GC Laws — Rhode Island contractor-law checklist preview (free)
Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. Public summaries remain free on gclaws.com.

[ ] Licensing
      - Section 5-65-3 requires a current valid registration before undertaking, offering or bidding covered contractor work. A partnership, company, corporation or joint venture must itself be registered and designate a responsible individual.

[ ] Mechanic's liens
      - Section 34-28-4 ordinarily requires both mailing the notice of intention by registered/certified return-receipt mail and recording its copy in the city/town land records within 200 days after the work or materials; follow all recipients and content requirements.
      - Section 34-28-10 requires both the enforcement complaint and lis pendens within 40 days after recording the notice. File the complaint the same day as the lis pendens or within seven days afterward.

[ ] Retainage
      - Section 37-12-10.1 requires the prime to submit substantial-completion notice within 14 days; the owner has 14 days to accept or reject with the required reasons, and silence produces deemed acceptance.
      - Ordinarily a retainage application may be submitted after 60 days from substantial completion or final resolution of its dispute; payment is due within 30 days after application, with the statutory state-revolving-fund cycle and seven-day-per-lower-tier variations. Section (f) permits specified withholding for defects, deliverables and incomplete work.

[ ] Prompt payment
      - Section 42-11.1-5 requires late-payment interest unless a listed exception applies, including lien/legal-process holds and interest below $10. Audit, appropriation, funding, federal-review and performance conditions can extend the required date by the time to resolve them.
      - Section 42-11.1-6 generally computes interest from the day after the required date through controller approval, at the Wall Street Journal prime rate prescribed there; interest accompanies principal and unpaid interest compounds monthly.

[ ] Prevailing wage
      - Section 37-13-3 requires covered contractors and subcontractors to pay employees weekly.
      - Section 37-13-7 requires covered bid/contract wage provisions and payment of the applicable prevailing minimum wages to employees directly on the worksite. Section 37-13-6 requires the awarding authority to obtain the applicable wage and benefit schedule from Labor and Training.

[ ] Davis-Bacon (federal)
      - Under 40 U.S.C. section 3142, covered contracts require payment to laborers and mechanics employed directly on the site of the work at least weekly, at rates no lower than the applicable prevailing wage determination. The required compensation includes the basic hourly rate and required fringe benefits, which may be provided through qualifying benefits or cash as the statute permits.
      - Qualifying apprentices may receive a lower registered-program rate only when the applicable registration and program conditions are met. The Department of Labor’s apprenticeship rules govern those exceptions.
      - The Department of Labor determines the prevailing rates for the work classifications and locality. Contractors and subcontractors must use the wage determination applicable to their covered contract.
      - Federal assistance alone does not establish coverage: many, but not all, construction-assistance statutes include Davis-Bacon requirements. Identify the funding program and its governing Related Act.
      - SAM.gov publishes Davis-Bacon wage determinations. Search by the wage-determination number or the Davis-Bacon public-buildings-or-works category, and match the decision to the contract, locality, and work classification.

This preview lists the topics and rules covered in the full state pack. The paid pack adds the complete source URLs, citations, review dates, and the three editable tools.
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