A Rhode Island Secretary of State business search uses the Department of State’s free corporate database search. Enter the name you want, pick a match type such as Begins With or Soundex, and review every active entity that comes back. If no business on record has a name that is the same once you ignore its ending, punctuation and plurals, the name is probably available.
Two 2026 changes matter: the office now brands itself the Rhode Island Department of State, and since January 1, 2026, trade names for sole proprietors are filed with the state instead of city and town clerks. Reserving an entity name costs $50 for 120 days.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Rhode Island (2026)
Our ranked picks for forming your LLC once your name is clear in Rhode Island are below, starting with Mainstay Filing. Each entry lists the yearly price and what the service covers.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | RI Registered Agent.org | Rhode Island registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Rhode Island Registered Agent.co | Rhode Island registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Rhode Island. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. RI Registered Agent.org
RI Registered Agent.org is a Rhode Island registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Rhode Island Registered Agent.co
Rhode Island Registered Agent.co is a Rhode Island registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Rhode Island business name search at a glance
| Item | Rhode Island details (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Rhode Island Department of State, Division of Business Services |
| Search tool | Corporate database search (entities); trade name database (sole proprietor and partnership trade names) |
| LLC Articles of Organization | $150 (Form 400); online filings add an enhanced access fee |
| Name reservation | $50 (Form 620); 120 days |
| DBA | Entities: fictitious business name statement, $50. Sole proprietors and partnerships: trade name, $20, renewed each year |
| Annual report | $50, filed February 1 to May 1; $25 penalty after May 31 |
| State minimum tax | $400 per year to the Division of Taxation |
Fees are from the Department of State’s fee schedule, forms and annual report page. For a full cost picture, see Mainstay Filing’s Rhode Island LLC cost guide.
How to search the Rhode Island corporate database
Rhode Island’s search tool offers more ways to match a name than most states, which helps you find near-duplicates early.
- Open the search. Go to the Department of State’s Search for an entity page (linked as “Search the Corporate Database”).
- Pick a match type. Name searches can use Begins With, Exact Match, Full Text or Soundex. Full Text finds your words anywhere in a name; Soundex catches names that sound alike, such as “Narragansett Kraft” and “Narragansett Craft.”
- Set the status filter. Search Active first. Then try Inactive to see recently dissolved companies whose names might still cause confusion.
- Use the other fields if needed. You can also search by officer name, agent, nine-digit ID number, filing number, address, purpose or NAICS code.
- Check trade names separately. Sole proprietor and partnership trade names live in a separate trade name database.
Need fresh ideas? Namechk’s business name generator can give you options to run through the database.
Rhode Island name rules
Rhode Island requires entity names to be distinguishable upon the record. The Department’s name availability guidelines spell out what doesn’t count as a difference:
- Articles such as “the” or “a”
- Singular versus plural forms
- Misspellings, and abbreviations versus full words (“Mtn” vs. “Mountain”)
- The entity type (Inc. vs. LLC)
- Punctuation, special characters, capitalization and spacing
- Numerals versus number words or Roman numerals
Required endings
- LLC: “Limited Liability Company” or “L.L.C.,” with or without punctuation (Form 400).
- Corporation: corporation, company, incorporated or limited, or Inc., Co., Corp. or Ltd.
Corporate names are checked against the statewide database. Trade names, by contrast, are compared only within the city or town where they’re used.
How to reserve a business name in Rhode Island
- Form: Form 620, Application for Reservation of Entity Name, filed online or on paper with the Division of Business Services.
- Fee: $50 for a for-profit entity ($20 for a nonprofit). Online filings add a $2.50 enhanced access fee.
- Term: 120 days. You can file a new reservation for the same name only after the original one expires.
- Transfer: Form 621, $50.
If you’re ready to form the company, you can skip the reservation and file Articles of Organization directly. Keep in mind that a reservation only holds the name on the state’s records; it doesn’t create trademark rights or secure a matching domain.
Check trademarks, domains and social handles
The corporate database won’t show federally registered trademarks. Search the USPTO trademark database, and keep in mind that Rhode Island also registers state trademarks ($50). A federal registration held by a company in another state can still limit how you use a name that Rhode Island accepted.
Then check the name online. Namechk shows domain availability and social media usernames in one search, and the domain name generator suggests alternatives if the .com is taken.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
DBAs in Rhode Island: fictitious names vs. trade names
Rhode Island has two kinds of DBA filings, both now handled by the Department of State. Its fictitious name vs. trade name guide explains the difference.
| Filer | Filing | Fee | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporations, LLCs, LPs | Fictitious Business Name Statement (Forms 624A/B/C) | $50 (+$2.50 online) | None; stays in effect while the entity is in good standing |
| Sole proprietors and partnerships | Trade name registration | $20 | Each year, between September 1 and November 30 |
Trade names used to be filed with Rhode Island’s 39 city and town clerks. Those records moved to the Department of State in late 2025, and since January 1, 2026, all new trade names are filed through the Department’s online system (trade name information). A trade name can’t include an entity ending such as LLC or Co., and failing to renew leads to cancellation.
After the search: forming your Rhode Island business
Once you have a clear name, our Rhode Island LLC guide covers the full process.
- File Articles of Organization (Form 400). The state fee is $150; filing online adds an enhanced access fee.
- Name a resident agent, Rhode Island’s term for a registered agent: an individual Rhode Island resident or an entity authorized in the state, with a Rhode Island street address. Mainstay Filing includes registered agent service in its formation package (Rhode Island costs); see our Rhode Island registered agent guide.
- Get an EIN from the IRS (free).
- Budget for ongoing costs: the $50 annual report (Form 632, filed February 1 to May 1 starting the year after formation) and the $400 minimum annual tax. The Rhode Island start-a-business guide covers tax registration and licenses.
FAQs
How do I search for a business in Rhode Island?
Use the Rhode Island Department of State’s corporate database search at business.sos.ri.gov. You can search entity names with Begins With, Exact Match, Full Text or Soundex matching, and filter by active or inactive status. Sole proprietor and partnership trade names are in a separate trade name database run by the Department of State.
How much does it cost to reserve a business name in Rhode Island?
Reserving a for-profit entity name in Rhode Island costs $50 with Form 620, or $20 for a nonprofit. Online filings add a $2.50 enhanced access fee. The reservation lasts 120 days, and you can only file a new reservation for the same name after the first one expires. A transfer to another person costs $50.
Where do I register a DBA in Rhode Island?
With the Rhode Island Department of State. Corporations, LLCs and LPs file a Fictitious Business Name Statement for $50. Sole proprietors and partnerships register a trade name for $20 and renew it each year between September 1 and November 30. Since January 1, 2026, trade names are no longer filed with city or town clerks.
What makes a business name distinguishable in Rhode Island?
A real difference in the name itself. Rhode Island’s guidelines say articles, plurals, misspellings, abbreviations, entity type, punctuation, capitalization, spacing and different ways of writing numbers don’t make a name distinguishable. Adding or changing a meaningful word usually does. The Department of State makes the final call when it reviews your filing.
How much does an LLC cost in Rhode Island each year?
A Rhode Island LLC files a $50 annual report between February 1 and May 1, starting the year after it forms, with a $25 penalty if it’s filed after May 31. Rhode Island also charges a $400 minimum annual tax through the Division of Taxation, which makes ongoing costs higher than in many states.
Does a Rhode Island business search show trademarks?
No. The corporate database lists entities registered with the Rhode Island Department of State, and the trade name database lists sole proprietor and partnership names. Neither shows federal trademarks. Search the USPTO database and confirm your domain and social media handles are available before you commit to a name.
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