(a)  Each corporation shall have and continuously maintain in this state:

(1)  A registered office, which may be, but need not be, the same as its place of business.

(2)  A registered agent, who may be:

(i)  An individual resident in this state;

(ii)  A domestic corporation, a domestic limited partnership, a domestic limited liability partnership, a domestic limited liability company; or

(iii)  A foreign corporation, a foreign limited partnership, a foreign limited liability partnership or a foreign limited liability company authorized to transact business in this state, in each case, having a business office identical with the office of such registered agent which generally is open during normal business hours to accept service of process and otherwise perform the functions of a registered agent; provided, however, that in the case where the registered agent of a corporation is an attorney, the business address of the agent need not be identical with the registered office, but may be the usual business address of the attorney.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-501

  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • 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.
  • domestic corporation: means a corporation for profit subject to the provisions of this chapter, except a foreign corporation. 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
  • Individual: means a natural person. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • State: means the state of Rhode Island. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106

(b)  Any incorporator, officer, agent, or servant of a corporation, who designates a registered agent for that corporation without the registered agent’s authority, is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment of not more than one year, or both.

History of Section.
P.L. 2004, ch. 216, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 274, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 120, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 130, § 1.