Rhode Island's DUI lookback period is 10 years. It was lengthened from 5 years on July 1, 2025, and it measures from the date of the prior conviction (not the arrest) to the date of the new offense. A DUI committed more than 10 years after the prior conviction is treated as a first offense for sentencing purposes, even if it is technically your second or third lifetime DUI. This makes timing critical. A DUI just inside the 10-year window faces much higher penalties than the same conduct just outside it. Defense work sometimes focuses on contesting the date of the prior conviction or arguing that the timing falls outside the lookback period.
