Also known as the “Natural State,” Arkansas is famous for its wide variety of natural resources that range from petroleum, natural gas, bromine, and silica stone. During the twentieth century, the state provided roughly 90 percent of all domestic Bauxite, which is what aluminum is made from. Today, this state is the nation’s leading producer of rice and poultry, growing almost every crop produced in the United States except citrus fruits.
Is the “Land of Opportunity” calling your name to start a small business? If so, it’s a good idea to get acquainted with their Secretary of State and consider these five tips to help you get started incorporating in Arkansas.
1. If you’re planning to conduct business within Arkansas, head on over to the Business & Commercial Services (BCS) division of the Secretary of State. Here, you’ll be able to conduct a business entity and name search and file the necessary documents for your business including Articles of Incorporation and Certificates of Amendment. Depending on the type of entity your business is, keep in mind that all companies registered in Arkansas must file either an Annual report or franchise tax report. Additional services provided by the BCS include recording and approving trademarks and filing notary public certificates.
2. Remember that the Corporations Division does not issue, or maintain records of, EINs. Employee Identification Numbers may only be obtained from the Internal Revenue Service.
3. The Arkansas Secretary of State now accepts online filings. You can still return a PDF version of the form by mail or return to the Business and Commercial Services office with the payment attached. The fee for filing an Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization is $50 (hint, if you file online the filing fee is slightly reduced!).
4. The registered agent may or may not be an owner, shareholder or officer of the corporation. Most corporations tend to use their attorney or a professional corporate service company for this service. The registered agent’s address must be a street address in Arkansas, and the agent must be located at that address.
5. Are you familiar with Dream It Do It Arkansas? For entrepreneurs with ideas for businesses that they would like to start, the Secretary of State is here to help you create a customized to-do list for starting a business in Arkansas.
If this listicle convinced you that this is where you’d like to incorporate your business, check in with the Arkansas District Office or the Arkansas Secretary of State for more information. Follow the Arkansas Secretary of State on Facebook and Twitter for all of the latest updates.
Is it time for you to start a small business in Arkansas? Give us a call at 1(877) 692-6772 or visit us at mycorporation.com if you have any questions about forming a business or the regulations required.
Welcome back to the 50 States of Incorporation, Rebooted where we share what it takes to start a business in each of the 50 states. Join us biweekly for advice on how to start an LLC or corporation across the United States.