How to Start an LLC in Arkansas (2026)

Q: How much does it cost to start an LLC in Arkansas?

The Certificate of Organization, Form LL-01, costs $45 filed online or $50 on paper with the Arkansas Secretary of State. Your EIN is free from the IRS. The bigger number is the annual LLC franchise tax of $150, due every May 1 regardless of how much the business earned.

Q: What is the Arkansas LLC franchise tax?

It is a flat annual tax of $150 that every Arkansas LLC owes to the Secretary of State, filed with an annual franchise tax report. It is not based on income or profit, so a business with no revenue still owes the full amount. Payment must be received by close of business on May 1 or postmarked by midnight that day.

Q: Does Arkansas charge to change a registered agent?

No. Arkansas lists the Notice of Change of Registered Agent for an LLC and the Notice of Change of Principal Office Address with no fee, which is unusual. Many states charge $25 to $100 for the same change, so if you start as your own agent and later move to a service, it costs you nothing at the state level.

Q: Is it worth filing on paper in Arkansas to save time?

No, it is the opposite: paper costs more and takes longer. Online filing of the Certificate of Organization is $45 versus $50 on paper, and it is processed far faster. The same pattern holds for amendments and name reservations, which are $22.50 online and $25 on paper.

Last updated: August 28, 2026

To start an Arkansas LLC, file the Certificate of Organization (Form LL-01) online with the Arkansas Secretary of State for $45 ($50 on paper), name a registered agent with an Arkansas address, and get a free EIN. Every year after that you owe a flat $150 LLC franchise tax, due May 1, which is the real cost of an Arkansas LLC.

Quick note: we're operators, not attorneys or accountants. This is general educational info, not legal or tax advice. Arkansas charges franchise tax on LLCs whether or not the business made money, so budget for it from year one.

Arkansas is cheap to enter and mid-priced to stay in, because the franchise tax is flat rather than based on income. If you form here, that $150 is a fixed cost of doing business. Here is the whole process in plain English, written for people starting something real like a courier route.

The $150 franchise tax is not optional, even at $0 revenue Arkansas charges every LLC a flat annual franchise tax of $150, and it is not scaled to your income. Reports and payments must be received by the Secretary of State by close of business on May 1, or postmarked by midnight May 1. A dormant LLC with no revenue still owes it, so if you form an Arkansas LLC and then never use it, close it properly rather than letting the tax accrue.

How to start a Arkansas LLC in 6 steps

Name it, appoint an Arkansas registered agent, file Form LL-01 online ($45), write an operating agreement, get a free EIN, then pay the $150 franchise tax by May 1 each year.

Name your Arkansas LLC

The name must be distinguishable from other Arkansas entities and include an LLC designator. Search it in the Arkansas business entity search before you file. A name reservation, if you want one, is $22.50 online.

Appoint an Arkansas registered agent

You need an agent with a physical Arkansas street address available during business hours. Good news here: Arkansas charges no fee to change your registered agent or principal office address later, so you are not locked in. Northwest includes agent service free the first year with their $39 filing.

File the Certificate of Organization (Form LL-01)

File Form LL-01 with the Arkansas Secretary of State. It is $45 filed online and $50 on paper, so the online route saves you $5 and a lot of time.

Write an operating agreement

Arkansas does not require one, but write it anyway. It sets out ownership, management, and who can sign, it backs your liability protection, and banks usually ask for it at account opening. A simple template covers a single-owner courier business.

Get a free EIN from the IRS

Your EIN is free at irs.gov and takes about ten minutes. You need it for the business bank account, contracts, and hiring. Never pay a third-party site for one.

File and pay the $150 franchise tax by May 1

Arkansas requires an annual LLC franchise tax report with a flat $150 payment, filed with the Secretary of State. It has to be received by close of business on May 1 or postmarked by midnight that day. File online with a card, and diary the date the moment you form.

Arkansas LLC cost breakdown

$45 online to form, then $150 every May 1. The franchise tax, not the filing fee, is the number to plan around.

Item	Cost	Required?
Certificate of Organization LL-01 (online)	$45	Yes
Certificate of Organization LL-01 (paper)	$50	Alternative
EIN	Free from the IRS	Yes (free)
Registered agent service	$0 (yourself) to $300/yr	No
Annual LLC franchise tax (due May 1)	$150 flat	Yes
Change of registered agent or principal office	No fee	Only if changing
Name reservation	$22.50 online / $25 paper	Optional

Arkansas figures as of August 2026, from the Secretary of State LLC forms and fees and franchise tax pages. Confirm before filing.

Rather have it filed for you? Northwest will form your Arkansas LLC for $39 + the $45 state fee and act as your registered agent the first year, keeping your home address off the public record. See the $39 formation service → Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Setting up to run courier routes in Arkansas?

The LLC is step one. Our course covers the rest: insurance and certifications, the business bank account, and how to find routes and win contracts with Arkansas clinics, labs, and hospitals.

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Arkansas LLC FAQs

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Arkansas?

Form LL-01 costs $45 online or $50 on paper, and your EIN is free. Then a flat $150 franchise tax every May 1.

What is the Arkansas LLC franchise tax?

A flat $150 a year that every Arkansas LLC owes, regardless of income. It is due by May 1, filed with the annual franchise tax report.

Does Arkansas charge to change a registered agent?

No. Arkansas charges no fee for the change of registered agent or principal office address, which is unusual among the states.

Is it worth filing on paper in Arkansas to save time?

No. Online is both cheaper ($45 vs $50) and faster. Arkansas prices most LLC filings lower online.

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