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Business Basics LabLLC paperwork, measured state by state.

Lab sheet 1 · Arkansas

Forming an LLC in Arkansas (2026): 7 Procedures and the 3 Best LLC Services

Arkansas Registered Agent.co ($199), AR Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199) measured best, in that order, for forming an LLC in Arkansas in 2026. Arkansas collects $45 at filing and expects the Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report every year; 7 procedures cover the whole run.

Recorded by the Business Basics Lab staff ·

Key facts

Fee set by the state
$45Reference sos.arkansas.gov, October 2026
Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report
$150 a yearDate per the state: May 1
State cost, years 1 to 3
$345Service fees excluded
Number of procedures
7Each one described

You will be able to

  • What Arkansas charges to form an LLC and who takes delivery of the filing
  • What the registered agent rule requires
  • What follows formation
  • How the readings compare

Best reading

Who we would engage in Arkansas

Three-year cost and the number of procedures a price performs weigh the most; how we measure lists all five criteria.
Begin here

1. Arkansas Registered Agent.co: best for Arkansas LLCs with limited funds

$199 to open, $99 a year from year two

Arkansas Registered Agent.co gives the best reading in Arkansas: $199 above the state fee, with year-one agent service included, then $99 a year.

Cost decides it: across three years it totals less than Mainstay Filing.

The price excludes the Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report, which the owner files every year.

What the price performs

  • Formation filing
  • Agent service for the first year

Measured strengths

  • $199 plus the state fee
  • $99 a year afterward
  • The first agent year is included

Measured limits

  • Responsibility for the Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report stays with the owner
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit Arkansas Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Local candidate

2. AR Registered Agent.org: best for owners who prepare their own reports

$199 to open, $99 a year from year two

Second: AR Registered Agent.org, since $199 above the state fee, with year-one agent service included, then $99 a year.

The price excludes the Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report, which the owner files every year.

Its prices equal Arkansas Registered Agent.co's, so either is acceptable.

What the price performs

  • Formation filing
  • Agent service for the first year

Measured strengths

  • $199 plus the state fee
  • $99 a year afterward
  • The first agent year is included

Measured limits

  • Responsibility for the Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report stays with the owner
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit AR Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Most procedures performed

3. Mainstay Filing: best for filing and upkeep on one invoice

$199 yearly, renewing at $199

In third position is Mainstay Filing, where $199 per year performs the formation, keeps the registered agent and files the franchise tax report; year two measures $199.

A gap of $200 to Arkansas Registered Agent.co across three years fixes its position.

Each Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report is filed by the service; the only addition is the state's $150.

What the price performs

  • Formation filing, prepared and submitted
  • Registered agent for the full year
  • Franchise tax report filed on schedule
  • EIN application included
  • No markup on the state fee

Measured strengths

  • No increase at renewal ($199)
  • It submits the EIN application
  • $199 a year covers filing and agent and report

Measured limits

  • Every year after the first it costs $100 extra
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Comparison of the services

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Arkansas Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Arkansas Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2AR Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit AR Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Drawn from each company's pricing on November 13, 2026. The state fee ($45) is not counted.

The procedures

  1. Procedure 1: Confirm no other company holds the name

    the Arkansas Secretary of State keeps the register. Search it first, since a taken name in Arkansas can send the filing back.

    TipHold a fallback name in reserve.

  2. Procedure 2: Identify the registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, or a noncommercial agent: an individual or a business entity serving as agent in Arkansas. The company can also name a position inside it, such as its manager, whose holder then receives papers.

    The address has to be an actual street address or rural route box number in Arkansas, plus an Arkansas mailing address if it differs. A P.O. box on its own is not accepted.

    TipEach recommended service fills the registered agent role.

    Specimen: Reference arkleg.state.ar.us, October 2026

  3. Procedure 3: Weigh the two routes

    Without a service the whole bill is the state's $45. Each of the ranked services adds $199 and handles the paperwork.

  4. Procedure 4: Complete and lodge the Certificate of Organization for Limited Liability Company

    Required inputs: the Certificate of Organization for Limited Liability Company (Form LL-01), $45, and the Arkansas Secretary of State as the receiving office. Statute: Ark. Code Ann. § 4-38-201. The office states a wait of Most filings within two business days of receipt.

    Specimen: Reference sos.arkansas.gov, October 2026

  5. Procedure 5: Complete the EIN application

    Sequence: state approval, then the IRS number. Mainstay Filing completes this step at no added charge.

  6. Procedure 6: Set the ownership rules in writing

    The operating agreement records who owns the Arkansas LLC and how decisions are made. It stays in the company records and is never sent to the state.

  7. Procedure 7: Log the recurring deadlines

    Log the Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report: $150, every year, deadline May 1. The late penalty reads $25.

    Specimen: Reference sos.arkansas.gov, October 2026

What each procedure costs in Arkansas

LinePaid toAmount
Filing feeThe state$45
Annual LLC Franchise Tax ReportThe state$150 every year
Late feeThe state$25
A service, if usedThe provider$199 for year one
Three-year state totalThe state$345
Figures paid to Arkansas are its published fees, with the specimens listed beneath the table; each service row is that company's own price. The three-year state row sums the filing, the year-two report, the year-three report and any minimum tax.

How the Arkansas results were ordered

The deciding criterion was measured cost over three years, worth 36% of the reading.

Years one to three cost $397 with Arkansas Registered Agent.co, while Mainstay Filing costs $200 more.

Brief answers

What is the cost of registering an LLC with Arkansas?

The official fee is $45. Service fees among the ranked services run $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

The Certificate of Organization for Limited Liability Company (Form LL-01) is the instrument, and the Arkansas Secretary of State receives it.

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

How long does Arkansas take to process the filing?

The state lists Most filings within two business days of receipt. No paid expedite is offered.

What does Arkansas require each year?

Arkansas calls for the Annual LLC Franchise Tax Report every year, at $150 with the deadline stated as May 1.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

Arkansas takes filings directly from owners, so no service is required; expect $45 and a registered agent.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

The order of the readings is Arkansas Registered Agent.co, AR Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing. Arkansas Registered Agent.co is first because the Arkansas formation measures $199 with the agent covered in year one, and the agent renewal reads $99.

Next sheet

Specimens and records

  1. Arkansas yearly filing: Franchise tax report: what and readings were recorded from sos.arkansas.gov; the last repeat observation was in October 2026.
  2. Arkansas yearly filing: Franchise tax: amount and filing readings were recorded from sos.arkansas.gov; the last repeat observation was in October 2026.
  3. Arkansas report due date readings were recorded from sos.arkansas.gov; the last repeat observation was in August 2026.
  4. Ark readings were recorded from arkleg.state.ar.us; the last repeat observation was in August 2026.
  5. Arkansas formation fee: Filing fee, official source readings were recorded from sos.arkansas.gov; the last repeat observation was in October 2026.
  6. Arkansas registered agent statute readings were recorded from arkleg.state.ar.us; the last repeat observation was in October 2026.
  7. Processing, official source readings were recorded from sos.arkansas.gov; the last repeat observation was in October 2026.
  8. pricing page (Arkansas Registered Agent.co), observed November 13, 2026
  9. pricing page (AR Registered Agent.org), observed November 13, 2026
  10. Arkansas service page (Mainstay Filing), observed November 13, 2026