State Guide · RI

Rhode Island LLC Guide (2026)

Everything you need to form and maintain an LLC in Rhode Island, state-specific fees, deadlines, and step-by-step instructions.

By Edmond Hui · Last updated: August 25, 2026

This hub indexes all Rhode Island LLC guides in one place, formation, compliance, registered agents, and business structure comparisons. Quick reference: state filing fee $150, standard processing Within 2 business days, annual report due May 1 (window opens Feb 1). For the complete step-by-step formation walkthrough, see the Full Formation Guide below.

Key LLC facts for Rhode Island: $600 minimum first-year cost, $450 each year after, an annual state report, and a personal income tax.
First-year cost is the unavoidable minimum to form and stay compliant; the second figure is what recurs annually. Source: Rhode Island's published filing fee schedule, verified July 2026, with anonymity and income-tax status from MyStateLLC's 50-state datasets.
Filing fee$150#17 cheapest of 50 states
ProcessingWithin 2 business days#9 fastest of the 16 states that publish one
Annual reportMay 1 (window opens Feb 1)

What Are the Mandatory Costs for a Rhode Island LLC?

Recurring State ChargeAnnual charge (minimum corporate tax): $400/year minimum

A Rhode Island LLC owes the Annual charge (minimum corporate tax), a minimum of $400 a year, separate from the $150 filing fee. That brings Rhode Island's minimum first-year state cost to $600. Budget for it as a recurring annual obligation before forming.

Flat $400 for an LLC treated as a pass-through entity (Form RI-1065, due March 15) or as a Subchapter S corporation (Form RI-1120S, due March 15); an LLC treated as a corporation files Form RI-1120C by April 15 and pays the greater of 7% corporate income tax or the $400 annual charge.

Key Finding

8,063 new business applications were filed in Rhode Island in the 2026 YTD (Jan to Jul) vs 2025 YTD (same months) window, up 10.9% year over year

Rhode Island ranks #49 of 51 jurisdictions by application volume and #49 per capita. For scale, the state counted 29,510 active business establishments as of 2023 (Census County Business Patterns). This monthly BFS series is a leading indicator of formation activity, ahead of the Census's annual establishment counts.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (BFS), Jul 2026

Rhode Island Small Business Landscape

Small businesses in Rhode Island116,149 (98.9% of all Rhode Island businesses)
Small business employment224,480 workers (51.1% of private-sector employment)

Source: SBA Office of Advocacy, 2025 Small Business Profile

Rhode Island Business Survival

5-year survival rate48.1% of new Rhode Island businesses survive five years, #38 of 51 nationally

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics

See how Rhode Island’s 5-year survival rate compares nationally in our full state-by-state ranking.

Enterprise LLCs Formed in Rhode Island

Entity NameWhy They Chose Rhode Island
Amica Mutual Insurance Company LLCRhode Island's Insurance Division has a long track record of stable rate approvals for mutual insurers, and Providence-headquartered Amica uses Rhode Island LLCs to consolidate its auto and homeowners underwriting subsidiaries under a single state-regulated structure.

Why Rhode Island attracts enterprise LLCs: Rhode Island's proximity to Boston and New York financial markets, combined with its streamlined LLC formation process ($150 filing fee, no franchise tax), makes it an efficient choice for financial services, insurance, and professional services holding entities in the Northeast.

Entity examples are illustrative and based on publicly available corporate registrations. Reasons reflect general state-level legal and tax advantages, not verified statements of each company's formation rationale. For educational purposes only; consult a licensed attorney before making formation decisions.

Check your business name

See if your domain and social handles are available before you file.

How Do You Start an LLC in Rhode Island?

Filing in Rhode Island costs $150 in state fees. Standard processing is within 2 business days. You'll file Articles of Organization, appoint a registered agent, and complete any state-specific requirements before opening for business.

That is the filing fee alone. For the first-year and five-year totals, see Rhode Island LLC cost.

Full Formation Guide for Rhode IslandExact forms, fees & filing instructions

What Are the Ongoing Requirements for a Rhode Island LLC?

Rhode Island LLCs must file an annual report due May 1 (window opens Feb 1) and keep a registered agent on file year-round. Missing deadlines triggers late fees and risks administrative dissolution.

Full Compliance OverviewAnnual report, fees & deadlinesAnnual Report GuideDue dates, forms & filing steps

How Do You Register a Foreign LLC in Rhode Island?

If your LLC was formed in another state (Delaware, Wyoming, etc.) but conducts business in Rhode Island, you must register as a foreign LLC. This requires a separate filing fee and a registered agent in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Foreign LLC Registration GuideForms, fees & registered agent requirements

Does a Rhode Island LLC Need a Registered Agent?

Other Rhode Island LLC Compliance & Tax Guides

How Does a Rhode Island LLC Compare to Other Structures?

Rhode Island LLC Operating Agreement Templates

Rhode Island LLC Guides by Industry

How Do You Dissolve an LLC in Rhode Island?

Does Rhode Island Waive LLC Fees for Veterans?

What Does Moving a Rental Into an LLC Cost in Rhode Island?

Do You Need an LLC to Sell on eBay in Rhode Island?

How Does Rhode Island Compare to Other States for LLC Formation?

Side-by-side breakdowns of filing fees, annual costs, taxes and privacy rules, each written for a business owner already operating in Rhode Island.

Compare from a different home state →

More Rhode Island LLC Resources

Best Bank AccountsBest business bank accounts for a Rhode Island LLC →Grants & IncentivesSmall business grants & incentives in Rhode Island →Anonymous LLCHow to form an anonymous LLC in Rhode Island →
Edmond Hui

Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC

Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.

Compare Rhode Island with Other States

Illinois LLC guideFiling fee $150 · See costs and requirements →South Dakota LLC guideFiling fee $150 · See costs and requirements →Minnesota LLC guideFiling fee $155 · See costs and requirements →How to form an LLCGeneral step-by-step formation guide →Annual report complianceDeadlines and fees for all 50 states →
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