R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-36
No citizen of this state shall purchase any concealable firearm outside of the state of Rhode Island unless he or she has duly executed the application form prescribed in § 11-47-35, the application form to be obtained by the purchaser from the city or town clerk of the city or town in which he or she resides or has his place of business. The original and duplicate copies of the application shall be delivered in person, duly executed, by the purchaser to the superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or to the chief of police of the city or town in which the purchaser resides. The purchaser shall send the triplicate copy of the application by registered mail to the attorney general within twenty-four (24) hours of the time of filing with the appropriate police authority. It shall be the duty of the police authority to whom the original and duplicate copies of the application are delivered to check the applicant's record to ascertain whether he or she falls under the provisions of § 11-47-5, 11-47-6, 11-47-7, or 11-47-23. If, after the lapse of seventy-two (72) hours from twelve o'clock (12:00) noon of the day following the date of application, no disqualifying record has been found by the investigating police authority, the original and duplicate copies of the application marked or stamped "approved" and signed by the investigating police authority will be returned to the applicant by the most expeditious means. The approved duplicate copy of the application shall be sent by the purchaser to the out-of-state dealer as proof of lawful purchase, and the original shall be retained by the purchaser along with the bill of sale for the firearm purchased for a period of six (6) years as proof of lawful purchase. The triplicate copy of the application shall be retained by the attorney general for a period which shall in no case exceed ninety (90) days, provided that no evidence of the nature as would disqualify the applicant has been found.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-36