The Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division of the secretary of state offers numerous business services to people and corporations involved in trade activities within the state, either permanently based or elsewhere. The division under the office of the secretary of the state comprises several departments put together to provide quality customer service. It is the starting point for individuals looking to transact business in Arkansas. With the office of the BCS, business owners can look for accessible names for their entities and submit relevant documents for their businesses. BCS also keeps records of trademarks, and notary public certifications, and issues Authentication of Documents and Apostilles, amongst others. Secretary Thurston is the present secretary of state in Arkansas.
Business Services
The division was established to provide certain business services and solutions to solve the everyday problems of business owners and individuals. They are available and listed on the website of the secretary of state. The services it offers can be categorized into seven.
For Current Businesses
- Online filing system for corporations, LLCs, Non-profits
- Paper Form/Filing Fees for all companies
- Annual Reports/forms
- Business entity search
- Franchise tax
Online Filing System
The system uses a technology that allows a user such as a corporation, to fill out forms directly and submit them electronically to the Secretary of State’s office for final processing. The office verifies the certificates produced from online filings. Payments can be made with any of the following cards; MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express, or a monthly billing to an INA account. Online forms include Domestic For-Profit, Articles of Incorporation, Applications for Reservation of Corporate Name, etc.
Note that a corporate filing does not necessarily prefer the right to use the proposed corporate name in this state if using it violates a person’s trade name, trademark, or service mark rights under the trademark laws of the United States, Arkansas, and the law.
Franchise Tax
The Franchise Tax Act imposes the franchise tax on all organizations, insurance entities, limited liability companies, and banks, legally registered here. Those who fail to pay may be charged additional fees, face penalties, or even revocation of their business by the division. Until a business is dissolved, withdrawn, or merged, this tax continues to accrue, even for revoked businesses. Customers are advised to file online by clicking the ONLINE link on the website and then paying either the $5.00 or $3.00 processing fee. Offline filing is done by sending an attached mail to the BCS office.
For New Businesses
- Download the ‘Doing Business in Arkansas’ brochure
- Business entity name search
New business owners learn information on how to do business in the state. They can also search for existing business names to avoid conflicts with theirs.
Uniform Commercial Code
- Fees, forms, and online services
- Filing office rules, etc.
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
Online services are offered by the office and the Information Network of Arkansas. Filing tips and accurate UCC fees are listed on the website.
Notary / eNotary
- Find Arkansas notaries
- Become a notary public
- eNotary services, etc.
Apostille Certification
- Certification brochure
- The request form, etc
For Nonprofit / Charitable entities
- Domestic nonprofits
- Foreign nonprofits
- Charitable entities, etc.
Domestic Nonprofits
Nonprofit establishments file reports yearly with the Secretary of State’s office on August 1st of each year. Such reports include an annual report for Nonprofit Corporations in 2013 and before, an annual report for Nonprofit Corporations in 2014, an annual report for Nonprofit companies in 2015, etc.
Other Services
- Commercial registered agents
- Cooperatives, et cetera.
Contact Information
For information regarding BCS, visit Victory Building at 1401 W. Capitol Avenue, Suite 250 in Little Rock, or in the Today’s Bank Building at 300 North College, Suite 201F in Fayetteville. You can also call on the phone at 501-682-3409 or send an email to corprequest@sos.arkansas.gov. If your question is on UCC filings, please send it to ucc@sos.arkansas.gov instead.
1. Mailing address: Arkansas secretary of state executive office. State Capitol, 500 Woodlane Avenue, Suite 256, little rock, AR 72201.
Phone: 501-682-1010
2. Mailing address: Business and commercial services. Victory Building, 1401 W. Capitol Avenue, Suite 250, Little Rock, AR 72201.
Call: 888-233-0325/ 501-682-3409. Toll-free outside the Little Rock area: (888) 233-0325.
Email: corprequest@sos.arkansas.gov/corporations@sos.arkansas.gov
