit before building, expanding, or installing a dock. Because Rhode Island is the "Ocean State," coastal/flood/sea-level topics are explicitly part of the approved CE core list.
Exam Tip: Match the regulator to the resource — CRMC = coastal/tidal, DEM = freshwater wetlands and septic, DBR = the real-estate license, RICHR = fair-housing discrimination, and the city/town clerk = recording. Swapping these is a classic distractor.
A Rhode Island landlord refuses to rent to an otherwise-qualified applicant solely because the applicant will pay rent with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. Under Rhode Island law, this is:
Which protected class is covered by Rhode Island fair housing law but NOT by the federal Fair Housing Act?
A Rhode Island home sells for $300,000 after October 1, 2025. Who pays the conveyance tax and how much is it at the base rate?
Where are deeds and mortgages recorded in Rhode Island, and which agency handles fair-housing discrimination complaints?