Rhode Island: Sales Tax Handbook
Rhode Island Sales Tax Exemption / Resale Forms
7 PDFs
If you are a retailer making purchases for resale, or need to make a purchase that is exempt from the Rhode Island sales tax, you need the appropriate Rhode Island sales tax exemption certificate before you can begin making tax-free purchases. This page explains how to make tax-free purchases in Rhode Island, and lists seven Rhode Island sales tax exemption forms available for download.
- List of printable Rhode Island sales tax exemption certificates
- How to use Rhode Island sales tax exemption certificates
- How long are my Rhode Island exemption certificates good for?
- Can I use a blanket resale exemption certificate in Rhode Island?
- Uniform / Streamlined Sales Tax Certificates in Rhode Island
Printable Rhode Island Exemption Certificates
We have seven Rhode Island sales tax exemption forms available for you to print or save as a PDF file. If any of these links are broken, or you can't find the form you need, please let us know. You can find resale certificates for other states here.
Rhode Island allows the use of uniform sales tax exemption certificates, which are general exemption certificates that can be used across multiple states. You can find more info about these uniform certificates at the bottom of this page.
How to use sales tax exemption certificates in Rhode Island
A sales tax exemption certificate is a form you can fill out yourself certifying that you meet the qualifications outlined for making sales-tax-free purchases. You will need to present this certificate to the vendor from whom you are making the exempt purchase - it is up to the vendor to verify that you are indeed qualified to make a tax-exempt purchase.
The state of Rhode Island provides certain forms to be used when you wish to purchase tax-exempt items such as prescription medicines.
In the case of general businesses purchasing goods for resale, either the "Resale Certificate" or the "Wholesale Certificate" is to be used.
These forms may be downloaded on this page.
To apply the certificate, the buyer must first present the seller with their written certificate, which legally documents the exemption. The certificate should include the date it was created, the signature of the buyer or an employee or agent who signed on behalf of the buyer, both the seller's and buyer's addresses and names, the legal basis of the exemption being utilized, the buyer's tax registration or business license number, and a description of the merchandise that the buyer wishes to purchase.
How long is my Rhode Island sales tax exemption certificate good for?
All blanket exemption certificates are infinitely valid, so long as there is recurring purchases by the owner of the certificate, where no more than one year passes between sales, or until the buyer cancels the certificate. It must be noted that the only sales that the any certificate covers are sales for resales, so long as the property is sold in the same form it was purchased in.
Can I use a blanket resale exemption certificate in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island does permit the use of a blanket resale certificate, which means a single certificate on file with the vendor can be re-used for all exempt purchases made from that vendor. A new certificate does not need to be made for each transaction.
Acceptance of uniform sales tax certificates in Rhode Island
Rhode Island is a member of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, an interstate consortium with the goal of making compliance with sales taxes as simple as possible in member states.
Because Rhode Island is a member of this agreement, buyers can use
the Multistate Tax Commission (MTC) Uniform Sales Tax Certificate 
when making qualifying sales-tax-exempt purchases from vendors in Rhode Island.
The following guidelines are provided for the use of the MTC Uniform Sales Tax Certificate in Rhode Island:
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