(a)  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).

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-402

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Executed: means an original signature, facsimile, or an electronically transmitted signature submitted through a medium provided and authorized by the secretary of state. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
  • Filing: means delivered to the secretary of state in either paper format or electronic transmission through a medium provided and authorized by the secretary of state. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
  • Foreign corporation: means a corporation for profit organized under laws other than the laws of this state for a purpose or purposes for which a corporation may be organized under this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
  • State: means the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106

(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 and must state:

(1)  The fictitious business name to be used;

(2)  The name of the applicant corporation and the state or territory under the laws of which it is incorporated, the date of its incorporation, and a brief statement of the business in which it is engaged; and

(3)  The address of its registered office within the state.

(c)  The fictitious business name statement expires upon the filing of the statement of abandonment of use of a fictitious business name registered in accordance with this section or upon the dissolution of the applicant corporation.

(d)  The statement of abandonment of use of a fictitious business name under this section may be filed with the secretary of state on forms furnished by the secretary of state and must be executed by an authorized officer of the corporation and must state:

(1)  The fictitious business name being abandoned;

(2)  The date on which the original fictitious business name statement being abandoned was filed;

(3)  The name of the applicant corporation and the state or territory under the laws of which it is incorporated; and

(4)  The address of its registered office within the state.

(e)  No domestic or foreign corporation transacting business under a fictitious business name contrary to the provisions of this section, or its assignee, may maintain any action upon or on account of any contract made, or transaction had, in the fictitious business name in any court of this state until a fictitious business name statement has been filed in accordance with this section.

(f)  [Deleted by P.L. 2005, ch. 36, § 36 and by P.L. 2005, ch. 72, § 36.]

History of Section.
P.L. 2004, ch. 216, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 274, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 36, § 36; P.L. 2005, ch. 72, § 36.