Rhode Island General Laws Title 5. Businesses and Professions § 5-5.1-21. Licensee business procedures

(b)(1) No licensee shall, by the use of any letterhead, advertisement, or other printed matter, or in any manner, represent that he or she is an instrumentality or agency of the federal government or of the state or political subdivision of the state.

(2) No licensee shall conduct a business under a trade name until he or she has obtained the written authorization of the attorney general to do so. The attorney general shall not authorize the use of a trade name that, in his or her opinion, is similar to that of a public office or agency, or of that used by another licensee that the public may be confused or misled by the trade name, except that this provision does not apply to the continued use of a trade name by a corporation that:

(3) The authorization shall require, as a condition precedent to the use of the name, the filing of a certificate of doing business under the name with the city or town clerk of the city or town where the licensee's principal place of business is located and with the secretary of state in the manner provided by law.