Short answer
File one document, the Articles of Organization (Form 400), with the Rhode Island Secretary of State. The fee is $150[2]. It must name a resident agent with a Rhode Island address.
Mainstay Filing does the Rhode Island filing for $199 a year; the state's $150 is added at cost[1].
- State filing fee
- $150
- Form
- Form 400
- Filed with
- Rhode Island Secretary of State
- Resident Agent required
- Yes
- Periodic report
- Yearly, $50
- Other states’ fees
- 36 lower, 11 higher
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
016 steps, in order
Only step three goes to the state. The others are preparation or follow-up, but each one is something Rhode Island LLC owners run into in the first year.
- Check the name. Search the Rhode Island Secretary of State business records for the name you want[3]. The name needs a designator such as "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company."
- Name a resident agent. Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-11, the resident agent can be A Rhode Island resident, or a corporation, limited partnership or LLC formed in Rhode Island or authorized there.[4] A member or manager who lives in Rhode Island can be the resident agent as an individual.
- File with the state. The document is the Articles of Organization (Form 400); the fee is $150, paid to the Rhode Island Secretary of State[2].
- Draft the operating agreement. This internal document covers ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. It is kept with the company, not filed.
- Request an EIN. This federal tax number comes from the IRS, not from Rhode Island, and most banks ask for it before opening an account.
- Mark the report deadline. Rhode Island LLCs file the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company every year ($50)[5]. The deadline: May 1[5].
02The form and where it goes
The formation document in Rhode Island is the Articles of Organization (Form 400). It is filed with the Rhode Island Secretary of State[2].
The governing text:
One or more persons may form a limited liability company by delivering or causing to be delivered executed articles of organization for filing with the secretary of state. ... For filing the original articles of organization, a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150)
R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-5 (formation)[2].
Once the Rhode Island Secretary of State accepts the filing, the LLC exists and its record, including the resident agent details, appears in the state's public business search.
03Having it filed for you, or filing yourself
Mainstay Filing prepares and submits the Form 400 for $199 a year plus the $150 state fee, which it passes through at cost[1]. The same yearly price covers its service as resident agent, the EIN application and the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company each time it is due, and it does not rise at renewal.
The Rhode Island Secretary of State accepts filings from owners directly. Its $150 fee does not change based on who submits the document.
04How many new businesses Rhode Island sees
The Census Bureau counted 11,800 applications for new employer ID numbers tied to Rhode Island business addresses in 2025, the 48th most of any state. That count is up 39% from 8,492 in 2019.
These are IRS employer-ID applications, so they include sole proprietors and corporations as well as LLCs. Rhode Island does not publish a comparable monthly LLC count.
05Rhode Island formation costs
At $150, Rhode Island's fee is above the 50-state median of $100. Among the other states, 36 states charge less and 11 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $150 | [2] webserver.rilegislature.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company | $50 every year | [5] docs.sos.ri.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Resident agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $99 to $249 first year elsewhere | 7 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as resident agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $120 | $80 yearly |
| Massachusetts | $500 | $500 yearly |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
06Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Rhode Island?
The state fee is $150 for the Articles of Organization (Form 400)[2]. After that, the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company costs $50 every year.
Do I need a resident agent to form an LLC in Rhode Island?
Yes. The formation filing names one. A member or manager who lives in Rhode Island can be the resident agent as an individual.
Is there a service that files it for me?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files Rhode Island LLCs for $199 a year plus the $150 state fee[1]. That also covers its resident agent service, the EIN application and the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in Rhode Island?
The Rhode Island Secretary of State. Its website: www.sos.ri.gov/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-5 (formation); fee set by § 7-16-65(1). webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE7/7-16/7-16-5.htm. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Rhode Island Secretary of State. www.sos.ri.gov/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-11 (resident agent; RI's term for registered agent). webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE7/7-16/7-16-11.htm. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division: Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company rules and fee. docs.sos.ri.gov/documents/BusinessServices/632-limited-liability-company-annual-report.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.