New law · Rhode Island

Rhode Island's wholesaling license law lands January 1, 2027

The short answer — Rhode Island

Today: no wholesaling license law is in force yet. On January 1, 2027, that changes completely — Rhode Island's new law will require an active real estate license to enter a wholesale or assignment contract more than once in any 12 months, with written disclosures to both sides and a 3-business-day cancellation right. Plan for the flip now.

Rule: R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-51 (§§ 34-51-1 to -6), amending §§ 5-20.5-1, -2 (2026 S 3136 Sub A / H 7840) · In force: License requirement January 1, 2027 · Penalty if ignored: From Jan. 1, 2027: fines of $500 for a first violation and $1,000 for each later one, plus civil liability of 1× to 3× the fee or profit. If disclosures are missing, either side may cancel any time before the deal closes.

Checked October 21, 2026 against the official source: www.rilegislature.gov. Information only — not legal advice.

The timeline

2026: the act is signed (Ch. 34-51, amending §§ 5-20.5-1, -2). Nothing is in force yet.
Today: the general principal line applies — market your contract, never the property.
January 1, 2027: a license (or exemption) is required to enter wholesale or assignment contracts more than once in any 12 months, with written disclosures to owner and assignee and a 3-business-day, non-waivable cancellation for both sides.

What to do in 2026

Decide your 2027 posture now: license, exemption, or a licensed partner — applications take longer than a quarter.
Start your disclosures habit early: owner told you may assign for a fee; assignee told you hold only equitable interest.
Never let an assignment bar the buyer's own attorney or title company — the new law voids that move.

The checker flips automatically

Run it today and you get today's rule plus the coming change. Run it on January 2, 2027 and the license verdict is live — the checker is date-aware because the dataset carries the effective date.

Run the free checker

The 2027 pack is in the kit

Rhode Island's one-pager, disclosure checklist and calendar — updated at the flip, like every rule on this site.

Included in the $49 Compliant Path Kit

See the Compliant Path Kit