Resident agent required
Yes
Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov, October 2026
Registered agent guide · Rhode Island
Rhode Island Registered Agents (2026): State Rules, Fees and the 3 Best Agents
Rhode Island, 2026: Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Rhode Island Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and RI Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) come out on top for a registered agent, in that sequence. Every Rhode Island LLC must keep a resident agent on file. The state's recurring charges add up to $450 a year, which puts it 48th of 50.
Rhode Island state charges at a glance
48th
of 50 by what the state bills in a year
Rankings begin with the smallest bill. See the full 50-state table
Recurring report
$50 / yr
The state sets the deadline as May 1. Source: sos.ri.gov, August 2026
Minimum tax, per year
$400
Source: tax.ri.gov, October 2026
State charges, per year
$450
One year of the report plus any minimum tax
Rhode Island: our recommendations
Five criteria set the order, led by three-year service charges and the filings covered; the methodology has the weights.
1. Mainstay Filing: best for an agent wherever you register
$149 annually, no change at renewal
Mainstay Filing takes the top place, as $149 yearly in Rhode Island and the same everywhere else, with a renewal price of $149.
Three years of service fees come to $150 more than Rhode Island Registered Agent.co; for that the price takes in more of the state's paperwork.
What the price buys
- Registered office address in Rhode Island
- Anything served on the company is scanned and sent to you that business day, free of charge
- The first three letters from government agencies each year are scanned at no charge
- Also open to nonprofits, partnerships and corporations, not only LLCs
In its favor
- A flat $149 a year
- Covers all fifty states
Against it
- $50 a year more than Rhode Island Registered Agent.co
- Report filing sits with the formation package
2. Rhode Island Registered Agent.co: best for a one-state business
$99 annually, no change at renewal
Our second pick, Rhode Island Registered Agent.co, earns its place since $99 each year and no change at renewal, a fit for a company that never leaves one state.
What the price buys
- Public record lists a Rhode Island office location
- Scans of any served papers appear in your online account
In its favor
- $99 annually
- Its yearly price sits under Mainstay Filing's
Against it
- No coverage outside this state
- You file the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company yourself
3. RI Registered Agent.org: best for businesses based only in Rhode Island
$99 annually, no change at renewal
Our third pick, RI Registered Agent.org, earns its place since $99 each year and no change at renewal, a fit for a company that never leaves one state.
Rhode Island Registered Agent.co charges the same.
What the price buys
- Public record lists a Rhode Island office location
- Scans of any served papers appear in your online account
In its favor
- $99 annually
- Its yearly price sits under Mainstay Filing's
Against it
- No coverage outside this state
- You file the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company yourself
The 3 picks at a glance
| No. | Service | Yearly price | Renews at | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
Every price was copied from its company's page on November 12, 2026. Whichever agent you pick, Rhode Island collects the same.
Agent cost calculator
Each agent's price is combined with the state charges that repeat (the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company from year two) and the minimum tax. Formation fees are not in the total.
Rhode Island next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Yearly state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 46th | Nevada | $350 |
| 47th | Delaware | $400 |
| 48th | Rhode Island | $450 |
| 49th | Massachusetts | $500 |
| 50th | California | $810 |
All fifty states appear in Registered agent rules by state.
The resident agent requirement in Rhode Island
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a Rhode Island street address, not a P.O. box, where the agent is available during business hours.
Accepted agents: A Rhode Island resident, or a corporation, limited partnership or LLC formed in Rhode Island or authorized there. Statute: R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-11.
Rhode Island's recurring fees
$50 every year for the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company, by May 1. The state sends its letters about it to your resident agent's address. $400 a year minimum tax to the Division of Taxation (Form RI-1065), owed whether or not the LLC makes a profit.
The reasoning behind the order
Paperwork the price takes on decided first place in Rhode Island. It counts for 26% of the score; the remaining criteria are three-year service charge, year-two price, match to the state's calendar, fee labeling.
Coverage of all fifty states beat Rhode Island Registered Agent.co on our weights.
Rhode Island FAQ
Does every Rhode Island LLC need a resident agent?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who may act as the resident agent for Rhode Island LLCs?
A Rhode Island resident, or a corporation, limited partnership or LLC formed in Rhode Island or authorized there.
What is the yearly price of registered agent service for Rhode Island?
Budget $99 to $149 each year.
What does the state itself charge an LLC each year?
About $450 a year by our yearly measure, which comes from the Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company ($50 every year) and the minimum tax.
Which registered agents are recommended on this page?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), Rhode Island Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and RI Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), with the best one first.
Which registered agent is the best choice?
Mainstay Filing, Rhode Island Registered Agent.co and RI Registered Agent.org, in that sequence.
Sources for this chapter
- Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division comes from docs.sos.ri.gov; page opened August 2026
- Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division comes from sos.ri.gov; page opened August 2026
- R.I comes from webserver.rilegislature.gov; page opened August 2026
- Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source comes from sos.ri.gov; page opened October 2026
- Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source comes from docs.sos.ri.gov; page opened October 2026
- Rhode Island registered agent statute comes from webserver.rilegislature.gov; page opened October 2026
- Rhode Island other cost comes from tax.ri.gov; page opened October 2026
- Nevada yearly filing: Annual list + license: fees comes from nvsos.gov; page opened October 2026
- Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source comes from corp.delaware.gov; page opened October 2026
- Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source comes from corp.delaware.gov; page opened October 2026
- Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, official source comes from legis.delaware.gov; page opened October 2026
- Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth comes from sec.state.ma.us; page opened August 2026
- Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth comes from malegislature.gov; page opened August 2026
- California Secretary of State comes from sos.ca.gov; page opened August 2026
- California Secretary of State comes from bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov; page opened August 2026
- California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source comes from sos.ca.gov; page opened October 2026
- California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and comes from ftb.ca.gov; page opened October 2026
- California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and comes from ftb.ca.gov; page opened October 2026
- Mainstay Filing, Rhode Island service page: copied from the company site November 12, 2026
- Rhode Island Registered Agent.co, pricing page: copied from the company site November 12, 2026
- RI Registered Agent.org, pricing page: copied from the company site November 12, 2026