A Rhode Island workers comp exemption lets certain business owners legally go without workers’ compensation coverage on themselves — typically sole proprietors, partners, LLC members and corporate officers — while the law still requires coverage for employees once a business has 1 or more.
This guide explains who qualifies for the Rhode Island workers comp exemption, the exact form, where to file it, what it costs, and what an exempt owner gives up. Verified against Rhode Island sources as of October 2026.
Rhode Island at a Glance
| Coverage required at | 1 employee(s) |
| Exemption form | Notice of Claim of Common Law Rights, Form DWC-11, for officers or LLC members opting out under § 28-29-17. Notice of Designation as Independent Contractor, Form DWC-11-IC, under § 28-29-17.1, withdrawn with DWC-11-IC-R. Election by Exempt Corporate Officer to Become Subject to Workers’ Compensation, Form DWC-11C, used to opt back in. |
| Filed with | The DWC-11 must be signed before a notary, given to the employer, and filed with the RI Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workers’ Compensation, within 10 days. Copies also go to the employer’s workers’ comp insurer. The DWC-11-IC is filed with DLT. Forms are at https://dlt.ri.gov/forms-applications; the phone number is (401) 462-8100. |
In This Rhode Island Guide:
Who Qualifies for A Rhode Island Workers Comp Exemption
Rhode Island limits the election to owners with a real stake in the business; the table below lists the classes and any ownership-percentage or officer-count limit.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-29-17 treats corporate officers and LLC managers or members as employees. They are held to have waived their common-law right to sue unless they give the employer written notice claiming that right at the time of hire or appointment and file a copy with the DLT director within 10 days.
That notice is Form DWC-11, and once it is filed the officer is no longer eligible for workers’ comp benefits. Someone who was an employee on or after January 1, 1999 and then became an officer stays an employee until coverage is waived under § 28-29-8(b) or § 28-29-17.
Officers appointed between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2001 who were not previously employees are excluded unless they elect coverage by filing Form DWC-11C under § 28-29-8. An officer or member who claimed common-law rights can withdraw that claim under § 28-29-19 by written notice to the director, the employer and the insurer. The withdrawal takes effect 5 days after filing with the director.
LLC managers, managing members and members are treated the same as corporate officers: covered by default, with the option to opt out using DWC-11 under § 28-29-17. Sole proprietors and partners are not covered employees under DLT guidance.
How to File the Rhode Island Workers Comp Exemption
The form is Notice of Claim of Common Law Rights, Form DWC-11, for officers or LLC members opting out under § 28-29-17. Notice of Designation as Independent Contractor, Form DWC-11-IC, under § 28-29-17.1, withdrawn with DWC-11-IC-R. Election by Exempt Corporate Officer to Become Subject to Workers’ Compensation, Form DWC-11C, used to opt back in..
It is filed with The DWC-11 must be signed before a notary, given to the employer, and filed with the RI Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workers’ Compensation, within 10 days. Copies also go to the employer’s workers’ comp insurer. The DWC-11-IC is filed with DLT. Forms are at https://dlt.ri.gov/forms-applications; the phone number is (401) 462-8100..
Filing on the state’s own site costs nothing beyond any statutory fee — the “exemption filing services” that advertise on this search charge for the same form.
Rhode Island Workers Comp Exemption Rules at a Glance
The exact Rhode Island workers comp exemption rules every owner should check before deciding to go without coverage:
| Employee threshold | 1 |
| Corporate officers | R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-29-17 treats corporate officers and LLC managers or members as employees. They are held to have waived their common-law right to sue unless they give the employer written notice claiming that right at the time of hire or appointment and file a copy with the DLT director within 10 days. That notice is Form DWC-11, and once it is filed the officer is no longer eligible for workers’ comp benefits. Someone who was an employee on or after January 1, 1999 and then became an officer stays an employee until coverage is waived under § 28-29-8(b) or § 28-29-17. Officers appointed between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2001 who were not previously employees are excluded unless they elect coverage by filing Form DWC-11C under § 28-29-8. An officer or member who claimed common-law rights can withdraw that claim under § 28-29-19 by written notice to the director, the employer and the insurer. The withdrawal takes effect 5 days after filing with the director. |
| LLC members and partners | LLC managers, managing members and members are treated the same as corporate officers: covered by default, with the option to opt out using DWC-11 under § 28-29-17. Sole proprietors and partners are not covered employees under DLT guidance. |
| Form | Notice of Claim of Common Law Rights, Form DWC-11, for officers or LLC members opting out under § 28-29-17. Notice of Designation as Independent Contractor, Form DWC-11-IC, under § 28-29-17.1, withdrawn with DWC-11-IC-R. Election by Exempt Corporate Officer to Become Subject to Workers’ Compensation, Form DWC-11C, used to opt back in. |
| Where to file | The DWC-11 must be signed before a notary, given to the employer, and filed with the RI Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workers’ Compensation, within 10 days. Copies also go to the employer’s workers’ comp insurer. The DWC-11-IC is filed with DLT. Forms are at https://dlt.ri.gov/forms-applications; the phone number is (401) 462-8100. |
| Proof of exemption or coverage | The insurer issues a certificate of insurance. DLT runs a Workers’ Compensation Insurance Coverage Verification lookup, searchable by employer name at https://dlt.ri.gov/workers-compensation/employers, or by phone at (401) 462-8100, option 4. An independent contractor can show a filed DWC-11-IC. Rhode Island issues no exemption certificate. |
What A Rhode Island Workers Comp Exemption Gives Up
An officer or member who files DWC-11 can no longer get workers’ compensation benefits under Title 28, Chapter 29. In exchange they keep the common-law right to sue for damages for work injuries. Sole proprietors and partners who are not covered get no benefits if injured unless they buy a policy for themselves.
One honest paragraph on the “ghost policy”: a minimum-premium policy with no employees sold to owners who need a certificate of insurance. It is legal in many states, but it is not a Rhode Island workers comp exemption — it is coverage with nobody on it. If you add a worker, it must be reported, or the audit will find them.
Workers Exempt by Law in Rhode Island
Separate from the owner’s election, Rhode Island law exempts some classes of workers from coverage — commonly domestic workers below a threshold, casual labor, some farm labor and licensed real-estate agents paid by commission. A worker who does not fit a listed class counts toward the threshold, no matter what the 1099 says.
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Proving A Rhode Island Workers Comp Exemption or Coverage
The insurer issues a certificate of insurance. DLT runs a Workers’ Compensation Insurance Coverage Verification lookup, searchable by employer name at https://dlt.ri.gov/workers-compensation/employers, or by phone at (401) 462-8100, option 4. An independent contractor can show a filed DWC-11-IC. Rhode Island issues no exemption certificate.
Why the Rhode Island Workers Comp Exemption Matters
The Rhode Island workers comp exemption is a trade: lower cost today against no safety net if you are hurt. The second half of the trade is the one the search results never lead with. Rhode Island has no single exemption certificate. Officers and members opt out by claiming common-law rights (DWC-11), which must be filed within 10 days of hire or appointment.
Contractors get a statutory presumption of independent-contractor status by filing DWC-11-IC (§ 28-29-17.1), but it counts only for workers’ comp, not for tax or other employment rules. The farm exemption depends on both the 25-employee / 13-week count and a health-and-disability-insurance alternative (§ 28-29-7.2). Confirm current rules with RI DLT and a licensed attorney.
If the Rhode Island workers comp exemption rules above leave any doubt about whether a worker counts, ask the state agency before you decide — the answer is free, and the penalty for guessing wrong is not.
Employer side: the Rhode Island requirements guide covers the threshold, who counts and the penalties in full. Hurt while exempt? You may still have a claim against a third party — a licensed attorney can say.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can file a workers comp exemption in Rhode Island?
Typically owners with a real stake — sole proprietors, partners, LLC members and qualifying corporate officers — not employees. See the table for Rhode Island’s rule.
What form is the Rhode Island workers comp exemption?
Notice of Claim of Common Law Rights, Form DWC-11, for officers or LLC members opting out under § 28-29-17. Notice of Designation as Independent Contractor, Form DWC-11-IC, under § 28-29-17.1, withdrawn with DWC-11-IC-R. Election by Exempt Corporate Officer to Become Subject to Workers’ Compensation, Form DWC-11C, used to opt back in.. File it on the state’s own site; filing services charge for the same form.
Can an exempt owner in Rhode Island still collect benefits if hurt?
No. An exemption removes the owner from coverage, so there is no claim for medical care or lost wages. That is the trade.
Official Rhode Island Sources & Resources
- Rhode Island Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workers’ Compensation. Disputed claims go to the Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court.: https://dlt.ri.gov/workers-compensation/employers
- Rhode Island Workers’ Comp Statute: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE28/28-29/28-29-17.htm
- U.S. Department of Labor — Workers’ Comp: dol.gov
- Insurance Information Institute: iii.org
This Rhode Island workers comp exemption guide was last verified against official Rhode Island sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.
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Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, medical, or financial advice. Workers Comp Explained is an independent educational resource, not a law firm or insurer. Workers’ comp benefits, settlement values, deadlines, and requirements vary by state and by the specific facts of your injury and change over time, and any settlement figures here are illustrative only.
Confirm your rights and any deadline with your state’s workers’ compensation board and a licensed attorney before you act.