Rank / Rhode Island / Corporation
Rhode Island corporation cost
Official fees for forming and keeping a corporation in Rhode Island, from Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division.
Formation plus recurring state fees and taxes. Excludes registered agent costs. Adjust in the calculator.
Rhode Island corporation cost at a glance
Forming a corporation in Rhode Island costs at least $230 in state filing fees. After that, Rhode Island charges a report fee of $50 a year plus $400 a year in state tax or license fees. Over five years the state's own charges come to at least $2,480, the 49th lowest of the 51 states with full corporation figures here (the median is $285). Registered agent service and local licenses are extra.
Line by line
| Item | Amount | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Formation filing fee Minimum fee for fewer than 75,000,000 authorized shares. | $230 minimum | docs.sos.ri.gov |
| Annual or biennial report fee | $50 | docs.sos.ri.gov |
| Annual state tax or minimum franchise tax | $400 | www.sos.ri.gov |
| Foreign registration (another state's corporation) Certificate of authority for under 75,000,000 shares; the fee rises above that. | $310 minimum | docs.sos.ri.gov |
What to know
- Easy to miss Rhode Island registered for-profit corporations owe a minimum annual tax whether or not business is conducted or a profit is made. source
- Easy to miss The Rhode Island minimum annual tax is not pro-rated for part-year operation. source
How to form a corporation in Rhode Island
- Check the name. Search the Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division business records to confirm the name is free. State filing page.
- File the articles of incorporation. The Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division charges at least $230 to form a corporation.
- Name a registered agent. The agent needs a physical address in Rhode Island. You can serve as your own.
- Get an EIN. The IRS issues it free on its own website.
- Stay in good standing. Rhode Island charges a report fee of $50 a year plus $400 a year in state tax or license fees. See What to know above for the details that are easy to miss.
Other business types in Rhode Island
An LLC costs $150 to start, then a report fee of $50 a year plus at least $400 a year in state tax or license fees. A nonprofit corporation costs $310 to start including the IRS Form 1023-EZ fee, then a report fee of $20 a year. Registering an assumed business name (DBA) with the state costs $50. Compare them in the calculator.
Registering an out-of-state corporation in Rhode Island
A corporation formed in another state registers in Rhode Island as a foreign corporation. The Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division charges at least $310 for the registration.
Common questions
How much does it cost to start a corporation in Rhode Island?
The state filing fee is at least $230, and Rhode Island then charges a report fee of $50 a year plus $400 a year in state tax or license fees.
What does a corporation in Rhode Island cost over five years?
at least $2,480 in state fees and taxes, counting formation and every recurring charge.
How much does it cost to register a foreign corporation in Rhode Island?
$310, paid to the Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division.
Compare with nearby states in cost
- Delaware at least $1,234 over 5 years
- Maryland $1,620 over 5 years
- Nevada at least $3,325 over 5 years
- California $4,225 over 5 years
Guides
- Delaware LLC annual tax: $400 a year
- Form 5472 for foreign-owned single-member LLCs
- How to start a business: the steps and what each costs
- New York LLC publication requirement: six weeks, two newspapers, $50
- Registering an LLC in another state: steps and every state's fee
- LLC annual fees by state, ranked
What you'll need to start a corporation in Rhode Island
- 1
File your Articles of Incorporation
$230 minimumThe document that creates your corporation with the state of Rhode Island.
Do it yourself
File with Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division. You pay only the state fee.
Have it done
- Tailor Brands$0 + state feestate filing (Articles of Incorporation), processing in 14 business days. Registered agent $199/yr; EIN $99; Essential $199/yr and Elite $249/yr plans add faster filing and compliance
- ZenBusiness$0 + state feestate filing (Articles of Incorporation), name check. Registered agent $99 first year, then $199/yr; EIN +$99
- Zenind$0 + state feestate filing, name check, filing within 7 days. Registered agent and address +$99/yr; bylaws and certificates $99 unless on Standard or Premium
- Registered Agents Inc$100 + state feestate filing, registered agent (1 yr), online account. Registered agent $200/yr after year 1
- LegalZoomfrom $149 + state feestate filing (Articles of Incorporation), name search, tax consultation. Registered agent optional, price not stated on page
Lowest listed price first, from each company’s own pricing page.
- 2
Name a registered agent
$0 yourself, or $99 to $200 a yearA person or company with a street address in Rhode Island who receives legal and state mail for the corporation.
Do it yourself
Be your own agent if you have a street address in Rhode Island.
Have it done
- ZenBusiness$99/yrregistered agent (first year). Renews at $199/yr
- Zenind$99/yrregistered address, mail scanning and forwarding. $99 per year
- Registered Agents Inc$200/yrannual report filing. $200 per year
Lowest listed price first, from each company’s own pricing page.
- 3
Get an EIN (tax ID)
FreeThe federal number banks and the IRS use for your corporation.
Do it yourself
Apply on IRS.gov. The IRS states you can get one "in minutes for free".
- 4
File the annual report
$50 a year plus $400 a year taxThe recurring filing that keeps the corporation in good standing.
- 5
Open a business bank account
$0 a monthKeeps business money separate from personal money. Banks ask for your EIN.
Options
- Bluevine$0/mono minimum balance, no overdraft fees. Opening deposit: no minimum balance requirement
- Mercury$0/mono minimum balance, no account opening fee. Opening deposit: none stated
- Relay$0/mono minimum balance. Grow $30/month; opening deposit none (no minimum balance)
Lowest listed price first, from each company’s own pricing page.
- 6
Optional: elect S corporation status
Filed with the IRSThe IRS describes Form 2553 this way: a corporation or other entity eligible to be treated as a corporation files it to make an election under section 1362(a) to be an S corporation.
Do it yourself