Register your Rhode Island LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay Rhode Island’s own $156 state fee.
- Enter your desired LLC name
- Choose your state
- Receive your LLC and free EIN by email
Trusted by Thousands Nationwide
What is an LLC in Rhode Island?
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a simple structure for running your business under a professional name. It separates your business from your personal name, and it's the most common way to add a partner, sell the business, or look like a real company instead of a side project.
That separation goes further than the name. If the business owes money or gets sued, your house, car, and personal bank accounts are generally off-limits — as long as you run the LLC properly. It doesn't protect you from something you personally did wrong.
A sole proprietorship skips all of that. You're doing business under your own name or a DBA, and everything stays tied to you personally.
A corporation does the same separation as an LLC, but it's built for a different job: issuing stock and bringing in outside investors. An LLC is simpler to run and cheaper to keep up if that's not you right now.
Benefits of an LLC in Rhode Island
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “Rhode Island Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (Rhode Island Department of State)
- Get a matching domain like RhodeIslandCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about a Rhode Island LLC
Your $156 filing fee is Rhode Island's $150 Articles of Organization fee, plus a small charge if you file online — included either way when you file here. Rhode Island doesn't publish a guaranteed turnaround time for standard filings; every application moves through the Department of State's Business Services Division in the order it's received.
That $400 is Rhode Island's minimum business tax, and every LLC taxed as a disregarded entity or partnership owes it — the default for almost every small business. There's no separate franchise tax stacked on top of it.
Cost to start an LLC in Rhode Island
$156 to the Rhode Island Department of State — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. A Rhode Island corporation runs $238 through the same process.
| What you get |  | Others |
|---|---|---|
| EIN (Tax ID) | Free | up to $99 |
| Registered agent | Freefirst year | up to $249per year |
| Name check | Free | usually free |
| Rhode Island state filing feespaid to the state — same for everyone | $156 | $156 |
Free EIN with your Rhode Island LLC
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is what opens a business bank account and identifies your company to the IRS — it's like a Social Security Number for your LLC. It's included at no extra cost, right alongside your LLC.
LLC vs Corporation in Rhode Island
An LLC is simpler and more flexible, and keeps “LLC” in your business name. A corporation is a more formal structure built for issuing stock and outside investment, and keeps “Inc” or “Corp” in the name instead. 97% of our clients choose an LLC.
What is a Sole Proprietor in Rhode Island?
A sole proprietorship means you're doing business as an individual. You can register a Trade Name with the state to use a name other than your own. As an individual, you can't add a partner to the business, because everything is tied to your personal name and Social Security Number. If you later want to add partners or sell the business, you'll need to start an LLC or corporation.
File a DBA Under Your LLC
A DBA (Doing Business As), also called a Fictitious Business Name, lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. In Rhode Island, that's a separate $50 filing with the Department of State — the same office that formed your LLC.
A DBA isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: Rhode Island Company, LLC dba Rhode Island Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in Rhode Island
A DBA only gives you another name to use. The LLC is the actual business entity that owns the DBA name and holds all legal rights.
Common Questions
Why start an LLC in Rhode Island?
It separates the business from your own name, lets you add or remove owners as the business grows, and reads as a real, established company.
How long does it take to get a Rhode Island LLC?
Filing takes a few minutes on this page. Rhode Island's Department of State reviews filings in the order they're received and doesn't publish a guaranteed turnaround time.
What's Rhode Island's LLC annual report, and what does it cost?
$50, due between February 1 and May 1 every year after your first. It's a state filing requirement, not a tax — and separately, every Rhode Island LLC also owes a $400 minimum tax to the Division of Taxation the same year, regardless of income. Miss the annual report deadline and Rhode Island adds a $25 late fee.
Do I need an EIN for my Rhode Island LLC?
Yes, for a business bank account and for the IRS to recognize your company. It's included free when you file here.
What's a registered agent, and do I need one?
A registered agent is the address Rhode Island sends legal mail to. Every LLC needs one, and it's included free for your first year when you file here.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Rhode Island doesn't require one to file, but a bank often asks for one to open your business account. You can add it when you file, or write your own later.
Still deciding on a name?
Try the free name generator — type a word you like, get real available options back, then come straight here to file.
Page updates (1)
- January 1, 2026 — Rhode Island moved Trade Name (DBA) filing for sole proprietors and partnerships from city and town clerks to the Department of State, ending the old locally-filed “Assumed Name” system. Rhode Island Department of State — Trade Names →
Sources (6)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against Rhode Island's own filing agency and tax agency — verified September 20, 2026.
- RI Department of State — Form 400, Articles of Organization — the $150 LLC filing fee, registered agent rule
- RI Department of State — Form 632, LLC Annual Report — the $50 fee, Feb 1–May 1 window, $25 late penalty
- RI Department of State — Form 624B, LLC Fictitious Business Name Statement — the $50 LLC DBA fee
- RI Department of State — Form 100, Articles of Incorporation — the $230 minimum corporation filing fee
- RI Division of Taxation — Corporate Tax Filing Requirements — the $400 minimum tax, R.I. Gen. Laws § 44-11-2(e)
- RI Department of State — Trade Names — the 2026 Trade Name centralization