Hiring a registered agent can immensely help you to remain compliant with the Rhode Island Secretary of State laws and regulations. Whether you’re looking to start your business in Rhode Island or expand your existing business there, our article on the best Rhode Island registered agent services will prove useful.
If you don’t have the time to sift through all eleven recommendations, check out our summary table below.
Best Rhode Island Registered Agent Services
| Registered Agent Service | Cost | Rhode Island Office Location |
|---|---|---|
| IncFile | $119 a year/ first year free with incorporation | Not stated |
| ZenBusiness | $199 a year | Not stated |
| Northwest | $125 a year | Barrington |
| Rhode Island Registered Agent | $49 a year | Barrington |
| InCorp | $129 a year | Warwick |
| Registered Agent Net | $89 a year | Not stated |
| Harbor Compliance | $99 a year | Barrington |
| MyCompanyWorks | $99 a year | Not stated |
| LegalZoom | $299 a year | Not stated |
| CSC Global | $381 a year | Warwick |
| Registered Agent LLC | $75 a year | Not stated |
Apart from guiding you through our choices for the best Rhode Island registered agent services,we’ll also explain how to register your business in this state and answer more questions in the FAQ section.
First things first, let’s establish what the role of a registered agent is.
What Is a Registered Agent?
A registered agent is someone who acts as a point of contact between your business and the government. They can be either an individual or a company, as is the case with registered agent services. Their role is to collect documents on your business’ behalf and forward the documents to you.
Does Rhode Island Require a Registered Agent?
Yes, every business entity in Rhode Island is required to get a registered agent and maintain it while it’s operating.
Benefits of Hiring a Registered Agent Service
Still not convinced you need to hire a registered agent service? Here are the benefits:
- Having more free time to dedicate to the growth of your business
- Maintaining your privacy
- Not being obliged to operate during normal business hours
- Remaining compliant with the state
- Expanding your business in other states
- You won’t risk getting into embarrassing situations with clients
Now that we covered the basics, let’s start with our first recommendation.
1. IncFile
IncFile is one of the most popular registered agents in the United States, one that’s used by over 800,000 happy customers. When you appoint IncFile as your registered agent, you’ll get:
- Access to said correspondence on your personal dashboard
- All your important correspondence in due time
- Automatic mail forwarding
- Tailored email and text notifications
Customers love how user-friendly their interface is, so it’s a great option for those who don’t want to spend too much energy navigating a website. And thanks to their timely compliance reminders, you’ll never risk your business getting fined.
A year of registered agent services with IncFile will cost you $119. If you use their formation service, you can get a year of registered agent services for free.
In addition to registered agent services, they also offer:
- Foreign qualification
- Trademarking
- EIN Number
- Business licenses and permits
- Amendment
- Certificate of good standing
- Virtual address
- Tax consultations
2. ZenBusiness
There are many reasons why we recommend you to opt for ZenBusiness. From their excellent customer support to the myriad of compliance tools you’ll receive, they provide everything you’ll need from a premium registered agent service, including:
- Expert handling of all documents
- Email notifications
- Mail forwarding
- Document scanning
- Access to a personalized dashboard
- Fast turnaround
ZenBusiness are known for their dedication to helping entrepreneurs reach their dreams – thanks to their $5K Grant Program, entrepreneurs can get up to $5k in funding to start and grow their businesses.
Additionally, their after-hours customer support is outstanding.
The starting fee for using the services of ZenBusiness is $199 a year. If you want, you have the option of upgrading their services to include two free filing changes a year, submitted documents on your behalf, and annual support alerts.
Other than registered agent services, they also provide:
- Incorporation
- LLC formation
- Banking and finances
- Operating agreement
- Worry-free compliance
- EIN Number
- Taxes and accounting
- Domain name and website
- Business license reports
- Annual reports
3. Northwest
Another one of our top recommendations for a Rhode Island registered agent is Northwest. Known for their incredible customer support, Northwest cover all the basics in terms of compliance, including:
- Scanned documents
- Document storage
- Compliance alerts
- Mail forwarding
- Annual report reminders
- Pre-filled state forms
The level of support you’ll get from Northwest’s Corporate Guides is unparalleled. Their expert team is always ready to help you solve any issue you’re facing.
During your first year of registered agent services with Northwest, you’ll get access to their compliance calendar, which will help you keep track of all your due dates.
Moreover, their Privacy by Default practice will protect your personal data and assure that it’s never sold to third parties.
Their yearly fee is $125. If you conduct business in more than four states, you can take advantage of their multi-year deal and reduce your yearly fee to $100.
Their Rhode Island office is located in Barrington.
Northwest also provide:
- Annual report filings
- Trademarking
- Phone service
- Payment processing
- Foreign qualification
- Virtual office
- Mail forwarding
4. Rhode Island Registered Agent
If you’re looking for a registered agent that won’t cost you more than $50 annually, then you will love Rhode Island Registered Agent. Their yearly fee is only $49 and it includes benefits like:
- Access to pre-filled state forms
- Online document storage
- Annual report reminders
- Email notifications
Their pricing is both affordable and transparent – you’ll never have to worry about any additional costs.
Their Rhode Island office is located in Barrington.
You can also hire Rhode Island Registered Agent for:
- LLC formation
- Filing services
- Incorporation
5. InCorp
InCorp, an A+ rated nationwide service, is another excellent choice for an affordable registered agent, especially if you want to take advantage of a multi-year service. For only $129 a year, you will access:
- Annual report filings
- Mail forwarding
- Access to their Entity Management System
- Legal notifications
Apart from their affordability, InCorp is a go-to for many businesses because of their dedication to protecting their clients from identity theft, all with the help of their EntityWatch technology.
Their Rhode Island office is located in Warwick.
If you use their multi-year service, their fee will be as low as $87.
InCorp also offer:
- Articles of amendment
- Apostille service
- Foreign qualification
- Trademarking
- DBA Filing
- Copyright
- LLC formation
- EIN Number
- UCC search
- Incorporation
6. Registered Agent Net
When it comes to registered agent services that are both comprehensive and cost under $100, few do it better than Registered Agent Net. Costing only $89 a year, this reputable nationwide service comes with:
- Access to their Compliance Calendar and Compliance Entity Manager
- Two-year price guarantee
- Same-day document delivery
You’ll receive access to their invaluable compliance tools, which will help you stay ahead of any due dates and never miss your yearly filings and obligations.
While affordable, their pricing will remain transparent – you never have to worry about any additional costs.
7. Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance combines affordability and impeccable service. Having helped over 35,000 businesses over the years, it’s a well-known name in the industry. With their registered agent services, you’ll receive:
- Annual report reminders
- Same-day electronic delivery of your documents
- Customizable notifications
- Pre-filled state forms
Known for their rapid processing speed, Harbor Compliance will ensure that you never miss a deadline and are faced with a fine.
In addition, you’ll get regular reminders for your due dates via email.
Their yearly fee is $99, but you can get an additional 10% discount if you use their registered agent services for multiple years.
Their Rhode Island office is located in Barrington.
Harbor Compliance’s other services include:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Amendments
- Business licenses
- Registration
8. MyCompanyWorks
Regardless of whether you’re starting your business or expanding it in Rhode Island, MyCompanyWorks will help you stay compliant with the state’s regulations by granting you access to:
- Free E-delivery
- Access to an online dashboard
- Compliance monitoring
- Online order tracking
- Access to The Startup Wizard
- Same-day processing
Their yearly fee is $99 and you can get a 100% satisfaction guarantee in case you’re not satisfied with their services.
On top of registered agent services, they offer:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Virtual office
- File a DBA
- Business licenses
- Company dissolution
- Annual reports
9. LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an established name in the industry, especially pertaining to legal services. They’ve helped over 2 million businesses stay compliant and flourish. While they’re one of the more expensive options included in our guide, they offer a variety of tools, such as:
- Mail alerts
- Annual report reminders
- Unlimited cloud storage
- $1M in identity theft protection
Additionally, clients get access to their Compliance Calendar, where they can keep track of all their deadlines.
What makes LegalZoom great for larger businesses is their $1M in identity theft insurance, so your business will remain protected no matter what.
The yearly fee for Legal Zoom is $299. If you purchase their business formation package, the first year will cost you just $249.
You can also hire them for their other services, which include:
- Business formation
- Incorporation
- Power of attorney
- Taxation
- Foreign qualification
- Annual reports
- Copyright
- EIN Number
- Trademarking
- Residential lease
- Business registration
10. CSC Global
CSC Global is one of the best Rhode Island registered agent services for bigger businesses. Just like LegalZoom, they’re slightly pricier ($381 a year), but they’re definitely a worthwhile investment considering you’ll get access to:
- Access to SOC-2 facilities
- Annual compliance reminders
- Electronic delivery of documents
- Access to a personalized online dashboard
- Same-day document scans
We love CSC Global’s dedication to ensuring that the businesses of their clients are protected from any data leakage and third parties. Their high level of data security is made possible by their advanced SOC-2 technology.
Their Rhode Island office is located in Warwick.
CSC Global also offer:
- Entity management
- Corporate filings
- UCC
- Legal management
- Digital brand services
- Real estate and e-recording
11. Registered Agent LLC
Our last recommendation for today is Registered Agent LLC. An A+ rated nationwide registered agent service, Registered Agent LLC provides all the features you’ll need to remain compliant, like:
- Annual reports
- Pre-filled state forms
- Compliance reminders
- Access to an online account
- Immediate notifications
Their yearly fee will set you back only $75. Despite the affordability, you’ll never have to worry about encountering additional costs or auto-renewals.
How Do I Register a Business in Rhode Island?
Registering a business is doesn’t have to be a complicated process if you know what exactly needs to be done and in what order. Let’s go over each step regardless of what business structure you choose.
Find a Name for Your Business
So, you already have a clear business idea in mind, what next?
One of the first steps to registering your business is deciding on a name.
While it’s important to ensure that the name you choose is authentic for your business and represents your values/services, it’s also crucial to follow certain guidelines.
For instance, every business name has to have a word that denotes its business entity. In the case of LLCs, you need to include “Limited Liability Company” or an abbreviation.
In addition, you also need to make sure your name is unique. To help you with this, you can use online business entity searches as a tool. The Rhode Island business entity search can be done on the Rhode Island Secretary of State website.
If you’d like to, you can reserve your name for only $50. This will ensure that no other business grabs hold of your business name before you’re done with the formation.
Choose a Business Structure
A step that goes hand in hand with choosing a name is deciding what kind of business structure you want it to have.
There are four main types to choose from:
Sole proprietorships are the simplest and cheapest businesses to form, but they come at the cost of not providing limited liability to the owners. If this is an important factor to you, we recommend choosing either an LLC or a corporation. However, you should be prepared to pay a higher formation cost and higher fees throughout the process.
File Articles of Organization
If you decided to form an LLC, then you’ll need to file articles of organization with the Rhode Island Secretary of State. This document contains information about the location of your business, its owners, and your registered agent. By this point, you’ll need to have chosen an agent to represent your business.
The filing fee for articles of organization is $150.
File Articles of Incorporation
If, however, you decided that your business is better suited for a corporation, then you’ll need to file articles of incorporation. This document is very similar to articles of organization, but it contains added information about the stocks and shareholders of the company.
The filing fee for articles of incorporation is $310.
Get all the Necessary Licenses and Permits
Rhode Island doesn’t require businesses to obtain a general business license on a state level, but you might need to get your hands on an industry-specific business license.
For instance, if your business includes selling products or services, you’ll need to register with the state of Rhode Island and obtain a sales permit.
Keep in mind that some licenses and permits vary on a country and city level, so check your specific location for additional permits.
Obtain an EIN
Last but not least, getting an EIN is required for some businesses. If your business hires employees or is taxed separately from you, then you’re legally required to get an Employee Identification Number.
The application for an EIN is conducted online, on the IRS website.
Even if your business isn’t required to get an EIN, there are several benefits to doing so, so you might want to consider it as an option. For instance, you’ll have a much easier time with taxing your business and opening a business bank account.
FAQs
Where Can I Do a Rhode Island Business Entity Search?
You can do a Rhode Island business entity search on the Rhode Island Secretary of State website.
How Much Does It Cost to Register a Business in Rhode Island?
The cost of registering an LLC in Rhode Island is $150, whereas the cost for corporations is $310.
Final Thoughts
We hope you found the information provided in our best Rhode Island registered agent services guide useful.
If you’re looking for an all-encompassing registered agent, check out our top three recommendations: Northwest, IncFile, and ZenBusiness. These established names in the business provide all the tools you need to remain compliant.
For those who don’t want to spend more than $100 on a registered agent, we recommend Registered Agent LLC and Rhode Island Registered Agent.
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