Register a DBA in Rhode Island
Filed with the state
A DBA (fictitious or assumed business name) lets you operate, bank, and advertise under a trade name. Below: who must file in Rhode Island, where, for how long, and what happens if you don't — quoted from the statutes.
Filing office
The trade name certificate application is filed with the office of the Secretary of State (in person, by mail, or electronically), which keeps an online register of all filings. By statute, each municipality transferred its active assumed business name records into the Secretary of State's trade name database between August 1 and September 30, 2025.
Term & renewal
Trade names are subject to annual renewal under a process established by the Secretary of State; the renewal process must allow renewal at the same time as any business-license renewal. Failure to renew can lead to cancellation after a 60-day notice window (§ 6-1-7(c)(2)); a cancelled certificate may be restored by filing a restoration statement with a $25.00 fee (§ 6-1-8).
Publication
Not addressed in the act.
Exclusive rights?
No — registration does not by itself grant exclusive rights to the name. A trademark does that.
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Trade name certificate indexing and filing
R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-2
$20.00
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Letter of status
R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-2
$20.00
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Restoration of a cancelled trade name certificate
R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-8(a)
$25.00
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Filing fee (published by the filing office)
$50 per fictitious business name statement for for-profit entities; $20 for nonprofit corporations; $20 trade-name certificate for individuals (R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-2).
Statutory amounts are as printed in the statute; agencies may adjust them by fee schedule.
Fees published by the filing office come from the office's own fee schedule rather than the act text, and the office can change them without any change to the statute. Confirm the current amount with the office.
State and county fees are set by law, never discounted, and collected with your order.
Who must file in Rhode Island
| Business type | Required? | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Sole proprietors (individuals) using a trade name | Yes | Rhode Island Secretary of State |
| General partnerships and joint ventures | Yes | Rhode Island Secretary of State |
| Registered corporations, LLCs, LPs, LLPs and LLLPs | No | Exempt from ch. 6-1; corporations use the fictitious business name statement (§ 7-1.2-402) with the Secretary of State |
The law behind it
Quoted verbatim from Filing of Trade Name (R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 6-1) (R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 6-1-1 to 6-1-9).
What the law requires
Rhode Island requires anyone conducting business under a trade name - any name other than the real name of the individuals conducting the business - to file a trade name certificate with the Secretary of State before doing business. This is now a state-level filing: P.L. 2022 ch. 237/238 and P.L. 2024 ch. 334/335 moved the filing from the town/city clerk to a Secretary of State trade name registry, with municipal records transferred to the state database by late 2025 (§ 6-1-9). Older references to town-clerk filing are outdated.
"No person or persons shall carry on or conduct or transact business in this state under any trade name, or under any designation, name, or style, corporate or otherwise, other than the real name or names of the individual or individuals conducting or transacting business, unless the person or persons shall file, in person, by mail, or electronically with the office of the secretary of state an executed application for a trade name certificate" — R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1(a)
Where filings go
The trade name certificate application is filed with the office of the Secretary of State (in person, by mail, or electronically), which keeps an online register of all filings. By statute, each municipality transferred its active assumed business name records into the Secretary of State's trade name database between August 1 and September 30, 2025.
"By August 1, 2025, the secretary of state shall establish a database to house all trade name records. Between August 1, 2025, and September 30, 2025, each municipality shall transfer to the secretary of state its active assumed business name records to be incorporated into the trade name database." — R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1(a); § 6-1-9
How long it lasts
Trade names are subject to annual renewal under a process established by the Secretary of State; the renewal process must allow renewal at the same time as any business-license renewal. Failure to renew can lead to cancellation after a 60-day notice window (§ 6-1-7(c)(2)); a cancelled certificate may be restored by filing a restoration statement with a $25.00 fee (§ 6-1-8). Renewal: Annual renewal required (§ 6-1-7(a)); cancellation possible if not renewed within 60 days of the Secretary of State's notice (§ 6-1-7(c)(2))
"The secretary of state shall require the annual renewal of trade names and establish a process for renewing trade names. Any such renewal process shall allow persons to renew their trade name at the same time they are required to renew their business license, if applicable." — R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-7(a)
Name restrictions
The trade name must be distinguishable on the registry's records from any trade name on file within the municipality where the business is located, unless the applicant files a certified court decree establishing prior right, or the conflicting registration was cancelled more than a year ago without restoration.
"The trade name shall be distinguishable upon the records of the trade name registry from the name of any trade name on file within the municipality where the business is located" — R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1(b)
Entities and assumed names
Registered entities are exempt from ch. 6-1 (§ 6-1-3). A domestic corporation or a foreign corporation authorized in Rhode Island may transact business under a fictitious name by filing a fictitious business name statement with the Secretary of State before using the name; a corporation that uses a fictitious name without filing cannot maintain any action on contracts made in that name until the statement is filed (§ 7-1.2-402(e)).
"Any corporation organized and existing under the laws of this state or authorized to transact business in this state may transact business in this state under a fictitious name, provided that it files a fictitious business name statement in accordance with this section prior to the time it commences to transact the business under the fictitious name and the fictitious name satisfied the requirements of § 7-1.2-401(a)(2). (b) The fictitious business name statement must be filed with the secretary of state and must be executed by an authorized officer of the corporation" — R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-402(a)-(b)
Statutory text quoted from the official published statutes; dataset last regenerated 2026-09-09. Read the full code at the Rhode Island statutes. This is information, not legal advice — laws change.
If you skip it
Failing to comply with the chapter is punishable by imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to $500. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-4)
A person doing business under an unregistered trade name cannot maintain any suit in Rhode Island courts until registration is completed; the failure does not void contracts or prevent defending suits. (R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-6)
Rhode Island DBA FAQs
Where do I file a trade name (DBA) in Rhode Island - town hall or the state?
How much does a Rhode Island trade name certificate cost, and how long does it last?
What happens if I do business in Rhode Island under an unregistered trade name?
Does my Rhode Island LLC or corporation file under this trade name chapter?
Related services
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