Rhode Island Department of State

Nellie M. Gorbea

Secretary of State

Gather required information

Name of Company
All businesses need to register with a unique business name. If your name already exists in Rhode Island, you will need to conduct business under a different name. Check name availability by using the RI Department of State Corporate Database. For more information on name availability, please visit the RI Department of State Name Availability Guidelines.

Registered Agent
A registered agent is an individual or entity that receives official and legal documents on behalf of a business.  The agent must be a Rhode Island resident or an entity qualified to do business in this state.

Registered Agent Address
A registered agent must have a Rhode Island street address and must be available at the given address during normal business hours to accept service of process. P.O. Boxes or shipping/postal company addresses do not meet this standard and are not allowed.

Get proof of good standing or legal existence

A certificate of good standing/legal existence from your business’s state or country of formation, dated within 60 days of the date of filing, must accompany most applications.

Use our interactive map to find out where to order the required certificate.

Register your business

The chart below outlines your filing obligations with the RI Department of State to register certain business structures in Rhode Island.

Register with the Taxpayer Portal

The RI Division of Taxation’s Taxpayer Portal is an easy way for your business to pay corporate taxes, apply for Letters of Good Standing, or submit a Business Application and Registration (BAR) form to create a sales tax account.

Visit the Taxpayer Portal

Confirm your filing

Confirm your registration filing was accepted. Your filing may take between one to three business days to process.

Confirm your registration