The state of Arkansas might not be ranked up there in the list of best states of doing business, but it surely is a good state for the cost of living and doing business. And as an entrepreneur, you should consider establishing your business in Arkansas. But do you know how to select a name for your business in Arkansas? An Arkansas business entity search is the most effective way.
An Arkansas Limited Liability Company or LLC is easy to form. In addition, small to regular-scaled businesses are mainly considering an LLC in Arkansas. With many benefits that include some tax advantages and simple management, forming an Arkansas LLC could be advantageous for you.
Arkansas Business Entity Search
If you are looking to start an LLC in the state of Arkansas, then the first and foremost step is the Arkansas business entity search. A business entity search is a process performed in order to conduct an inquiry about the registered business in a specific state. The Arkansas Secretary of State allows you to perform a business name search on their official portal. This lets you know if your desired entity name is available in Arkansas or not. And if yes, then you must register your desired name as early as possible. On the flip side, you cannot get an LLC name registered if you select a business name that has been already registered by someone else. Hence, it is advised to carry out an Arkansas business entity search. But before conducting the search, you must know the Arkansas LLC naming guidelines.
Arkansas LLC Naming Guidelines
There is a certain set of rules that must be followed when naming your Arkansas LLC. These rules specifically concentrate on what must and must not be included in your Arkansas LLC. The Arkansas LLC naming guidelines are written below.
- As it is an LLC, your Arkansas LLC must contain the word “LLC”, “L.L.C”, “L.C” or one of its full forms that is “Limited Liability Company” or “Limited Company”.
- If your LLC performs a professional service, then the name must reflect the phrase “Professional Limited Company” or “Professional Limited Liability Company”. You can also include one of its abbreviations: PLLC, PLC, P.L.L.C., or P.L.C.
- You must not include the words that could confuse your Arkansas LLC with any government body. This means that you cannot include the words Police, FBI, State Department, etc.
- Your Arkansas LLC name must be unique and different from other LLCs in this state. Hence, an Arkansas business entity search must be performed.
Arkansas Business Entity Search Procedure
All the states in the United States have their own government portals to conduct a business name search. And for the Arkansas business entity search, you are required to access the official portal of the Arkansas SOS business search. Once you access the page, you can carry out the Arkansas business name search mainly by two methods:
1. Search By Entity Name
On the given portal of the Arkansas Secretary of State business search, you can select the type of corporation you want to look out for. This could be done by selecting the “Corporation Type” dropdown. After that, provide an Entity Name of a business in the respective search box. Hit the search button to carry out the inquiry.
Once you are redirected to the search result page, you will be provided with a list of business entities.
And for more detailed information about a particular entity, you can simply click on the entity name. The detailed information will consist of important details like the Principal Address and Officer Name of a company.
2. Search By Filing #
If you know the filing number of a particular business, then you can simply provide it in the “Filing #” search box. After that, simply hit the search button and carry out the research.
Similarly, you can also carry out the business inquiry by either providing a Fictitious Name or Registered Agent.
Reserving Your Arkansas LLC Name
If you want to reserve an LLC name after performing the Arkansas business entity search, then the Arkansas SOS provides this facility. An available name in this state can be reserved for 120 days. This could be done by filing an Application for Reservation with the SOS of Arkansas. However, you are required to pay the filing fee of about $25 to reserve it.
Registering Your Arkansas LLC Name
Once you have completed the name search on the portal of the Arkansas SOS business search, now is the time to register it and form an Arkansas LLC. For this, you are required to designate a registered agent along with the Articles of Organization. Fill out all the legal requirements with the formation fee of around $50 to officially register an LLC in this state. If you file the paperwork online, it takes 2-3 business days of processing time. Whereas it can take up to 1-2 weeks if you choose to file it by mail.
Domain & Trademark
A domain name is the internet image of your business. Hence, we particularly suggest you to select a domain name that matches your business name. In addition, an Arkansas trademark is also helpful if you are planning to go national. A trademark for small businesses is not necessary, however, your Arkansas trademark might give you and your business name security that might be needed in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why should I form an LLC in Arkansas?
LLC is a popular option. Particularly among small to medium-scaled businesses in the state of Arkansas. It is also easy to form an LLC in Arkansas compared to other business structures.
2. Where can I perform an Arkansas business entity search?
You can simply perform an Arkansas business name search on the portal of the Arkansas Secretary of State business search.
3. For how many days can I reserve an LLC name in Arkansas?
The Arkansas SOS allows businesses to reserve an LLC name for 120 days.
4. What is the cost of filing the Articles of Organization to form an Arkansas LLC?
It can cost around $50 to form an Articles of Organization with the Arkansas SOS.
5. Do I have to live in Arkansas to incorporate Arkansas LLC?
No, it is not necessary to be a resident of Arkansas to form an Arkansas LLC.