Short answer. Employers with one or more employees.
At a glance
- Who must carry it
- Employers with one or more employees.
- Owners and officers
- Individual owners and partners are exempt. Most corporate officers are included as employees unless they file a waiver form.
- Independent contractors
- Independent contractors aren't eligible for benefits and must file a DWC 11-IC form for each hiring entity.
- Self-insurance
- The division's coverage search includes certified self-insured employers.
- Going without
- Fines of $1,000 for each day without coverage; on conviction, a $10,000 fine and two years in prison.
- Workplace notice
- Display the state-required poster naming the insurer or adjusting company.
- Check a policy
- Use the division's Workers' Compensation Insurance Coverage Verification page; for help call (401) 462-8100.
- Agency
- Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workers' Compensation
In the agency's words
The rule
"Rhode Island law requires employers with one or more employees to provide workers' compensation insurance."
Owners
"Corporate Officers are usually included as employees unless they file a waiver form"
Contractors
"An independent contractor must file a DWC 11-IC form for each hiring entity"
Going without
"may be fined $1,000 per day for each day without workers' compensation insurance."
Notice
"The state-required poster naming the employer's insurance company or adjusting company must be displayed in the workplace."
Three example businesses
What the stated rule says for three common setups:
- 2 employees, most businesses (not construction), llc: Required. See why
- 4 employees, construction, corporation: Required. See why
- 6 employees, most businesses (not construction), sole proprietor: Required. See why
Your own numbers: open the checker for Rhode Island.
Official sources
- Workers' Compensation: Employers (Rhode Island DLT) (checked November 2026)
General information, not legal or insurance advice; we are not lawyers or insurance agents. Rules as published on the pages above, checked November 2026. We don't recommend or sell any insurer; the agency or a licensed agent can say how a rule applies to your business.
Common questions
Who has to carry workers' comp in Rhode Island?
Employers with one or more employees. The agency puts it as "Rhode Island law requires employers with one or more employees to provide workers' compensation insurance."
Do owners and officers need coverage in Rhode Island?
Individual owners and partners are exempt. Most corporate officers are included as employees unless they file a waiver form.
What about independent contractors in Rhode Island?
Independent contractors aren't eligible for benefits and must file a DWC 11-IC form for each hiring entity.
What happens to a Rhode Island employer with no coverage?
Fines of $1,000 for each day without coverage; on conviction, a $10,000 fine and two years in prison.
What notice must a Rhode Island employer post?
Display the state-required poster naming the insurer or adjusting company.
Can an employer self-insure in Rhode Island?
The division's coverage search includes certified self-insured employers.
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