Registered Agent Service
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Free Rhode Island Registered Agent Service
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If you have an existing or are forming a new Rhode Island Corporation, Limited-Liability Company, Limited Partnership, Foreign Filing or any other corporate entity, almost every jurisdiction requires by law that you must have a registered agent located in that jurisdiction.
Rhode Island Registered Agent service alone can cost you up to $320 per year with some companies. FreeRegisteredAgent.com, through an affiliation with InCorp Services, Inc., will provide your first year of registered agent service with us for FREE and $129 per year thereafter!
Included in the service is full access to InCorp's industry leading client website where you may check the status of your entities in multiple jurisdictions on the same page, check compliance events, download or view FREE copies of your filed documents at any time from anywhere, make payments to your account and even check for mail that's been forwarded to you!
There is no catch whatsoever except that the corporate entity requiring service can't currently be represented by InCorp Services already. After the first year, if you choose to stay with InCorp Services, Inc., you will pay just $129 per year for the same great services!
Rhode Island registered agent facts
| Registered agent statute | R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-501 (corporations); § 7-16-11 (LLCs) |
|---|---|
| LLC filing fee | $150 (Articles of Organization, R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-65) |
| Corporation filing fee | $230 (Articles of Incorporation: $70 filing fee plus $160 minimum license fee for up to 75 million authorized shares, § 7-1.2-1602) |
| Annual report fee | $50 (corporations and LLCs) |
| Annual report due | Between February 1 and May 1 each year, beginning the year after formation or registration (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 7-1.2-1501, 7-16-66) |
| Typical processing time | Online filings through the Business Services portal are processed faster than mail; the Providence office also accepts walk-in filings |
Registered agent requirements in Rhode Island
Registered agent requirements in Rhode Island
Rhode Island splits its terminology by entity type but not its substance: corporations must continuously maintain a registered office and a registered agent at that office under R.I. Gen. Laws Section 7-1.2-501, while the LLC Act calls the same role a resident agent under Section 7-16-11. Either way, the agent must be an individual Rhode Island resident or an authorized entity with a physical street address in the state, and service of process on the agent is service on the company. Changing the agent costs $20 for a corporation, and a change of registered office alone is free - the state wants no friction between a company and an accurate agent record.
The filing office is the Business Services Division of the Rhode Island Department of State in Providence, which handles formations online, by mail, and over the counter. LLC formation is a flat $150 under the fee statute, Section 7-16-65. Incorporation is quirkier: the Articles of Incorporation cost $70 to file, but Section 7-1.2-1602 adds a license fee keyed to authorized shares - $160 for fewer than 75 million shares, one-fifth of a cent per share beyond that - so virtually every small corporation pays $230 to start. Authorizing an enormous share count in Rhode Island has a real price tag, unlike in flat-fee states.
Annual compliance runs on a fixed calendar window that catches newcomers off guard: every corporation and LLC files its $50 annual report between February 1 and May 1, beginning the year after formation (Sections 7-1.2-1501 and 7-16-66). There is no anniversary-date staggering - the whole state files in the same three months. Reports come in through the online portal, and the report is where the state refreshes the record of your principal office and, for corporations, directors and officers. Persistent failure to file leads to revocation of the entity’s articles or authority after statutory notice, and reinstatement requires filing the missing reports and paying the accumulated fees.
Since both the February filing season notices and any lawsuit will arrive at the agent address on file, an unmonitored address is the fastest route to a revoked Rhode Island charter. FreeRegisteredAgent.com provides the first year of Rhode Island resident agent service free through InCorp, then $129/yr.
Rhode Island registered agent FAQ
- Who can be a resident agent in Rhode Island?
- An individual resident of Rhode Island, or a domestic or authorized foreign entity, with a physical street address in the state. LLCs appoint a resident agent under R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-11 and corporations maintain a registered office and agent under § 7-1.2-501.
- Why does incorporating in Rhode Island cost $230?
- The Articles of Incorporation carry a $70 filing fee plus a share-based license fee - $160 for anything under 75 million authorized shares, or one-fifth of a cent per share above that - so the practical minimum is $230 (§ 7-1.2-1602). LLCs pay a flat $150.
- When is the Rhode Island annual report due?
- Both corporations and LLCs file in a fixed statutory window, February 1 through May 1, every year after the year of formation. The fee is $50, and filing outside the window incurs late fees and, eventually, revocation proceedings.
- What happens if I skip the annual report?
- The Secretary of State may revoke a delinquent entity's articles or certificate of authority after notice. A revoked company must file for reinstatement and clear all back reports and fees before it can again get certificates of good standing.
- How much does a Rhode Island resident agent cost?
- Commercial agents usually charge $100 to $300 per year. FreeRegisteredAgent.com provides the first year free through InCorp, then $129/yr.
Further information about Rhode Island corporations, corporate law and Rhode Island Registered Agent Service:
Rhode Island Secretary of state's website | Rhode Island Registered Agent Statutes | Compare Rhode Island Registered Agents