FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME (DBA) NOTICE AND REGISTRATION

State of Rhode Island

IMPORTANT NOTICE

This document provides a comprehensive template for registering and publishing a fictitious business name ("Doing Business As" or "DBA") in Rhode Island. Rhode Island has two distinct filing systems depending on the type of business entity. All registrants should review the applicable statutory requirements before filing.

PART ONE: REGISTRANT INFORMATION

1.1 Registrant Details

Full Legal Name of Registrant: [________________________________]

Entity Type (check one):

☐ Sole Proprietorship
☐ General Partnership
☐ Corporation (Domestic)
☐ Corporation (Foreign)
☐ Limited Liability Company (Domestic)
☐ Limited Liability Company (Foreign)
☐ Limited Partnership
☐ Limited Liability Partnership
☐ Other: [________________________________]

State/Country of Organization (if entity): [________________________________]

Rhode Island Business ID Number (if applicable): [________________________________]

Principal Place of Business Address:

Street: [________________________________]

City: [________________________________] State: [____] Zip: [________]

Mailing Address (if different from above):

Street: [________________________________]

City: [________________________________] State: [____] Zip: [________]

Telephone: [________________________________]

Email: [________________________________]

1.2 Additional Owners / Partners (if applicable)

PART TWO: FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME INFORMATION

2.1 Fictitious Business Name (DBA)

Name Under Which Business Will Be Conducted:

[________________________________]

2.2 Business Location(s)

Primary Business Address:

Street: [________________________________]

City/Town: [________________________________] State: RI Zip: [________]

Additional Business Location(s) (attach separate sheet if needed):

[________________________________]

2.3 Nature of Business

Brief Description of Business Activities:

[________________________________]

[________________________________]

[________________________________]

2.4 Date Business Commenced or Will Commence Under DBA:

[__/__/____]

PART THREE: RHODE ISLAND FILING REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Determination of Filing Office

Rhode Island law establishes different filing requirements based on entity type:

A. Sole Proprietors and General Partnerships

Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1, every person conducting business under a name other than the person's own legal name must file a Certificate of Assumed Business Name with the city or town clerk in the municipality where the business is conducted.

☐ This registrant is a sole proprietor or general partnership and will file with:

City/Town Clerk of: [________________________________]

Clerk Address: [________________________________]

B. Corporations, LLCs, and Other Registered Entities

Pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-402, any business organization conducting business under a name other than its registered legal name must file a Fictitious Business Name Statement with the Rhode Island Secretary of State, Business Services Division.

☐ This registrant is a corporation, LLC, or other registered entity and will file with:

Office of the Rhode Island Secretary of State
Business Services Division
148 West River Street
Providence, RI 02904

3.2 Filing Fees

Sole Proprietors and General Partnerships (City/Town Clerk):

Corporations, LLCs, and Other Entities (Secretary of State):

3.3 Required Filing Documents

For Sole Proprietors / General Partnerships:

☐ Certificate of Assumed Business Name (form available from city/town clerk)
☐ Filing fee payment
☐ Proof of identity (some clerks may require)

For Corporations / LLCs / Other Entities:

☐ Fictitious Business Name Statement (Form 624A for corporations; Form 624B for LLCs)
☐ Filing fee payment ($50.00)
☐ Certificate of Good Standing (if foreign entity)

PART FOUR: CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED BUSINESS NAME

(For Sole Proprietors and General Partnerships — R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1)

CERTIFICATE

The undersigned hereby certifies that:

1. Name of Business Owner(s): [________________________________]

2. Residence Address(es): [________________________________]

3. Assumed Business Name: [________________________________]

4. Business Address: [________________________________]

5. Nature of Business: [________________________________]

6. Date Business Commenced (or Will Commence): [__/__/____]

7. The undersigned is/are the sole owner(s) of the business to be conducted under the above assumed name within the city/town of [________________________________], Rhode Island.

8. This certificate is filed pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1 to provide public notice of the use of an assumed business name.

SIGNED under the penalties of perjury:

Signature: _________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]

Print Name: [________________________________]

Title/Capacity: [________________________________]

Signature: _________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]

Print Name: [________________________________]

Title/Capacity: [________________________________]

PART FIVE: FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

(For Corporations, LLCs, and Other Entities — R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-402)

STATEMENT

The undersigned business entity hereby states:

1. Entity Legal Name: [________________________________]

2. Entity Type: [________________________________]

3. State of Organization: [________________________________]

4. Rhode Island Filing Number: [________________________________]

5. Fictitious Business Name: [________________________________]

6. Principal Office Address: [________________________________]

7. Nature of Business Conducted Under Fictitious Name: [________________________________]

8. Name and Title of Authorized Representative: [________________________________]

This statement is filed pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-402 and, for LLCs, R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-9, which authorizes a limited liability company to transact business under a fictitious name by filing a statement with the Secretary of State.

The fictitious business name statement shall remain effective until a Statement of Abandonment is filed with the Secretary of State or until the entity is dissolved.

Authorized Signature:

Signature: _________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]

Print Name: [________________________________]

Title: [________________________________]

PART SIX: OPTIONAL PUBLICATION NOTICE

Rhode Island does not impose a statewide statutory requirement for newspaper publication of a DBA/fictitious name. However, certain municipalities, financial institutions, or contractual counterparties may require publication. If publication is required or voluntarily elected, use the following form.

PUBLICATION TEXT

NOTICE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME

Notice is hereby given that [Legal Name of Registrant], located at [Business Address], is conducting business in the State of Rhode Island under the fictitious business name "[DBA Name]". The nature of the business is [Description of Business].

This notice is filed pursuant to Rhode Island law.

First publication date: [__/__/____]

Publication Checklist

☐ Identify newspaper of general circulation in the city/town of the business address
☐ Arrange publication for [____] consecutive weeks (typically 2 weeks)
☐ Obtain Affidavit of Publication from newspaper upon completion
☐ Retain Affidavit of Publication in business records for at least seven (7) years
☐ File Affidavit with city/town clerk (if required by local practice)

PART SEVEN: AFFIDAVIT OF PUBLICATION

State of Rhode Island
County of [________________________________]

I, [________________________________], being duly sworn, depose and say:

1. I am the [Title, e.g., Publisher / Authorized Representative] of [Newspaper Name], a newspaper of general circulation published in [City/Town], Rhode Island.

2. The attached Notice of Fictitious Business Name was published in said newspaper on the following dates:

• First publication: [__/__/____]
• Second publication: [__/__/____]
• Additional publications (if any): [__/__/____]

3. The publication was made in compliance with applicable Rhode Island law and any local requirements.

Subscribed and sworn to before me this [____] day of [____________], [________].

Affiant Signature: _________________________________

Notary Public Signature: _________________________________

Notary Printed Name: [________________________________]

My Commission Expires: [__/__/____]

[NOTARY SEAL]

PART EIGHT: RENEWAL, AMENDMENT, AND ABANDONMENT

8.1 Renewal

Sole Proprietors / Partnerships (City/Town Clerk Filing):

Rhode Island law under R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1 does not specify a fixed renewal period for assumed name certificates filed with city/town clerks. However, registrants should verify local requirements, as certain municipalities may impose renewal deadlines. Best practice is to confirm status every five (5) years.

Corporations / LLCs / Other Entities (Secretary of State Filing):

Per R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-402, a fictitious business name statement remains effective until a Statement of Abandonment is filed or the entity is dissolved. No periodic renewal is required at the state level. However, the underlying entity must remain in good standing and file annual reports as required by R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-1302.

8.2 Amendment

☐ If any material information changes (registrant name, business address, nature of business, ownership), file an amended certificate or statement within thirty (30) days of the change.

☐ For city/town clerk filings: File a new Certificate of Assumed Business Name with updated information.

☐ For Secretary of State filings: File an amended Fictitious Business Name Statement.

8.3 Abandonment / Withdrawal

☐ When the registrant ceases using the fictitious business name, file a Statement of Abandonment with the applicable filing office.

☐ For city/town clerk filings: Notify the clerk in writing of discontinuance.

☐ For Secretary of State filings: File Form 624C (Statement of Abandonment of Fictitious Business Name) with the Secretary of State.

PART NINE: PENALTIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE

9.1 Consequences of Failure to Register

Under Rhode Island law, failure to file the required assumed name certificate or fictitious business name statement may result in:

☐ Inability to maintain legal actions: A person conducting business under an unregistered assumed name may be barred from bringing suit on contracts made under that name until proper registration is completed.

☐ Fines and penalties: Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1, any person who fails to file the required certificate may be subject to a fine.

☐ Administrative rejection: The Secretary of State may refuse to accept filings from entities not in compliance with fictitious name requirements.

9.2 False Statements

Any person who knowingly makes a false statement in a certificate or fictitious business name statement may be subject to penalties for perjury and other sanctions under Rhode Island law.

PART TEN: NOTARY ACKNOWLEDGMENT (OPTIONAL)

State of Rhode Island
County of [________________________________]

On this [____] day of [____________], [________], before me, the undersigned notary public, personally appeared [________________________________], who proved to me through satisfactory evidence of identification to be the person(s) whose name(s) is/are signed on the preceding document, and acknowledged to me that he/she/they signed it voluntarily for its stated purpose.

Notary Public Signature: _________________________________

Notary Printed Name: [________________________________]

My Commission Expires: [__/__/____]

[NOTARY SEAL]

PART ELEVEN: FILING INSTRUCTIONS AND CHECKLIST

Step-by-Step Filing Guide

Step 1: Determine Your Filing Office

☐ Sole Proprietors / General Partnerships → File with the City/Town Clerk where business is conducted
☐ Corporations / LLCs / LPs / LLPs → File with the Rhode Island Secretary of State

Step 2: Complete the Appropriate Form

☐ Sole Proprietors / General Partnerships → Complete Part Four (Certificate of Assumed Business Name)
☐ Corporations / LLCs / Other Entities → Complete Part Five (Fictitious Business Name Statement) and/or official Secretary of State Form 624A/624B

Step 3: Submit Filing with Payment

☐ City/Town Clerk: $10.00 filing fee
☐ Secretary of State: $50.00 filing fee
☐ Retain a copy of the filed and stamped document

Step 4: Publish Notice (If Required)

☐ Determine if publication is required by local practice, lender, or contract
☐ If yes, complete Part Six and arrange newspaper publication
☐ Obtain and retain Affidavit of Publication

Step 5: Maintain Records and Calendar Deadlines

☐ Retain all filed documents, receipts, and publication proofs for a minimum of seven (7) years
☐ Calendar any renewal or annual report deadlines
☐ File amendments promptly upon any material change in registered information
☐ File Statement of Abandonment if the DBA is no longer in use

Sources and References

• Rhode Island Secretary of State, Business Services Division — Trade Names: https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/business-services/ri-trade-names
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-1 (Assumed Business Name Certificate)
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-1-2 (Filing Fees)
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-402 (Fictitious Business Name Statement for Business Organizations)
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-16-9 (LLC Fictitious Business Names)
• Rhode Island Secretary of State Fictitious Business Name Statement Forms (624A, 624B, 624C)
• R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-1302 (Annual Report Requirements)

This template is provided by ezel.ai for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Consult a Rhode Island-licensed attorney before filing.