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. 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 (including virtual business addresses) do not meet this standard and are not allowed.

Business Structure
Your business structure is the legal definition of how your business is organized.  Refer to our Business Structures chart to learn more.

Proof of Insurance/Board Approval
Professional Service Corporations and Professional Service Benefit Corporations are required to show proof of liability insurance upon registration. State law sets certain insurance exclusions and limits. See R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 7-5.1.

If the entity is offering engineering services, prior approval from the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers is required.

Register your business

The chart below outlines how to file with the RI Department of State to register certain business structures. You can learn more about these structures by reviewing our Business Structures chart.

If you are looking to start a General Partnership or Sole Proprietorship, please contact the city or town where you wish to do business. General Partnerships and Sole Proprietorships do not register with the RI Department of State.

Confirm your filing

Before proceeding to Step 4, be sure to confirm your registration filing was accepted. Your filing may take between one to three business days to process.

Confirm your registration

Get Federal Employer Identification Number

Your EIN is a unique nine-digit number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to identify your business.

Register with the RI Division of Taxation

The RI Division of Taxation’s Taxpayer Portal is an easy way for your business to file and pay taxes, apply for a Letter of Good Standing, or renew a tax license. Depending on the nature of your business, you can register in one of two ways.

If you do NOT have employees or make retail sales, call the Division of Taxation hotline at (401) 574-8484 to set up your Portal account.

If you have employees or make retail sales, submit a Business Application and Registration (BAR) form online to create your business tax accounts.

Congratulations! Download your Welcome Packet!

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