Rhode Island LLC Cost: Filing Fees, Annual Report & Total

In Rhode Island the filing fee is not the number that surprises people. A minimum annual tax appears in one of the sources, and it is several times larger than the annual report, so a budget built on the filing fee alone leaves out the largest yearly item.

The figures below come from the sources named in each table and were checked on Oct 11, 2026. Confirm current fees and tax rules with the Rhode Island Secretary of State and the Division of Taxation.

The Articles of Organization create the LLC.

Filing online costs $156, which includes a small enhanced fee for online filing. A name reservation costs $50 and a DBA name registration costs $50. An LLC formed elsewhere registers in Rhode Island for $150.

Proof of good standing comes in two versions. The online certificate costs $22, and the one requested in person, by phone, or by mail costs $20. The online route costs a little more, which is a rare reversal, and the difference is small enough that convenience can decide.

Rhode Island lists 24-hour handling at $50 and same-day handling at $100. Both come on top of the filing fee. If no deadline depends on the LLC, standard processing is the cheaper choice.

The yearly side of a Rhode Island LLC has two parts.

The annual report costs $50/yr. A minimum annual tax of $400/yr is listed by LegalZoom. These are separate charges, and the tax is the larger one. Ask a licensed CPA or the Division of Taxation how the minimum tax applies to your LLC and when it is due, because this page does not give tax advice.

Rhode Island calls the role a resident agent, and every LLC needs one with an address in the state. You can serve yourself if you live there. A commercial service is quoted at $125/yr.

Agent fees are set by private providers. Compare what each plan includes and what it costs after the first year.

Three sources match on the filing fee. ZenBusiness is a few dollars higher because it reports the online total, which may include a processing fee. Nothing in these numbers suggests different state schedules, just different ways of counting.

A line like this deserves a direct question to the state. Ask whether the minimum applies in your first year, whether it is due at formation or later, and whether anything reduces it for a new or small LLC. The answers change what the first year costs, and only the Division of Taxation or a licensed CPA can give them reliably. Treat the figure here as a planning number, not a promise of what you will owe.

Begin with the filing fee. Decide whether you want a name reserved, a DBA, or a rush. Then add the yearly layer: annual report, minimum tax, and a resident agent if you hire one. The first-year total depends on that yearly layer more than on the choices at formation.

A one-person LLC that acts as its own agent and skips every add-on pays the filing fee and the recurring state charges. Someone who hires an agent and adds a rush will see a noticeably larger bill.

If your LLC already exists in another state and you plan to operate in Rhode Island, you register it as a foreign LLC instead of forming a new one. The fee is listed above. An owner choosing between forming here and registering a company from elsewhere should compare the full yearly costs in both states, including any minimum taxes, not only the one-time fees. A licensed attorney can help weigh the options.

Banks, lenders, and other states often ask for a Certificate of Good Standing before they deal with an LLC. You will not need one on day one, but it is worth knowing the price in advance. Since the cost is the same order of magnitude whether you request it online or by mail, the choice usually comes down to how fast you need the document.

Filing with the state directly keeps the cost at the government fee. A service adds a fee for handling the paperwork and sometimes includes an agent or templates. If you are bringing in partners, a licensed attorney can help with the operating agreement.

The minimum tax above is the only tax figure in the data. Income tax, sales tax, payroll taxes, and local licenses are separate and depend on what the business does. A licensed CPA can map those out for you.