Arkansas business search
You can search for business entities registered and operating in the state of Arkansas by using the official business search tool. It is the Arkansas Business Entity Search Tool. Read how to access the free tool below.
Official Arkansas Business Entity Search Tool
Search for business entities on the Secretary of State’s website. It’s free.
Visit Arkansas business search tool
Why search for names?
Benefits of entity search tool
Checking entities in a state helps you as a business owner and a concerned citizen
Brand protection
You can check if your brand name is used by another company in a state.
Business expansion
To expand your business to another state, you can see check if your name is taken.
Find the people behind
As a concerned citizen, you can see the individuals and entities behind local businesses.
Trademark research
Before you file for trademarks, it is important to conduct thorough research into existing entity names.
Actions in Arizona
View step-by-step instructions on certain tasks you can do in the state.
How to form an LLC in Arkansas?
Follow these 7 steps:
1. Name your LLC
Pick out a few names for your business that you think your customers would find appealing. Ask a few friends and some customers what they think of those names. If you already have a name in mind, great!
To check if those names are available in the state of Arkansas, go to the official entity search tool on the Secretary of State website. It’s free to search.
After you reserve a name for your business, your reservation will be valid for a specified period of time. If you file your Articles of Organization with your state's Secretary of State, you do not need to reserve a name separately.
Reservation fees
$45
Reservation duration
48 hours
LLC’s are required to have a designator in their name. You can use ‘Limited Liability Company’, ‘LLC’, or ‘L.L.C’
Make sure you follow LLC naming guidelines specified by Arkansas state as per AC §4-32-103. This includes not using names similar to existing companies, etc.
2. Get a mailing address
If you have a factory or office in Arkansas, that can be your official corporate address. You may also use your home address, if desired.
You can also pick a virtual office address. This way, you pay a company for a street address and they handle all your mailing.
3. Hire a registered agent
If you are a resident of Arkansas and want to be the registered agent for your LLC, you can do that. However, your name and address will be made public, and you must be available during all business hours to receive service of process.
If you don't want to go through the trouble of maintaining your own corporate address, then there are companies that provide registered agent services. These companies handle a corporation's legal needs, including its address, on a fee basis.
4. File Articles of Organization
Once you have registered your business with the state and obtained an official office address, you can file it online on the Arkansas SOS Corporations Online Filing System website.
Filing fees
$45
Processing time
48 hours
Address
Arkansas Secretary of State
1401 W. Capital Ave.
Suite 250
Little Rock, AR 72201
5. Create an Operating Agreement
Operating agreements are not mandatory in Arkansas, but you should consider creating one. There are online websites where you can create an operating agreement and get it signed by all LLC members.
6. Get Employer Identification Number (EIN)
The IRS uses an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to identify businesses. You can create an EIN for free at the IRS website.
7. Open a business bank account
When you run a business, it's important to separate your personal and business finances. There are several ways to set up a business bank account. You can open a business checking account at a traditional bank like Chase or Wells Fargo, for example. Or you can use one of the many modern banking options that offer plenty of benefits to small businesses.
Entity name
Every LLC should have a unique name in Arkansas. Arkansas maintains a list of names of entities in the state. Go through it to check if your chosen name is available.
Search for names
Go to the official website of the Arkansas business entity search tool to see if the name you want is available.
Searching fee
Free
Reservation
You can reserve a name for your LLC for a specific duration by paying reservation fees to the Arkansas business & commercial services. You will have to file your LLC formation documents within this period to keep the name. Alternatively, you can directly go ahead with the LLC formation without any reservation. That's fine too.
Reservation fee
$23
Reservation period
120 days
LLC naming guidelines
The name you choose for your LLC must the official naming guidelines.
AC §4-32-103
Visit
Here are some of the guidelines in simple language:
- 1
Must contain the words "Limited Liability Company" or "Limited Company" or the abbreviations "L.L.C.," "L.C.," "LLC," or "LC." The word "Limited" may be abbreviated as "Ltd." and the word "Company" may be abbreviated as "Co."
- 2
Don’t include terms that indicate that you are doing an activity that you are not authorised to do.
- 3
Your name should be ‘distinguishable’ in the Secretary of State records. Adding a punctuation or ‘the’ does not make it distinguishable.
- 4
Don’t use words that makes it seems like you are a governmental entity or has an affiliation.
Operating agreement
Operating agreement is an internal business document that outlines the general rules and policies of the LLC.
Importance
It is not a legally mandatory document. However, it is recommended to have one since many courts, banks and financial institutions use it for verification. It is also nice to clearly outline the duties and relations between multiple members of an LLC—so you avoid any confusion in the future.
Format
There is no ‘required’ format for an operating agreement. You can include anything reasonable in it. In general, it has the following sections:
Basic Business information
Contains name, address, names and details of members, purpose
Member relationship
Contains membership interest, decision making process, powers, duties.
Membership transfer
Contains details on how to add or remove members and managers.
Accounting and tax
Contains details on how company records and distributions are maintained.
Dissolution
How to dissolve, wind up and terminate, due process to follow and exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
Business in Arkansas
Knowing the entity names that are available in Arkansas helps you run your business better. Read our guides to learn how to get started with these entities in Arkansas.
Arkansas LLC
Arkansas C-Corp
Arkansas S-Corp