Chafee unveils e-licensing portal

WARWICK – Gov. Lincoln D. Chafee joined state officials at the Rhode Island Association of Realtors headquarters in Warwick Thursday morning to launch the state’s new e-licensing system, designed to make obtaining or renewing a business license in Rhode Island simpler and more convenient.

The new online licensing portal, www.elicensing.ri.gov, will provide 24/7 access to more than 43,000 licenses offered through the R.I. Department of Business Regulation, including licenses for appraisers, architects, auctioneers, auto-body shops, charitable organizations, professional fundraisers, franchises, liquor vendors, mobile-home parks, professional engineers, land surveyors and real estate agents.

“One of the primary objectives of this project was to enhance customer service,” said Paul McGreevy, director of the R.I. Department of Business Regulation, at the event Thursday. “By understanding the needs of our license holders and the public, we now have an e-licensing system to meet the expectations of our customers.”

McGreevy’s department worked with the R.I. Office of Digital Excellence and the Division of Information Technology to develop the full-service, round-the-clock e-licensing portal, which Chafee said “ensures government is more productive, and sends a message beyond our borders that we are working toward creating a simpler and easier environment for businesses.”

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Currently, the Office of Digital Excellence and the Division of Information Technology are preparing for the rollout of similar projects, including an e-permitting system that can be adapted to individual municipalities, according to a release from Chafee’s office.

“We’re continuing to look for new ways to make the licensing process more efficient,” said Thom Guertin, chief digital officer for the R.I. Office of Digital Excellence. “We’re looking forward to reviewing the results [of the new e-licensing system], and continuing to introduce improvements with the input of Rhode Island businesses.”

Through the e-licensing portal, members of the public and business owners can view and manage licenses either for an individual or a company in one online account.

“In the real estate field, e-licensing has brought efficiency and simplicity to procedures previously unavailable and time-consuming,” said Susan Arnold, CEO of the Rhode Island Association of Realtors. “Real estate professionals can now do everything they need for their business in one bucket.”

To view a complete list of the licenses available through the e-licensing portal, or to register for an account, visit www.elicensing.ri.gov.

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