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How
does the Master Application work?
The Master Application will allow business owners, or business agents
such as CPAs and attorneys to create accounts that will allow them to
register their business with the state. The Master Application:
- Allows the business owner to choose a business type and to provide
common information (name, address, phone number, etc.) on the front
page, eliminating the need to repeatedly provide common information
on each license application.
- Allows the business owner to preview and answer questions related
to the operation of their business.
- Provides business owners with a customized to-do checklist. The Agency
Checklist provides the license applications pertinent to each business
type. The Applicant Checklist provides the rules, regulations and general
laws applicable to each business type as well as city and town licensing
information.
- Allows the business owner to submit their license applications online
and sign them electronically.
- Allows the business owner to check on the status of their application
and to receive information from the licensing agency.
- Allows the business owners to submit electronic payment for applications
that have been accepted by the licensing agency.
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Businesses
that can use the Master Application The following business
structures may use the Master Application at this time:
- Sole Proprietorships
- General Partnerships
- Limited Liability Company (LLC'S)
The following business types may use the Master Application at this time.
If the business you would like to open is not listed below, please contact
the Business Development Division at 401-222-2185 for information.
Retail
Establishments (limited to the list below):
- Art Supply Store
- Clothing Store
- Furniture Store
- Radio, Television, and other Electronic Stores
- Computer and Software Stores
- Household Appliance Store
- Home Furnishings Store
- Prerecorded Tape, Compact Disc and Record Store
- Paint and Wallpaper Store (supplies only, no installation)
- Hardware Store
- Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Store
- Graphic Design
- Florist
- Sporting Goods Store
- Hobby Shop
- Camera and Photographic Supplies Store (digital processing only)
- Optical Goods Store
- Luggage and Leather Goods Store
- Book Store
- Sewing, Needlework and Piece Goods Store
Food
Establishments (limited to list below):
Click here for Department
of Health Pre-requisites
- Bakery
- Catering
- Grocery Store
- Eating Establishment
Refer to the Business
Fast Start Glossary for definitions of the business structures and
business types
Service-Related
Businesses (limited to list below):
- Graphic Design
- Jewelry Design
- Marketing Consulting
- Advertising Agency
- Medical Billing
- Political Consultant
- Management Consulting
- Computer Repair
- Errand Service
- Production Studio
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Information
you should know before starting the Master Application
- Determine whether you are eligible to use the Master Application
by reading the Businesses that can currently use the
Master Application section.
- Note: The business name you have selected must be cleared prior
to completing the Master Application. Sole proprietors and general
partnerships should contact the city or town in which their business
will be located for more information. Limited liability companies that
have not cleared their business name can click
here to submit an online name availability search request with the
Secretary of State's Corporations Division.
- You will need an email address.
- You will need a valid mailing address.
- A valid credit card (Discover, MasterCard or Visa).
- It is suggested that you refer to the Frequently Asked Questions
and Business Fast Start Glossary prior to starting the Master Application.
- You are responsible for reading and understanding the Terms
and Conditions of Use prior to starting the Master Application.
- The Master Application is an optional tool to register your business.
It is not meant to substitute for advice from a CPA or attorney.
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Terms
and Conditions of Use of Business Fast Start Master Application
Public
Disclosure
- Information submitted through the Master Application website will
be treated similarly to paper transactions. Information submitted on
the Master Application website may be subjected to disclosure and is
public record under the Access to Public Records law (RIGL Title 38,
Chapter 32).
Email
Information Disclaimers
- Electronic messages sent from the Master Application contain confidential
information and are intended for the individual named. If you are not
the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this
e-mail. E-mail transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free
as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive
late or incomplete, or contain viruses. Agencies sending emails through
the Master Application do not accept liability for any errors or omissions
in the contents of messages that may arise as a result of e-mail transmission.
- E-mail messages will be treated the same as any other written communication.
They may be subject to public inspection or legal disclosure and may
be saved for a period of time before they are destroyed. E-mail addresses
obtained through the Master Application website will not be sold or
given to private companies for marketing purposes.
Agency
Disclosure
Name of organization: Office of the Secretary of State,
Rhode Island.
Type of organization: Rhode Island state government agency.
Public website.
Contact Information: Business Development Division. Phone:
401-222-2185.
Funding source: Government. No private funding or paid
advertisements.
Disclaimers
- The Master Application is not designed to substitute for the advice
of a CPA or attorney.
- It is the responsibility of every user of the Master Application to
contact each individual agency to which they have applied for a license
if any information provided through the Master Application changes.
- The Master Application website contains only state license and permit
applications. The license and permit applications provided may not be
complete, and businesses should not rely on this information exclusively.
While stringent measures have been taken to ensure accuracy, there is
no substitute for personally contacting the proper state departments,
agencies and boards.
- The Office of the Secretary of State's Business Development Division
makes every effort to ensure that published information is accurate
and current. Neither the Secretary of State, nor any agency, officer,
or employee of the Office of Secretary of State warrants the accuracy,
reliability or timeliness of any information published on the Master
Application website, nor endorses any products or services linked from
this system, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by reliance
on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of such information. Any
person or entity that relies on any information obtained from this system
does so at his or her own risk.
- Various websites may be linked through the Secretary of State’s
website. Visitors to those sites are advised to check the privacy statements
of those sites and be cautious about providing personally identifiable
information without a clear understanding of how the information will
be used.
- The Office of Secretary of State relies on participating agencies
to support this system with their current information. By accessing
the Master Application, the user acknowledges that the Office of the
Secretary of State is not responsible for the licensing requirements
of other agencies in the State of Rhode Island. Users should not rely
solely on this information, but should contact each agency involved
for complete and accurate information.
Electronic
Transactions
In the State of Rhode Island, if a law requires a record to be in writing,
an electronic record satisfies that law.
Errors
and Omissions
Every effort has been made to make the Master Application website error-free.
The Office of the Secretary of State's Business Development Division bears
no responsibility for errors or omissions.
Privacy
Policy
The Office of Secretary of State will not capture personal information
unless it is submitted through the Master Application.
Conduct
Users of the Master Application agree to access and use it for lawful
purposes. Applicants are solely responsible for the knowledge of and adherence
to any and all laws, statutes, rules and regulations pertaining to the
use of the Master Application website. By accessing the Master Application
website you agree that you will not:
- Use the Master Application website to commit a criminal offense or
to encourage others to engage in any conduct which would constitute
a criminal offense or give rise to criminal or civil liability;
- Post or transmit any discriminatory, libelous, harassing, defamatory,
obscene, pornographic, or otherwise unlawful content;
- Use the Master Application website to impersonate other parties or
entities;
- Use the Master Application website to upload any content that contains
a software virus, "Trojan Horse" or any other computer code,
files, or programs that may alter, damage, or interrupt the functionality
of the Master Application website or the hardware or software of any
other person who accesses the Master Application site;
- Upload, post, email, or otherwise transmit any materials that you
do not have a right to transmit under any law or under a contractual
relationship;
- Alter, damage, or delete any content posted on the Master Application
website;
- Disrupt the normal flow of communication in any way;
- Claim a relationship with or represent any business, association,
or other organization with which you are not authorized to claim such
a relationship or to represent;
- Post or transmit any unsolicited advertising, promotional materials,
or other forms of solicitation;
- Post any material that infringes upon or violates the intellectual
property rights of another; or
- Collect or store personal information about others.
Termination
of Use
The Office of Secretary of State may, in its sole discretion, terminate
or suspend your access to and use of the Master Application website without
notice and for any reason, including for violation of these Terms and
Conditions of Use or for other conduct which the Office of the Secretary
of State, in its sole discretion, believes is unlawful or harmful to others.
In the event of termination, you will no longer be authorized to access
the Master Application website, and the Secretary of State will use any
means possible to enforce this termination.
Limitation
of Liability
In no event will the Secretary of State or its employees be liable for
any incidental, indirect, special, punitive, exemplary, or consequential
damages, arising out of your use of or inability to use the Master Application
website, including without limitation, loss of revenue or anticipated
profits, loss of goodwill, loss of business, loss of data, computer failure
or malfunction, or any other damages.
Content
The Secretary of State reserves the right to monitor any content that
you provide, but shall not be obligated to do so. Although the Secretary
of State cannot monitor all postings on the Master Application website,
we reserve the right (but assume no obligation) to delete, move, or edit
any postings that violate these terms and conditions. You agree to abide
by all copyright notices posted on the Master Application website.
Modification
of Agreement
The Secretary of State maintains the right to modify these Terms and Conditions
of Use and may do so by posting notice of such modifications on this page.
Any modification is effective immediately upon posting, unless otherwise
stated. Your continued use of the Master Application website following
the posting of any modification signifies your acceptance of such modification.
You should periodically visit this page to review the current Terms and
Conditions of Use.
Name
Availability
A name availability search must be requested to determine if an entity
name is available for use in this state. If you are a limited liability
company and would like to submit an on-line name availability search request,
please click here. If
you are a sole proprietorship or general partnership contact the city
or town in which your business will be established. The preliminary name
search does not, however, guarantee that the name will be available upon
filing your documents. It is strongly suggested that you not make any
financial expenditures or execute documents utilizing the name based upon
the preliminary search. Names cannot be guaranteed as available until
the final processing is completed at the time of filing.
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