Orange Sticker Ordinance

Narragansett Municipal Code: Unruly Gatherings

The Town of Narragansett’s Unruly Gathering Ordinance (Chapter 46, Article II), also known as the "Orange Sticker" Ordinance, was updated in 2024 to increase penalties for violation.

Under the ordinance, gatherings involving excessive noise, underage drinking, or other disruptive behavior can prompt police intervention and result in an orange sticker being placed on the property. The sticker must remain in place until the end of the academic year. A second violation will result in additional fines and penalties, and under the new amendment, property owners may be prohibited from renting their home for up to a year following a second offense.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Avoid Fines and Penalties

It’s essential for all off-campus renters to understand the city’s rules and the consequences of violating municipal code. Violations can result in individual fines of $500 for everyone involved and may have additional implications for you, your roommates, classmates, and your landlord.


Read the full code below, or skip ahead to Penalties for Violation.

Sec. 46-32. – Notice of unruly gathering; posting, mailing.

    1. When the police department intervenes at a gathering which constitutes a nuisance under this article, the premises at which such nuisance occurred shall be posted with a notice stating that the intervention of the police has been necessitated as a result of public nuisance under this article caused by an event at the premises and the date of the police intervention for the cited nuisance and shall result in the joint and several liability of those identified in section 46-34.
    2. In regards to academic year rentals, any notice posted between September 1 and May 31 of any year shall remain posted until May 31. In regards to year round rentals, any notice posted during the lease term shall remain posted until the lease term expiration date. In regards to short term rentals, please refer to Chapter 14, Article XVII ‘Short-Term Rentals’.
    3. The residents and owner of such property shall be jointly responsible for ensuring that such notice is not removed or defaced and it shall be a Code violation carrying a penalty of a minimum, mandatory $100.00 fine in addition to any other penalties which may be due under this section if such notice is removed, obscured or defaced, provided, however, that the residents of the premises or sponsor of the event, if present, shall be consulted as to the location in which such notice is posted in order to achieve both the security of the notice and its prominent display.

↪️ In other words

When police respond to a gathering deemed a public nuisance, the property must be posted with a notice (i.e., orange sticker) stating the intervention, cause, and date. Notices remain until May 31 for academic-year rentals, until the lease ends for year-round rentals, or according to short-term rental rules.

Owners and residents are both responsible for keeping the notice intact; removing or defacing it carries a minimum $100 fine. Residents or event sponsors must be consulted on placement to ensure both visibility and security.

Responsibility & Notices

Sec. 46-33. Mailing of notice to property owner.

Notice of intervention shall also be mailed to any property owner on the Town of Narragansett property tax assessment records and shall advise the property owner that an intervention occurred as set forth in section 46-32(a) and as a result penalties associated with such intervention will be imposed as set forth below.

Sec. 46-34. Persons liable for a response to gathering constituting a public nuisance.

If the police department is required to respond to a gathering constituting a public nuisance on the premises, the following persons shall be jointly and severally liable for penalties pursuant to section 46-35:

  1. The person or persons who own the property where the gathering constituting a public nuisance took place.
  2. The person or persons residing on or otherwise in control of the property where such gathering took place.
  3. All person or persons who organized or sponsored such gathering.
  4. All persons attending such gatherings who engage in any activity resulting in the public nuisance

↪️ In other words

If police respond to a public nuisance gathering, property owners are mailed a notice, and all owners, residents, organizers, and attendees can be held responsible for any penalties.

Penalties for Violation

Sec. 46-35. – Penalties for violation

(a) Code violations occur when authorities intervene to stop gatherings considered a public nuisance:

  • (1) For a first offense the Municipal Court may impose a fine of $500.00 to any

    person who organized and/or attended the gathering and/or any person residing at

    the premise and shall impose a fine of $500.00 to the record owner(s); and

    (2) For a second offense the Municipal Court shall impose a $500.00 fine on each

    person residing at the premises and the record owner(s) and shall revoke the

    record owner’s rental registration certificate for the following rental year.

(b) In addition to the above, the municipal court shall be authorized to order the person or

persons in violation to perform community service. For a first intervention, ordering

community service shall be discretionary. For a second intervention, the municipal court

shall, in addition to the monetary penalty set forth above, order the person or persons in

violation to perform not less than 25 hours of community service.

↪️ In other words

If authorities step in at a gathering considered a public nuisance:

  • First offense: Anyone who organized, attended, or lives at the property could get an orange sticker, which carries a $500 fine per person. The property owner will also receive a court summons and a $500 fine.
  • Second offense: Each resident and the property owner could get another orange sticker and a $500 fine. The owner could also lose their rental registration for a full year.

Community service may also be required. For a first violation, it is at the judge’s discretion. For a second sticker, the court will require a minimum of 25 hours of community service for all persons involved, in addition to the fines.

Where to Learn More

For official information and updates, visit:

Narragansett > Providence >
South Kingstown > Charlestown >
North Kingstown > Richmond >

Last Updated September 26, 2025



Disclaimer: Local ordinances and regulations are subject to change, and the information provided here is not exhaustive and may become outdated at any time. Be sure to review current local rules before moving off-campus, consult your lease with a parent, guardian, or attorney before signing, and visit your city or town’s website for the most up-to-date information.