R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 6-13.1 § 6-13.1-30
Cash payment for retail purchases
Operative Text
It shall be a deceptive trade practice in violation of this chapter for any retail establishment offering goods or services for sale to discriminate against a prospective customer by requiring the use of credit for purchase of goods or services. All retail establishments shall accept legal tender currency when offered as payment. Provided, the provisions of this section shall not apply to online purchases or sales made over the internet.
Rhode Island General Laws § 6-13.1-30 establishes that any retail establishment — a physical store or in-person service provider — that refuses to accept cash as payment and instead requires customers to use credit is engaging in a deceptive trade practice under state law. Legal tender currency must be accepted when offered by a prospective customer. This rule does not extend to online or internet-based transactions, which are explicitly carved out from its requirements.
Plain English — not legal advice.
While § 6-13.1-30 is primarily directed at retail establishments rather than landlords specifically, property managers who operate on-site offices or storefronts where in-person payments are accepted should be aware that requiring credit-only payment in those settings could constitute a deceptive trade practice under Rhode Island law. Compliant operators generally maintain the ability to accept cash for any in-person transaction covered by this provision. Online rent payment portals or internet-based transactions fall outside the scope of § 6-13.1-30 and are not subject to its cash-acceptance requirement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 6-13.1-30, Rhode Island consumers have the right to pay with cash at physical retail establishments, and a business that refuses legal tender in favor of credit-only payment may be in violation of the state's deceptive trade practices law. If a retail establishment declines a cash payment in an in-person setting, that refusal may be reportable to the Rhode Island Attorney General's office, which oversees enforcement of Chapter 6-13.1. Tenant-rights organizations or consumer protection advocates can help explain how this provision interacts with any housing-related payment disputes.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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