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Last Updated: April 25, 2025
If you’re looking for an overall, excellent LLC formation service in Rhode Island, go with us at ZenBusiness. We’ve already formed 800,000+ businesses since 2017!
✔ Free LLC formation (only pay Rhode Island state fees)✔ $5,000 grant program for customers✔ 60-day money-back guarantee✔ 21591+ reviews with a 4.8 average rating✔ Award-winning customer support✔ Extended customer service hours, including Saturdays and Sundays✔ Socially conscious company (Public Benefit Corporation)
✘ Registered agent service costs extra after the first year✘ Some advanced features require higher-tier plans
If you want socially conscious Rhode Island LLC formation services with a service discount, choose ZenBusiness.
Another LLC service is Bizee (formerly known as Infile), with a basic formation service that would only require you to pay Rhode Island’s state filing fee. Bizee is a well-known choice, with more than one million businesses formed since they opened in 2004. They also have a variety of features to suit a business owner’s needs.
✔ Free LLC formation (only pay Rhode Island state fees)✔ Includes one year of registered agent service ($119/yr afterward)✔ Large customer base with 20,932+ reviews (as of April 2025)✔ Phone and email support
✘ Lots of upsells can increase overall costs✘ Customer support can be slow during peak times✘ No weekend phone support available
Keep in Mind: Even though their Rhode Island LLC formation service is free, you’re going to deal with more upsells and potentially higher overall prices as a result.
Want to learn more? See our Bizee review.
LegalZoom is the most well-known service in this industry, handling millions of LLC formations since 1999. They handle huge volumes of entity formations in Rhode Island and offer legal services beyond formations.
✔ Established brand with 4 million+ LLCs formed✔ Extended customer service hours, including Saturdays✔ Offers legal services beyond Rhode Island LLC formation
✘ Aggressive upsells during the ordering process✘ Registered agent service is expensive ($249/yr)✘ Not the best value compared to other services available in Rhode Island
Want to learn more? See our LegalZoom review.
Northwest Registered Agent also offers a good business formation service in Rhode Island, with personalized customer support as their standout feature. They’ve been forming businesses since 1998.
✔ Personalized customer support✔ Includes one year of registered agent service ($125/yr afterward)✔ Industry experience since 1998
✘ Higher starting price than competitors who offer free Rhode Island LLC formation✘ No customer service hours on Saturday or Sunday and no chat support✘ Limited brand recognition compared to larger competitors
Want to learn more? See our Northwest Registered Agent review.
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In addition to the costs of a business formation service or hiring an attorney (which are optional, as we’ve discussed), there are quite a few other required and optional expenses when forming and maintaining a Rhode Island business. You cannot form an LLC in Rhode Island without filing the Articles of Organization, the document that officially registers a business within the state. The filing fee is $150.
Your LLC will need to file Annual Reports every year. The report is a pretty simple filing, but it keeps the state up-to-date regarding some basic but vital information, such as your registered agent and business address. This report costs $50. Read more about Rhode Island costs – Rhode Island LLC costs.
We invite you to take a look at our comprehensive guide to forming a limited liability company in Rhode Island. This article walks you through the LLC formation process in this state step by step, ensuring that you don’t miss any crucial elements.
One of the most important steps in forming a Rhode Island LLC is choosing a business name. Once you come up with ideas for your name, you should search through the Secretary of State’s historic corporate catalog to make sure your desired name is available. For more information on conducting a business name search in Rhode Island, check out Rhode Island business search on the topic.
You can download the Articles of Organization on the Department of State’s website.
In Rhode Island, an LLC’s ongoing maintenance requirements include the annual report. It’s due by November 1 each year, and there is a $50 filing fee.
Chances are, you’ll require at least one license or permit to operate your LLC in compliance with Rhode Island state law. For more information about business licenses and more in this state, check out the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation website.
The Secretary of State should be able to process your LLC’s formation within 1-3 business days.
If you want more details about what these companies can offer in this state, or you’d like to take a look at some other options, check out our complete guide to Rhode Island resident agents.
Unfortunately, not all businesses last forever. If the time comes when you need to close your LLC’s doors, you’ll need to do so in a manner consistent with the state’s regulations. That’s why we wrote our guide to Rhode Island LLC dissolutions, so you can complete the process in a compliant manner.
If your LLC already exists in another state, you don’t actually need to “form” it in Rhode Island. Instead, you’ll need to foreign qualify the business in this state. This process is somewhat similar to LLC formation, but there are some crucial differences as well. Take a look at our guide to foreign qualifications in Rhode Island for more information.
Rhode Island Business Resources
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Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by Team ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has helped people start, run, and grow over 800,000 dream companies. The editorial team at ZenBusiness has over 20 years of collective small business publishing experience and is composed of business formation experts who are dedicated to empowering and educating entrepreneurs about owning a company.
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