Session 2 · Rhode Island
Registered Agent in Rhode Island (2026): a 6-Step Lesson and the 3 Best Agents
The short version
What you will learn
- The Rhode Island agent rule
- The address and eligibility rules
- How to put the agent on record
- Who we would hire as agent
If you would like help with the filing
1. Mainstay Filing: best for founders planning to expand
Mainstay Filing earns the highest mark because a flat yearly price of $149 no matter which state the LLC is in.
The three-year premium over Rhode Island Registered Agent.co is $150, and the 33% weight on steps handled covers it.
What the price covers
- A physical in-state address
- A same-business-day scan of each served paper comes at no charge
- Government mail scanned free, three pieces a year
- Also works for nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs
Marks in its favor
- $149 yearly with no increase
- Covers all fifty states
Where it loses points
- $50 a year more than Rhode Island Registered Agent.co
- You still file the reports yourself
2. Rhode Island Registered Agent.co: best for one-state companies
Rhode Island Registered Agent.co lands in second place, and the reason is clear: $99 a year buys a Rhode Island agent with an office in the state.
What the price covers
- A Rhode Island address for the registered office
- Served papers scanned to your account
Marks in its favor
- A lower yearly cost than the national pick
- $99 a year, the same at renewal
Where it loses points
- No help in other states
- Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company is not included
3. RI Registered Agent.org: best for a Rhode Island office address
RI Registered Agent.org lands in third place, and the reason is clear: $99 a year buys a Rhode Island agent with an office in the state.
Rhode Island Registered Agent.co and this service charge the same.
What the price covers
- A Rhode Island address for the registered office
- Served papers scanned to your account
Marks in its favor
- $99 a year, the same at renewal
- A lower yearly cost than the national pick
Where it loses points
- No help in other states
- Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company is not included
Prices in one table
| # | Service | Annual price | Renewal price | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Rhode Island Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit Rhode Island Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | RI Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit RI Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The steps
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Step
1Find out what Rhode Island asks of an agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Where this comes from: Class notes: webserver.rilegislature.gov (October 2026)
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Step
2Confirm who may be the agent
A Rhode Island resident, or a corporation, limited partnership or LLC formed in Rhode Island or authorized there. You will find this in R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-11.
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Step
3Check the registered office address rule
The address has to be a Rhode Island street address, not a P.O. box, where the agent is available during business hours.
A service gives you a Rhode Island street address, which keeps your home address off the filing.
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Step
4Choose between acting yourself and hiring an agent
Our graded agents charge $99 to $149 a year; acting yourself is the other route if you qualify.
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Step
5List the agent with the state
New companies list the agent on the Articles of Organization (Form 400); changing agents later means filing with the Rhode Island Secretary of State again.
Where this comes from: Class notes: docs.sos.ri.gov (October 2026)
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Step
6Stay current every year
File the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company on time ($50, May 1) and the agent record stays correct. $400 a year minimum tax to the Division of Taxation (Form RI-1065), owed whether or not the LLC makes a profit.
Where this comes from: Class notes: sos.ri.gov (August 2026)
Rhode Island agent costs
| Line | Payee | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring an agent | Service | $99 to $149 a year |
| Renewal | Service | $99 to $149 a year |
| Report to the state | Paid to the state | $50 every year |
| Yearly minimum tax | Paid to the state | $400 a year |
Behind the ranking
What settled it was homework the price handles, worth 33% of the grade.
Coverage of all fifty states beat Rhode Island Registered Agent.co on our report card.
Test yourself on Rhode Island
Will my Rhode Island LLC need a resident agent?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Can I be my own resident agent?
Often you can. Check yourself against the two rules in steps 2 and 3 of the lesson.
Can I change my resident agent later?
Yes. Switching means a change filing with the Rhode Island Secretary of State (see step 5).
What does a registered agent cost in Rhode Island?
From $99 to $149 a year on this page.
What does the LLC pay the state each year?
$50 every year for the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company, plus a minimum tax each year.
Which registered agent would you choose?
We would pick Mainstay Filing, because $149 a year from one provider, even for states you add down the road. After that, Rhode Island Registered Agent.co and RI Registered Agent.org.
Class references
- Class reference on Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division: docs.sos.ri.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
- Class reference on Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division: sos.ri.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
- Class reference on R.I: webserver.rilegislature.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
- Class reference on Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.ri.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
- Class reference on Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source: docs.sos.ri.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
- Class reference on Rhode Island registered agent statute: webserver.rilegislature.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
- Class reference on Rhode Island other cost: tax.ri.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
- Prices taken from the Rhode Island service page of Mainstay Filing on November 13, 2026
- Prices taken from the pricing page of Rhode Island Registered Agent.co on November 13, 2026
- Prices taken from the pricing page of RI Registered Agent.org on November 13, 2026