Title 7
Corporations, Associations, and Partnerships
Chapter 1.2
Rhode Island Business Corporation Act
Part 14
Foreign Corporations
R.I. Gen. Laws § 7-1.2-1418
§ 7-1.2-1418. Transacting business without certificate of authority.
(a) No foreign corporation transacting business in this state without a certificate of authority is permitted to maintain any action, suit, or proceeding in any court of this state, until the corporation has obtained a certificate of authority. Nor may any action, suit, or proceeding be maintained in any court of this state by any successor or assignee of the corporation on any right, claim, or demand arising out of the transaction of business by the corporation in this state, until a certificate of authority has been obtained by the corporation or by its successor.
(b) The failure of a foreign corporation to obtain a certificate of authority to transact business in this state does not impair the validity of any contract or act of the corporation, and does not prevent the corporation from defending any action, suit, or proceeding in any court of this state.
(c) A foreign corporation which transacts business in this state without a certificate of authority is liable to this state, for the years or parts of years during which it transacted business in this state without a certificate of authority, in an amount equal to all fees and franchise taxes which would have been imposed upon the corporation had it duly applied for and received a certificate of authority to transact business in this state as required by this chapter and subsequently filed all reports required by this chapter, plus all penalties imposed by this chapter for failure to pay the fees and franchise taxes. The attorney general may bring proceedings to recover all amounts due this state under the provisions of this section.
(d) The superior court has jurisdiction to enjoin any foreign corporation, or any agent of a foreign corporation, from transacting any business in this state if the corporation fails to comply with any section of this chapter applicable to it or if the corporation secured a certificate of the secretary of state under §§ 7-1.2-1405 and 7-1.2-1406 on the basis of false or misleading representations. The attorney general may, upon motion or upon the relation of proper parties, proceed for this purpose by complaint in any county in which the corporation is doing business.
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.