Start a Business in Arkansas
Arkansas LLC Cost
We’ve compiled the most common fees so you know exactly what to expect when starting your Arkansas LLC.
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FAQs on how to determine LLC costs in Arkansas
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The first step toward forming your LLC is to file your Certificate of Organization with the state. To learn more about the steps you need to take to form your Arkansas LLC and how we can help, use our Arkansas LLC Formation Service.
Starting at just $0 plus state fees, we can make the process of filing your Arkansas LLC formation documents feel like a breeze.
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While filing your Certificate of Organization is certainly an important step, this isn’t the only LLC cost you might have to pay. Here are a few other LLC costs and fees to be aware of as you get your Arkansas LLC up and running.
Arkansas LLC Filing Fee
$45: Again, the initial cost to file your Arkansas Certificate of Organization is $45 for online filings and $50 for paper filings. Filing your Certificate of Organization formally registers your business with the state.
Application to Reserve LLC Name
$22.50: You might find the perfect name for your entity before you’re ready to file your Certificate of Organization. Fortunately, you can easily “hold” that name while you gather your paperwork. You do this by filing an Application for Reservation of Entity Name form. For only $22.50 (or $25 for a paper filing), you can reserve your desired name and prevent others from taking it for a period of up to 120 days.
Application for Fictitious Name
$25: Some business owners may also decide they want to apply for a fictitious name for their company. Also referred to as a “doing business as” or DBA name, a fictitious name allows a business to operate under a name other than its official entity name on file with the state. You may want to do this for any number of reasons, including operating different branches of your company under different names. The total fee for filing an Application for Fictitious Name for an LLC is $25.
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Notably, registering your LLC with the state is only the beginning. Thus, here are a few other fees and forms to be aware of as you set up your LLC entity.
LLC Franchise Tax Report
Under Arkansas law, all LLCs operating within the state must pay an annual franchise tax. To file your annual LLC Franchise Tax Report with the state requires a filing fee of $150. This fee will remain the same regardless of whether you file online or with a paper filing.
Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Organization
Changes are common in the course of business. So if you decide you need to make a change to your business information after filing your initial Certificate of Organization, don’t fret. You can easily make a change to the information in your Certificate of Organization with a Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Organization form.
The filing fee for this is $22.50 for online filings and $25 for paper.
Business Licensing
Additionally, depending on what type of business you plan to run, there may be a number of business licenses and permits you’ll need to obtain. Some of the most common licenses and permits you may need for your Arkansas business include:
- Alarm permits
- Building permits
- Business licenses
- Tax permits
- Health permits
- Occupational permits
- Signage permits
- Zoning permits
While determining what types of licenses and permits you need can be confusing, we’re here to help. With our partners at Avalara, we can provide you with a Business License Report to help you determine what types of licenses, permits, and registrations you may need for your company.
Starting at just $0 plus state fees, we can form your Arkansas LLC for you in just minutes. No LegalZoom promo code required: Pay just $0 plus filing fees for fast LLC formation in Arkansas.
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Yes, failure to pay your fees on time can result in a number of different penalties, including:
- Late fees
- Interest charges
- Sanctions
Not sure when your fees are due? Use our Worry-Free Compliance Service to help you stay on track and keep your business legally compliant with the state.
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Prompt payment of your filing fees is crucial to the success of your business. In fact, failure to do so can result in the revocation or involuntary dissolution of your LLC. And if your entity is dissolved, you’ll have to pay additional fees and penalties to bring your LLC back into compliance and in good standing with the state.
Thus, it’s imperative that you make timely filings and payments
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All filings for your Arkansas LLC must be submitted to the Arkansas Secretary of State.
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For many Arkansas LLCs, the largest fee you’ll have to pay is the filing fee for your Certificate of Organization—either $45 or $50, as stated above.
However, when voluntarily dissolving your LLC, don’t forget to submit your Final Franchise Tax Report and the applicable $150 fee along with your Articles of Dissolution.
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The State of Arkansas accepts credit cards or ACH drafts for online filings.
How do I form my LLC in Arkansas?
1. Name your LLC
So, now that you have an idea of what fees to expect, how do you actually go about forming your Arkansas LLC?
One of the first steps is to select a company name. However, be sure that the name you select complies with state LLC naming requirements. For example, your business name must:
- Contain the words or abbreviations “limited liability company,” “limited company,” “L.L.C.,” “L.C.,” “LLC,” or “LC”
- Be distinguishable from the name of any other entity operating within the state
- Not contain inappropriate, vulgar, deceptive, or misleading language
Name your LLC
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2. Select a Registered Agent
Next, you’ll need to appoint a registered agent for your business. This is the person or entity that is designated to receive service of process for legal correspondence, tax notices, and other important notices and information on behalf of your enterprise.
While you technically can designate yourself as the registered agent, doing so can interfere with your ability to properly and effectively operate your business.
If you’re not sure who to designate as the registered agent for your business, let us help with that, too. Using our registered agent service can provide you with peace of mind and allow you to place all of your efforts into running and managing your business.
3. File your LLC’s Certificate of Organization
Finally, it’s time to file your Certificate of Organization with the state. To do so, you can file online or send a hard copy of your submission by mail.
If filing by mail, you will send your Certificate of Organization and filing fee to:
Arkansas Secretary of State
1401 W. Capitol
Suite 250
Little Rock, AR 72201
4. Create an Operating Agreement
While not required, you may also want to create an Operating Agreement for your LLC.
An Operating Agreement details how your LLC will operate and the rights and duties between and among the various members of the business. Operating Agreements are highly customizable and can govern things such as:
- Management rights over the company
- How profits and losses will be shared
- When and how the LLC can be dissolved
- Voting rights and procedures
Again, there’s no legal requirement that your LLC must implement an Operating Agreement. Nevertheless, having one in place can be a great way to prevent internal disputes and better ensure smooth business operations moving forward.
Not sure what to include in your Operating Agreement? Let us help you get started on creating one that works for your specific needs with our Operating Agreement Template.
5. Get an EIN
Another thing to consider is obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your LLC. Think of this as the social security number for your business. An EIN is a tax identification number specifically for your business that keeps you from having to use your personal social security number for business purposes. You may need an EIN to:
- File your business tax return
- Pay employees
- Open business bank accounts
- Apply for business credit cards
- Obtain business licenses and permits
While you can obtain an EIN for free from the IRS, you can take this tedious task off of your to-do list by using our Employer ID Number Service.
Check Arkansas Annual Requirements
Even after registering your LLC with the state, you must keep up with additional annual requirements.
Specifically, all LLCs must file their annual franchise tax form and pay their annual tax to stay in compliance with the state. Failure to do so each year can result in significant penalties, so make sure that you don’t fall behind.
Stay Legally Compliant
If all of this sounds like a lot of work, that’s because it is!
It’s no secret that operating a business requires a great deal of hard work. Fortunately, however, you don’t have to navigate this process on your own. With the right help in your corner, you can get back to doing what you love most — running and growing your company.
Our Worry-Free Compliance Service, which includes two annual amendments for when changes become necessary, can help you more easily manage your tasks and deadlines. This makes keeping your business in compliance year after year a breeze.
We can help!
No matter where you are in the business lifecycle, we’ll be there for you at every step along the way. Learn more about our many business tools and resources and see how we can help you start, manage, and grow your Arkansas LLC today.
Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. If you have specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
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