State registration fee
$150
Read October 2026 at docs.sos.ri.gov
Foreign LLC guide · Rhode Island
Rhode Island Foreign LLC Registration Fees (2026): the Official Numbers and the 3 Best Services
Mainstay Filing ($199), RI Registered Agent.org ($199) and Rhode Island Registered Agent.co ($199) come first, second and third for registering an out-of-state LLC in Rhode Island in 2026. Registering a foreign LLC in Rhode Island costs $150, and each later report costs $50. That is number 48th of 50 on three-year state cost.
Rhode Island at a glance
48th
on a 50-state list of foreign LLC state cost
Number 1 owes the state the least. Open the complete list
Recurring report
$50
Annual report
Certificate from home state
60 days
Age limit on the certificate
Minimum tax each year
$400
Read October 2026 at tax.ri.gov
State charges over 3 years
$1,450
Three years of state charges for a foreign LLC, plus the annual minimum tax
Rhode Island ranking
Five weighted criteria set the order (method): provider fees over three years 34%, filings covered 28%, then renewal terms, fit with Rhode Island rules and a clear state fee.
1. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in any added state
Year 1 costs $199; every later year $149
Mainstay Filing comes first because $199 plus state fees pays for the registration, and the resident agent is free in year 1.
Over three years the provider fees are $100 above RI Registered Agent.org's, and in exchange the state paperwork it handles is wider.
When the free first year ends, the agent costs $149 per year in any state.
What the price takes in
- Files the registration for you
- A fifty-state service
In its favor
- $199 plus the state fee
- All fifty states are covered
Against it
- The agent renews at $149, which is $50 above RI Registered Agent.org
2. RI Registered Agent.org: best for a single added state
Year 1 costs $199; every later year $99
RI Registered Agent.org comes second because it registers you in Rhode Island for $199 and includes a year of agent service; after that the agent costs $99 a year.
What the price takes in
- Takes care of the foreign registration filing
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- $199 above the state fee
- $99 per year for the agent afterward
- No agent fee in the first year
Against it
- Just Rhode Island
3. Rhode Island Registered Agent.co: best for a cheaper agent renewal
Year 1 costs $199; every later year $99
Rhode Island Registered Agent.co comes third because it registers you in Rhode Island for $199 and includes a year of agent service; after that the agent costs $99 a year.
It ties with RI Registered Agent.org on price.
What the price takes in
- Takes care of the foreign registration filing
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- $199 above the state fee
- No agent fee in the first year
- $99 per year for the agent afterward
Against it
- Just Rhode Island
The ranking in numbers
| No. | Provider | First year | Later years | Provider fees over 3 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | RI Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit RI Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Rhode Island Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Rhode Island Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
We read each company's price page on November 13, 2026. Add the $150 state fee to every row.
Rhode Island foreign LLC cost calculator
The registration fee is $150, with a $50 report from year 2; provider fees are added.
Rhode Island and the states around it in the ranking
| Place | State | Three-year foreign LLC fees |
|---|---|---|
| 46th | Tennessee | $900 |
| 47th | Delaware | $1,000 |
| 48th | Rhode Island | $1,450 |
| 49th | Massachusetts | $1,500 |
| 50th | California | $2,490 |
The complete list ranks all fifty states the same way.
Rhode Island foreign LLC registration in 2026
A foreign LLC files the Application for Registration for a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 450) with the Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division and pays $150. It also needs certificate of Good Standing or Letter of Status, dated within 60 days.
Upkeep in this state means the annual report ($50), between February 1 and May 1. One more state charge: $400 a year minimum tax to the Division of Taxation (Form RI-1065), owed whether or not the LLC makes a profit.
Collect these first
- Certificate of Good Standing or Letter of Status, issued within 60 days.
- The exact legal name and formation date from the home state.
- A resident agent with a street address in this state; every provider on this page supplies one.
- A method of paying the $150 registration fee.
The price of not registering
An unregistered LLC cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts (R.I. Gen. Laws 7-16-54(a)). The LLC's contracts stand (R.I. Gen. Laws 7-16-54(b)).
Why the first pick is first
Mainstay Filing wins on paperwork inside the price, which counts for 28%, and RI Registered Agent.org follows.
Working in many states was worth more than the smaller agent renewal at RI Registered Agent.org.
Rhode Island questions and answers
How much does it cost a foreign LLC to register in Rhode Island?
$150 at the state office. A provider adds $199.
Which form registers a foreign LLC in Rhode Island?
The Application for Registration for a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 450), which is sent to the Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division.
Does the state want a certificate from the home state?
Yes, it wants certificate of Good Standing or Letter of Status, dated within 60 days of the filing.
Does a foreign LLC file anything every year?
Yes, it files the annual report for $50.
What are the consequences of working there without registering?
An unregistered LLC cannot bring a lawsuit in the state's courts (R.I. Gen. Laws 7-16-54(a)). The LLC's contracts stand (R.I. Gen. Laws 7-16-54(b)).
Does a foreign LLC in Rhode Island need a resident agent?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which service would you choose to register a foreign LLC?
The order is Mainstay Filing, RI Registered Agent.org and Rhode Island Registered Agent.co.
Where these facts come from
- Each figure under Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division follows what docs.sos.ri.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in August 2026.
- Each figure under Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division follows what sos.ri.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in August 2026.
- Each figure under R.I follows what webserver.rilegislature.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in August 2026.
- Each figure under Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source follows what sos.ri.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Rhode Island formation fee: Filing fee, official source follows what docs.sos.ri.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Rhode Island registered agent statute follows what webserver.rilegislature.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Form 450, Application for Registration follows what docs.sos.ri.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under R.I follows what webserver.rilegislature.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under R.I follows what webserver.rilegislature.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Form 452, Certificate of Cancellation follows what docs.sos.ri.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Rhode Island other cost follows what tax.ri.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Tennessee Secretary of State, business forms and fees follows what sos.tn.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Form SS-4233, Certificate of Authority for a foreign follows what sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Tennessee Secretary of State, business FAQs follows what sos.tn.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Form SS-4241, withdrawal or cancellation follows what sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Tennessee Revised LLC Act, Public Chapter 286 follows what publications.tnsosfiles.com states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Foreign LLC registration form follows what corpfiles.delaware.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter IX follows what delcode.delaware.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter XI follows what delcode.delaware.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Division of Corporations fee schedule, August 2026 follows what corpfiles.delaware.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Alternative entity annual tax instructions follows what corp.delaware.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Massachusetts Corporations Division, foreign LLC page follows what sec.state.ma.us states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Corporations Division fee schedule follows what sec.state.ma.us states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under G.L. c. 156C § 48, foreign LLC registration follows what malegislature.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under G.L. c. 156C § 54, failure to register follows what malegislature.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under G.L. c. 156D § 15.01, transacting business follows what malegislature.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under 950 CMR 112.00, limited liability companies follows what sec.state.ma.us states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under California Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms follows what sos.ca.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Form LLC-5 follows what bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Corporations Code section 17708.03 follows what leginfo.legislature.ca.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Revenue and Taxation Code section 19135 follows what leginfo.legislature.ca.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing requirements follows what ftb.ca.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- Each figure under California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and follows what ftb.ca.gov states, as that page read when we opened it in October 2026.
- The company website for Mainstay Filing gives Rhode Island service page (read November 13, 2026)
- The company website for RI Registered Agent.org gives pricing page (read November 13, 2026)
- The company website for Rhode Island Registered Agent.co gives pricing page (read November 13, 2026)