Rhode Island Registered Agent
When you choose Registered Agent Center as your registered agent, you get instant service, Privacy by Default®, and a business address. Want more? Registered Agent Center is the only registered agent that can provide your business services from domains to DBAs easily, and all in-house.
Want to learn more about what a registered agent does in Rhode Island? We'll explain the Rhode Island Department of State Business Services Division’s requirements, what your registered agent should do for you, and how to change your registered agent in Rhode Island.
What Is a RI Registered Agent?
A registered agent is a person or company that you designate to receive legal mail (like service of process) on behalf of your business. Registered agent services exist to provide an official and reliable way to contact your business.
If your business is ever served with a lawsuit, the process server will deliver the paperwork directly to your registered agent. At that point, your business is legally considered served. The registered agent should then forward you your mail, quickly and securely.
Per Rhode Island's state statutes for registered agent requirements (§ 7-1.2-501), registered agents are legally required in Rhode Island. At a minimum, your registered agent must list a physical address on the public record and be present at that address during business hours. But ideally, your registered agent should do more.
What Are the Legal Requirements for Registered Agents in RI?
The Rhode Island Business Corporation Act (§ 7-1.2-501) outlines that registered agents for Rhode Island corporations and LLCs are required to:
- Be a Rhode Island resident or a company that provides resident agent services.
- Maintain a registered office (a physical address in Rhode Island).
- Accept legal documents (service of process) during regular business hours.
These rules also apply to registered agents for Rhode Island nonprofits.
How Do I Change My Registered Agent?
There are two ways to change your registered agent in Rhode Island.
- 1Hire us and we'll complete the change of agent form for you for free.
- 2Do it yourself and file a Statement of Change form with the Rhode Island Secretary of State.
You'll use this form for changing the registered agent for your Rhode Island LLC and all other business entities.
Why Registered Agent Center Is the Best Registered Agent in Rhode Island
Our Rhode Island Registered Agent Service includes the tools you need to keep your business running without a hitch. When you hire Registered Agent Center as your registered agent, you get:
Same-Day Scans
We scan your legal docs the same day we receive them and reach out if your essential mail goes unread.
Privacy by Default®
We list our business address on public docs to keep your personal info safe. And unlike those other guys, we never sell your data.
Complete Brand Protection
Keep an eye on your business name, domains, and trademarks, with built-in Brand Protection. We'll alert you to potential conflicts early, and give you simple tools to build and manage your brand all in one place, totally free.
Corporate Guides®
Have questions? We have answers. Our guides are business experts whose sole job is to provide support for all your business questions.
Business Identity
Registered Agent Center is a Business Identity provider. Get a domain name that matches your business name. Tack on website hosting, we'll get you an expert-built website, hosted and secured by us. Want to start talking to suppliers, advertisers, customers, and more? Set up business email addresses and a separate business phone number so you can protect your data and keep your communication professional.
How to Order Registered Agent Center RI Registered Agent Service
You sign up online, clicking on one of the buttons or links that says HIRE US.
We collect the first year of the Registered Agent Service fee up front.
For new businesses, we'll become your registered agent once your business registration filing with the Rhode Island Secretary of State is complete.
About a year later, we'll send you an invoice for another year of Rhode Island Registered Agent Service. If you want to keep using us, great; if you don't, you can easily cancel.
With offices in every state, we make it easy to add registered agent services anywhere in the country. We don't farm out work (or your info) to other companies—wherever you are, WE are your registered agent.
We make your account a real go-to resource for you, not just for registered agent service or paying a bill but for keeping up with Rhode Island corporate compliance.
Rhode Island Registered Agent FAQs
Why do I need a Rhode Island registered agent?
State law requires all legitimate, registered businesses to appoint one. The Secretary of State will reject your business filing if you don't appoint a registered agent.
In addition, a registered agent requirement gives the public and the state a reliable way to contact your business.
How much does a registered agent in Rhode Island cost?
The cost of a registered agent in Rhode Island depends on the service you use or if you decide to do it yourself. If you do it yourself, it's absolutely free except you risk your privacy and private information. At Registered Agent Center, our Rhode Island Registered Agent Service only costs $125 and has always cost that. No hidden or surprise fees.
Can I be my own registered agent in Rhode Island?
Yes, you can be your own registered agent in Rhode Island. However, after considering the registered agent requirements most business owners elect to hire a registered agent service instead. Why? Well although being your own registered agent will cost you $0, a Rhode Island registered agent's name and address becomes part of the public record. Additionally, the registered agent is required to be available to accept service of process during normal business hours five days a week.
Where is Registered Agent Center's registered office in Rhode Island?
We accept and scan all of our Rhode Island clients' documents from our office here in Pawtucket, RI.
Will you let me know when my Rhode Island Annual Report is due?
Absolutely! When we are your registered agent, we send you a reminder and provide the forms and instructions for every state that you have registered agent service in.
Can I use your Rhode Island registered office address for everything on my business filing?
Yes! If you would like to keep your own address off of the public record, we can help! We're the only national registered agent that allows our clients to list our registered office address for every address on your corporate filings.
Can I have my business's mail delivered to your Rhode Island office?
We don't want ALL of your business mail. It's not what we do. And it wouldn't serve you well. You wouldn't have a unique address or suite number. Any mail we receive on your behalf would come to Registered Agent Center, care of you.
But we understand that businesses and clients sometimes reach out to you through your registered agent. Through us. That's why we give you five FREE scans of regular business mail a year. If we get additional mail for you and you decide to view it, it costs $15. If you want that additional mail shipped to you, you'll need to pay shipping and handling.
Should I hire a registered agent before or after I start my business in Rhode Island?
Hire us first. Rhode Island will reject your business registration filing if you don't have a registered agent. You can find all the forms and instructions you need to complete your filing instantly after you hire us.
In Rhode Island, how do registered agents get served?
This is how it works:
- 1A process server, county sheriff, or third party will walk into our office and hand us the documents (service of process). We sign for those documents.
- 2The process server then gives an affidavit (a receipt of service) to the court as confirmation that they served us.
Once your Rhode Island registered agent signs on your business's behalf, you've been notified. So even if your registered agent never forwards those documents to you, technically, you had notice. This is a serious responsibility that we do not take lightly.
Serving a registered agent is legal proof that you were notified. If you hire Registered Agent Center, long before the server submits their affidavit to the court, you will have received your documents because we scan them to your account within minutes of signing for the documents.
How do I search for a registered agent?
To find a company's registered agent, you can do a Rhode Island business name search:
- Type in the name of the company you're searching for.
- In the results, you'll find the registered agent's name and registered office street address.
If you want to legally notify a business through their Rhode Island registered agent service, just send a certified letter directly to the registered agent name and registered office address.
How do I resign from being a registered agent in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, to resign as a registered agent, you need to submit a Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent to the Rhode Island Secretary of State, Division of Business Services. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can refer to our guide on how to resign as a registered agent in Rhode Island.
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