Rhode Island

Foreign registration · Form 972

Rhode Island LLC Foreign Registration in Louisiana

Louisiana registers an LLC from Rhode Island as a foreign LLC on Form 972, with $190 in state fees. Louisiana also asks for Rhode Island's Certificate of Status / Certificate of Good Standing ($22), no older than 90 days. We file it with the Secretary of State, Commercial Division using your Rhode Island records and act as your registered agent there for the first year.

What Rhode Island and Louisiana each ask for

	Rhode Island formed here	Louisiana registering here
Document	Rhode Island Certificate of Status / Certificate of Good Standing	Form 972, Application of Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee	$22	$190 at order (filing fee $185 plus charges collected at filing)
How it is handled	Rhode Island: online in about two business days, the same day in person, or in 5 to 7 business days by mail	Filed with Louisiana
Paid expedite		24-hour $35, 2 to 4 hour $60
Office	Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division	Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division
Official page	sos.ri.gov	sos.la.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 90 days
Yearly filing	Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company (Form 632), $50, every year	Annual Report, $35, every year
Due	May 1	On or before the anniversary date of registration in Louisiana
Agent	Your Rhode Island resident agent	Our Louisiana registered agent

From Rhode Island to Louisiana, step by step

Order the Rhode Island certificate
The Certificate of Status / Certificate of Good Standing ($22) is ordered from Rhode Island separately; it is not part of our Louisiana order. It comes as a short form ($22) or a long form ($30). Rhode Island takes days to issue it and Louisiana wants it within 90 days, so the order is timed for both.
We prepare and file Form 972
It names us as your Louisiana registered agent, with your Rhode Island name and formation date and the certificate attached. The Rhode Island certificate takes days to arrive, so the Louisiana filing waits for it. After approval, your Rhode Island LLC is registered with Louisiana.

First-year cost, Rhode Island to Louisiana

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$190
Certificate of Status / Certificate of Good Standing, paid to Rhode Island	$22
Our service, with a year of Louisiana registered agent service	$199
First-year total, Rhode Island certificate included	$411

Louisiana's paid expedite is optional and not in the total.

Your Rhode Island name and Louisiana's rules

We search Louisiana's records for Rhode Island's name on file before anything is filed.

Agents: Louisiana and Rhode Island

Louisiana calls it a registered agent; Rhode Island says resident agent. Louisiana papers come to us; Rhode Island's agent is unchanged.

Staying in good standing in Rhode Island and Louisiana

Each year your LLC files Rhode Island's Annual Report for a Limited Liability Company (Form 632) ($50) and Louisiana's Annual Report ($35). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Rhode Island plus Louisiana comes to $234 a year. The new registration does not replace any home-state filing.

LLC or corporation, Rhode Island to Louisiana

A corporation formed in Rhode Island files Form 326 with Louisiana ($160 in state fees). After that come Rhode Island's Annual Report for a Corporation (Form 630) ($50) and Louisiana's Annual Report ($30). See the corporation filing.

The other way: Louisiana into Rhode Island

An LLC formed in Louisiana that registers with Rhode Island files Form 450 with $156 in state fees, plus the Certificate of Good Standing ($25) dated within 60 days. See that filing.

Common questions: Rhode Island to Louisiana

Does my Rhode Island company need to register in Louisiana?

Yes, once a Rhode Island business operates there; Louisiana law lists 10 activities that do not count on their own.

How much does it cost to register a Rhode Island LLC in Louisiana?

$389 at checkout plus $22 to Rhode Island for the Certificate of Status / Certificate of Good Standing, $411 in all (checkout is $190 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Rhode Island's certificate of good standing?

Yes: Louisiana wants it ($22), no more than 90 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Rhode Island and Louisiana?

$234 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, $50 to Rhode Island and $35 to Louisiana for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with Louisiana?

A Rhode Island company cannot sue in court there until it registers, and Louisiana can add a civil penalty of up to $1,000.

Does Louisiana require a registered agent?

Yes: the Rhode Island resident agent stays, and ours covers Louisiana for year one.

Can I form a new Louisiana LLC instead?

Yes, but Rhode Island keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Louisiana's Annual Report ($40), and the original keeps Rhode Island's yearly report.

What does a Louisiana company file to register in Rhode Island?

It files Form 450 with $156 in state fees, plus Louisiana's good standing certificate.

Official sources

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