Business formation

Form your business in Arkansas

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in Arkansas with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

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Forming an LLC in Arkansas costs $45 in state filing fees, which is among the cheapest in the country: 2 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $45 and a nonprofit for $50. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

Arkansas state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Arkansas Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$45
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$45
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$50

Note: LLC/corp $45 online / $50 paper.

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the Arkansas Secretary of State before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in Arkansas

Annual Franchise Tax Report

$150

May 1 each year, starting the year after the LLC is formed A late report adds a $25 penalty plus interest, and no extensions are allowed. Paying online by credit card adds a $5 processing fee.

State tax on the LLC

Every Arkansas LLC owes the flat $150 franchise tax to the Secretary of State each year, whatever its income, and the tax keeps accruing until the LLC is formally dissolved. An LLC taxed as a partnership files Form AR1050 with the Department of Finance and Administration by April 15. It pays no entity-level income tax unless it elects the pass-through entity tax. A sales tax permit, needed to sell taxable goods or services, costs $50.

How long Arkansas takes

The Secretary of State currently lists 3 to 5 business days for online, mailed and hand-delivered filings. No paid expedite is published.

What is different about Arkansas

• There is no separate annual report. The franchise tax report is the yearly filing, and it lists the LLC's members or managers.
• Franchise tax keeps accruing even after the state revokes an LLC. Closing one properly means filing a Statement of Dissolution with a final $150 franchise tax report.
• A person or entity that has not paid franchise tax cannot make other business filings with the Secretary of State.

Guide reviewed October 2026 against the Arkansas Secretary of State and the tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Arkansas street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Arkansas. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Arkansas

How much does an LLC cost per year in Arkansas?: $150 for the annual franchise tax, due May 1. A late report adds a $25 penalty plus interest.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Arkansas?: $45 online or $50 by paper for the Certificate of Organization.
Does Arkansas have a franchise tax for LLCs?: Yes. Every LLC pays a flat $150 a year, due May 1, whatever its income. The tax keeps accruing until the LLC files a Statement of Dissolution with a final franchise tax report.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Arkansas?: The Arkansas state filing fee for an LLC is $45, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the cheapest in the country: 2 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in Arkansas?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Arkansas who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the Arkansas Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your Arkansas formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in Arkansas? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

Arkansas state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Arkansas Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$45
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$45
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$50

Note: LLC/corp $45 online / $50 paper.

What an LLC costs every year in Arkansas

Annual Franchise Tax Report

$150

May 1 each year, starting the year after the LLC is formed A late report adds a $25 penalty plus interest, and no extensions are allowed. Paying online by credit card adds a $5 processing fee.

State tax on the LLC

How long Arkansas takes

The Secretary of State currently lists 3 to 5 business days for online, mailed and hand-delivered filings. No paid expedite is published.

What is different about Arkansas

• There is no separate annual report. The franchise tax report is the yearly filing, and it lists the LLC's members or managers.

• Franchise tax keeps accruing even after the state revokes an LLC. Closing one properly means filing a Statement of Dissolution with a final $150 franchise tax report.

• A person or entity that has not paid franchise tax cannot make other business filings with the Secretary of State.

Guide reviewed October 2026 against the Arkansas Secretary of State and the tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Arkansas street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Arkansas. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Arkansas

How much does an LLC cost per year in Arkansas?

$150 for the annual franchise tax, due May 1. A late report adds a $25 penalty plus interest.

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

$45 online or $50 by paper for the Certificate of Organization.

Does Arkansas have a franchise tax for LLCs?

Yes. Every LLC pays a flat $150 a year, due May 1, whatever its income. The tax keeps accruing until the LLC files a Statement of Dissolution with a final franchise tax report.

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

The Arkansas state filing fee for an LLC is $45, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the cheapest in the country: 2 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in Arkansas?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Arkansas who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the Arkansas Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.