Register your Business

How you structure your business affects where you must register your business. 


Sole Proprietors & General Partnerships in Providence must register their business names with the Providence City Clerk. The City Clerk will verify whether the proposed name is available, issue a registration certificate for your business name, and assess a one-time fee of $10 for registration plus $1 for a certified copy and an additional 50 cents per name. (You will want this for banking purposes, as business accounts in all banks and lending institutions require this at a minimum.)


Domestic & Foreign Corporations, Non-profit Corporations, Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Liability Partnerships, and Producers’ and Consumers’ Cooperative must file directly with the Rhode Island Secretary of State’s Business Services Division. Start the process with a name availability search to ensure the business name you are interested in is available for use.

State of Rhode Island | Division of Taxation

Business Registration