# Rhode Island contractor insurance requirements

> What Rhode Island law says about workers' comp, contractor license insurance and indemnity clauses, and what to check on a contractor COI for a project there.

Reviewed Oct 28, 2026 by Forsured. Source: https://forsured.ai/coi-requirements/rhode-island/

## The short version

- Workers' comp required at: 1 employee
- License insurance minimum: $500K liability
- Anti-indemnity statute voids: Own negligence, even in part

## Workers' comp in Rhode Island

Rhode Island employers with one or more employees must carry workers' comp. Individual owners and partners are exempt.

Agency: [Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training](https://dlt.ri.gov/wc/employers/)

## Contractor licensing and insurance

Rhode Island contractor registration requires a $500,000 liability insurance certificate naming the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board, plus a workers' comp certificate for contractors with employees.

## Indemnity and additional insured clauses

Rhode Island's anti-indemnity statute (R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-34-1) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's own negligence, even in part. Clauses limited to the contractor's own share of fault generally hold up.

## What to check on a contractor COI for a Rhode Island project

1. **Workers' comp.** Nearly every contractor with employees needs it in Rhode Island. A contractor with a crew and no workers' comp on its COI is a gap. For an out-of-state contractor, confirm Rhode Island is listed on the workers' comp policy.
2. **General liability.** A Rhode Island license only shows the contractor met the state's floor. Compare each limit on the COI with your project requirements, which are usually higher.
3. **Additional insured.** The endorsement is a separate promise from the indemnity clause, so check both. Ask for the endorsement itself, not just a box ticked on the certificate.
4. **Dates.** Every policy should run through the end of the job. A COI only shows coverage on the day it was issued, so check again at each renewal.

## Common questions

### Do contractors need workers' comp in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island employers with one or more employees must carry workers' comp. Individual owners and partners are exempt.

### Does Rhode Island require contractors to carry general liability insurance?

Rhode Island contractor registration requires a $500,000 liability insurance certificate naming the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board, plus a workers' comp certificate for contractors with employees.

### Can a Rhode Island construction contract make a contractor cover another party's negligence?

Rhode Island's anti-indemnity statute (R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-34-1) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's own negligence, even in part. Clauses limited to the contractor's own share of fault generally hold up.

## Sources

1. [Employers](https://dlt.ri.gov/wc/employers/), Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
2. [Contractor registration FAQs](https://crb.ri.gov/contractor-registration/faqs), Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board
3. [Anti-Indemnity Statutes in All 50 States (2023)](https://grsm.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Anti-Indemnity-Statutes-2023.pdf), Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, 2023
4. [State Workers' Compensation Officials](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/owcp/wc), U.S. Department of Labor

General information, not legal advice. Confirm with the state agency, your broker or your attorney.

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