Rhode Island General Laws Title 7. Corporations, Associations, and Partnerships § 7-1.2-503. Service of process on corporation

(a) The registered agent appointed by a corporation is an agent of the corporation upon whom any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the corporation may be served.

(b) Whenever a corporation fails to appoint or maintain a registered agent in this state, or whenever its registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office, then the secretary of state is an agent of the corporation upon whom any process, notice, or demand may be served.  Service on the secretary of state of any process, notice, or demand is made by delivering to and leaving with him or her or with any clerk having charge of the corporation department of his or her office, duplicate copies of the process, notice, or demand.  In the event any process, notice, or demand is served on the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall immediately forward one of the copies by certified mail, addressed to the corporation at its registered office.  Any service upon the secretary of state is returnable in not less than thirty (30) days.

(c) The secretary of state shall maintain a record of any such service setting forth the name of the plaintiff and defendant, the title, docket number and nature of the proceeding in which process has been served upon the secretary of state, the fact that service has been effected pursuant to this subsection, the return date thereof, and the day and hour when the service was made.  The secretary of state shall not be required to retain such information for a period longer than five (5) years from receipt of the service of process.

(d) Nothing contained in these provisions limits or affects the right to serve any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon a corporation in any other manner permitted by law.