Records Held by the RI Department of State Business Services Division
The RI Department of State Business Services Division maintains five search tools for the public records for the following programs:
- Corporations (Business Entity Filings)
- Trade Names (Unincorporated Business Filings)
- Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
- Notary Public and Justice of the Peace
- RI Trademarks and Service Marks
Click on each of the accordions below to learn about the information available through these search tools. To learn how to find records in each of the search tools below, click here.
The Corporate Database holds formation, maintenance, and dissolution/withdrawal records for domestic and foreign incorporated entities such as Business Corporations, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs and L3Cs), Partnerships (LPs, LLPs, LLLPs), Non-Profit Corporations, and specialized entities that have at one time registered to conduct business in Rhode Island.
These records include statutorily required information about each entity’s legal name, place of business, business purpose, and a point of contact for service of process.
These records DO NOT include:
- Ownership information
- Operating Agreements or Bylaws
- Financial information such as profits and losses
- Tax information, including Employer Identification Numbers (EINs)
- Insured status
- Employment data
- Professional license status
- Trademark or Service Mark ownership
- Consumer complaints lodged against an entity
- Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings related to an entity
What can I learn about a qualified/incorporated entity through these records?
- The entity’s primary place of business (primary business address)
- If the entity is conducting business under any fictitious business names
- The entity’s registered agent/office address for the acceptance of service of process
- The entity’s primary purpose, including its selected North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
- If an entity has managers, directors, or officers
- The date of registration, qualification, revocation, dissolution, or cancellation/withdrawal
- The entity’s current status and filing history with the RI Department of State
- The entity’s Rhode Island Secretary of State identification number
Search the Corporate Database →
Did you know the Business Services Division has an interactive RI Business Data Hub that illustrates the business and non-profit landscape across the state based on the data recorded in the Corporate Database? Check out the Daily Numbers, the Non-Profit Report, and Find Your Market to learn which key industries have planted their stake across Rhode Island’s 39 municipalities.
The Trade Name Database holds the records of all unincorporated Trade Names registered to conduct business in one of Rhode Island’s 39 cities/towns. This includes Trade Names previously recorded with the relevant city or town and transferred to the RI Department of State and Trade Names recorded directly with the RI Department of State.
These records may include:
- Applications for Registration of a Trade Name, most commonly referred to as “DBAs,” Sole Proprietorships, or General Partnerships
- Amendments to a Trade Name’s registration
- Annual Renewals
- Notices and Certificates of Involuntary Cancellation
- Withdrawals and Conversions
These records DO NOT include:
- Financial information such as profits and losses
- Ownership share information
- Tax information, including Employer Identification Numbers (EINs)
- Insurance status
- Employment data
- Professional license status
- Trademark or Service Mark ownership
- Consumer complaints lodged against a Trade Name
What can I learn about an unincorporated business through these records?
- The municipality the Trade Name is registered to conduct business in
- Who owns the Trade Name, whether individual(s), business(es), or a combination of the two
- The Trade Name’s primary purpose, industry, or North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
- The Trade Name’s business address and business email address
- The date of registration, involuntary cancellation, or withdrawal
- The Trade Name’s current status and filing history with the RI Department of State
- The Trade Name’s Rhode Island Secretary of State identification number
The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Database contains initial financing statements, amendments, continuations, and terminations filed with the RI Department of State. Both active and lapsed financing statements are available for public view.
The records held in the UCC Database include:
- UCC Financing Statements (UCC1) and Addendums (UCC1Ad)
- UCC Financing Statement Amendments, including Continuations, Assignments, and Terminations (UCC3) and Amendment Addendums (UCC3Ad)
What can I learn about a secured transaction through these records?
- Collateral covered by a financing statement.
- If a financing statement relates to a Public-Finance Transaction, Manufactured-Home Transaction, or if a Debtor is a Transmitting Utility.
- Debtor(s) and Secured Party contact information.
Notary Public/Justice of the Peace Lookup
The Notary Public and Justice of the Peace Lookup allows users to find Notaries Public near them or verify a Notary/Justice of the Peace’s commission.
The following information may be verified or found using the Notary Public and Justice of the Peace Lookup:
- An active Notary/Justice of the Peace’s name, identification number, and commission status
- The email address for Notaries Public that consent to share their contact information for members of the public seeking in-person or online notarial services
The Trademark Database maintains records of active and inactive Trademarks and Service Marks registered in Rhode Island.
The records held in the Trademark Database include:
- Applications for Registration
- Renewals
- Change of Address
- Assignments
- Statements of Voluntary Cancellation
The records DO NOT include:
- U.S. Trademarks, Service Marks, Patents, or Copyrights
What can I learn about a Trademark or Service Mark through these records?
- The registrant (applicant) and, if applicable, assignee of a mark
- The principal place of business of the holder of the mark
- The mark’s date of registration, the date the mark was first used by the applicant or predecessor anywhere and in Rhode Island, and the mark’s registration number
- The mark’s complete description and specimens that depict the mark in use by the applicant in commerce
- In the event of a predecessor, how the predecessor used the mark and the name of the predecessor
- The date the mark’s registration expired/expires
The public records available in these databases are offered free of charge; however, you may also purchase a one-time download or annual subscription for the bulk data from the five search tools hosted by the RI Department of State Business Services Division.
The RI Department of State Business Services Division offers its data for purchase in .TXT format. Browse the catalog of one-time data downloads and yearly subscription fees and complete your order online or by phone.