Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 21-27 - Sanitation in Food Establishments
Section 21-27-10. - Registration of food businesses.

§ 21-27-10. Registration of food businesses.
(a) No person shall operate a food business as defined in § 21-27-1 unless he or she annually registers the business with the state director of health; provided, that food businesses conducted by nonprofit organizations, hospitals, public institutions, farmers markets, roadside farm stands, or any municipality shall be exempt from payment of any required fee. Additionally, no license fee shall be required for an establishment that:
(1) Holds a Class C liquor license pursuant to § 3-7-8; and
(2) Complies with the license limits set forth in § 3-7-8(b).
(b) In order to set the registration renewal dates so that all activities for each establishment can be combined on one registration instead of on several registrations, the registration renewal date shall be set by the department of health. The registration period shall be for twelve (12) months commencing on the registration renewal date. Any renewal registration fee shall be at the full, annual rate regardless of the date of renewal. Any fee for a first-time application shall have the registration fee pro-rated based upon the date of issuance of registration. If the registration renewal date is changed, the department may make an adjustment to the fees of registered establishments, not to exceed the annual registration fee, in order to implement the changes in registration renewal date. Registrations issued under this chapter may be suspended or revoked for cause. Any registration or license shall be posted in a place accessible and prominently visible to an agent of the director.
(c) Registration with the director of health shall be based upon satisfactory compliance with all laws and regulations of the director applicable to the food business for which registration is required.
(d) The director of health is authorized to adopt regulations necessary for the implementation of this chapter.
(e) Classification for registration shall be as follows:
(1) In-state and out-of-state food processors that sell food in Rhode Island (Wholesale)
(2) Food processors (Retail)
(3) Food service establishments:
(i) 50 seats or less
(ii) More than 50 seats
(iii) Mobile food service units
(iv) Industrial caterer or food vending machine commissary
(v) Cultural heritage educational facility
(4) Vending machine sites or location:
(i) Three (3) or less machines
(ii) Four (4) to ten (10) machines
(iii) Eleven (11) or more machines
(5) Retail markets:
(i) 1 to 2 cash registers
(ii) 3 to 5 cash registers
(iii) 6 or more cash registers
(6) Retail food peddler (meat, seafood, dairy, and frozen dessert products)
(7) Food warehouses
(f) In no instance, where an individual food business has more than one activity eligible under this chapter for state registration within a single location, shall the business be required to pay more than a single fee for the one highest classified activity listed in subsection (e) of this section; provided, that, where several separate but identically classified activities are located within the same building and under the management and jurisdiction of one person, one fee shall be required. In each of the instances in this subsection, each activity shall be separately registered.
(g) Fees for registration of the above classifications shall be as set forth in § 23-1-54.
History of Section.P.L. 1980, ch. 316, § 1; P.L. 1984, ch. 51, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 237, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 276, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 10, art. 9, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 65, art. 54, § 1; P.L. 1993, ch. 94, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 55, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 77, art. 15, § 6; P.L. 2006, ch. 216, § 4; P.L. 2007, ch. 73, art. 39, § 41; P.L. 2007, ch. 379, § 2; P.L. 2007, ch. 530, § 2; P.L. 2012, ch. 241, art. 9, § 34; P.L. 2014, ch. 435, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 469, § 1; P.L. 2016, ch. 512, art. 1, § 8; P.L. 2022, ch. 324, § 1, effective July 6, 2022.