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How to Start an LLC in Rhode Island (2026): 8 Steps and the 3 Best LLC Services
Here is the 2026 answer for starting an LLC in Rhode Island: Rhode Island Registered Agent.co ($199), RI Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), ranked in that order. After the picks come 8 short steps; the state's own charge to file is $150.
The Founder Classroom teaching team · Updated November 12, 2026
Disclosure Founder Classroom is reader-supported. We may earn money when you buy through links on this page, and the companies we rank are our partners. Prices come from each company's own pages and official state sources.
Lesson map The services Steps Costs Check your understanding References Key facts
Recurring report $50 a year Report due May 1
Three-year state cost $1,450 State charges only
Number of steps 8 Numbered below By the end you will know The Rhode Island filing, its fee and its office The resident agent requirement The yearly upkeep Our picks and the reasoning
Teacher's pick
Our picks for Rhode Island How we graded:
five criteria , with three-year cost and steps handled counting most.
First choice
1. Rhode Island Registered Agent.co: best for founders staying in Rhode Island
$199 in year one, $99 after
For most new founders in Rhode Island, Rhode Island Registered Agent.co: formation at $199 over the state fee, then a $99 agent renewal.
Cost settles it: over three years it is less than Mainstay Filing.
The Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company stays on your to-do list every year.
What you get Your filing, done First year of agent service What we like $99 a year after that Free first agent year $199 over the state fee Watch out for You file the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company Charges $99 for the EIN step
Rhode Island focus
2. RI Registered Agent.org: best for a local filer
$199 in year one, $99 after
In second, RI Registered Agent.org: formation at $199 over the state fee, then a $99 agent renewal.
The Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company stays on your to-do list every year.
It costs the same as Rhode Island Registered Agent.co.
What you get Your filing, done First year of agent service What we like $99 a year after that Free first agent year $199 over the state fee Watch out for You file the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company Charges $99 for the EIN step
Works in every state
3. Mainstay Filing: best for one bill for filing and upkeep
Annual price $199 · renewal price $199 · state fee extra
Mainstay Filing is a solid third choice: it takes the formation, the resident agent and every annual report off your list for $199 a year.
It runs $200 more than Rhode Island Registered Agent.co across three years.
Each Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company is filed for you (state fee $50, at cost).
What you get Your filing, done Resident agent for the full year Annual report filed each cycle EIN application No markup on the state fee What we like Handles the EIN application Flat $199 a year $199 at renewal Watch out for Costs $100 more per year from year two
Our Rhode Island picks compared
Company prices as published on November 12, 2026. The $150 state fee is extra in every row.
Step-by-step lesson
Step 1
Step 1: Check your name is availablePick a name, then check it against the records at the Rhode Island Secretary of State so no other company already holds it.
Tip Keep a backup name handy.
Step 2
Step 2: Line up your resident agentEvery LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Rhode Island resident, or a corporation, limited partnership or LLC formed in Rhode Island or authorized there.
The address has to be a Rhode Island street address, not a P.O. box, where the agent is available during business hours.
Tip Every service in our picks can act as your resident agent.
Official source: webserver.rilegislature.gov (October 2026)
Step 3
Step 3: Decide how you will fileThe state fee ($150) is the same either way; a service adds $199. See the picks .
Step 4
Step 4: Complete and file the Articles of OrganizationFile the Articles of Organization (Form 400) with the Rhode Island Secretary of State; the fee is $150 (R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-5).
Official source: docs.sos.ri.gov (October 2026)
Step 5
Step 5: Check Rhode Island's additional rule$400 a year minimum tax to the Division of Taxation (Form RI-1065), owed whether or not the LLC makes a profit. Official source: tax.ri.gov (October 2026)
Step 6
Step 6: Request an EINAfter the Rhode Island approval, the IRS issues an EIN, the number banks and payroll use for the LLC. Mainstay Filing files the EIN application as part of its price.
Step 7
Step 7: Agree the house rules in writingAn operating agreement is internal. Sign it, keep it with the records, and the state never needs a copy.
Step 8
Step 8: Stay in good standing with Rhode IslandMark the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company in your calendar: every year, due May 1, fee $50. If you miss it: $25. Plus the state's yearly tax: $400 a year minimum tax to the Division of Taxation (Form RI-1065), owed whether or not the LLC makes a profit.
Official source: sos.ri.gov (August 2026)
Rhode Island costs by step
Item Payee Cost
Filing the LLC The state $150 The yearly report The state $50 every year Missing the deadline The state $25 Minimum tax The state $400 a year Filing service (optional) The service $199 in year one Three-year state total The state $1,450
Every state figure links to its source under References; service prices come from each company's site.
Why this order Rhode Island Registered Agent.co beat RI Registered Agent.org on three-year cost, our 30% criterion.
Three years of Rhode Island Registered Agent.co cost $397, which leaves $200 in your pocket compared with Mainstay Filing.
Questions students ask
What does it cost to form an LLC in Rhode Island? The official fee: $150. Service fees among our picks: $199.
Which form creates the LLC? It is called the Articles of Organization (Form 400), and it goes to the Rhode Island Secretary of State.
Is a resident agent required? Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Rhode Island require each year? The Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company: $50, every year, due May 1. There is also a yearly minimum tax.
Can I form the LLC without a service? Yes, by filing yourself for $150 and naming a resident agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use? Rhode Island Registered Agent.co first, then RI Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing; Rhode Island Registered Agent.co leads on three-year cost.
Official references docs.sos.ri.gov . Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division. Confirmed August 2026.sos.ri.gov . Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division. Confirmed August 2026.webserver.rilegislature.gov . R.I. Confirmed August 2026.sos.ri.gov . Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Confirmed October 2026.docs.sos.ri.gov . Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Confirmed October 2026.webserver.rilegislature.gov . Rhode Island registered agent statute. Confirmed October 2026.tax.ri.gov . Rhode Island other cost. Confirmed October 2026.Rhode Island Registered Agent.co pricing page: prices as shown November 12, 2026 RI Registered Agent.org pricing page: prices as shown November 12, 2026 Mainstay Filing Rhode Island service page: prices as shown November 12, 2026