In Arkansas, like in almost all the other states, you need a registered agent to receive the various official documents, tax forms, and even summons that may be sent to your corporation. It’s a crucial job, which is why it’s mandatory in most states. You can’t start and run a business in Arkansas without a registered agent.
Who Can Be a Registered Agent in Arkansas?
Before you replace your current agent, you need to think about the replacement so you enjoy a smooth transition. For the agent you need, several requirements must be met. First of all, they can be any of the following:
- An individual adult (at least 18 years old) who is a resident of Arkansas
- A business entity (such as a professional registered agent service in the State of Arkansas).
- A foreign registered agent business entity that’s authorized to do business in Arkansas
Whether it’s an individual or a business entity, the agent must also have an Arkansas street address. This means a physical location, in which there will always be someone to receive the official documents for your corporation during business hours. It can’t be just a P.O. box.
Steps to Change Registered Agent
To change your registered agent in the State of Arkansas, you’ll start the process by completing a Change of registered agent statement which can be downloaded from the fees/forms webpage on the Arkansas S.O.S Commercial services and business website.
You’ll be required to make a payment of 25 dollars if you choose to change your registered agent by making changes to your articles of incorporation. You’ll also be required to file for the Certificate of Amendment to make the changes. There is no filing fee if you’re submitting the Change of registered agent statement online or through the mail.
Info to Put In
You will be required to enter the following information:
- The Entity name and number issued to your LLC by the State of Arkansas when you formed your LLC.
- The complete street address, city, state, and zip code of your main business office.
- The name and complete business or residential address of the previous registered agent for your business.
- The name and complete business or residential address of the new registered agent for your business, and its entity number if your new agent is an entity.
- The signature of a member of the LLC or the manager that has a record with the State of Arkansas. The name of the signer must be the same as one of the names on records with the State of Arkansas.
The form has guides and tips to help make sure you put in the exact information asked for. Just read the directions carefully and follow them exactly.
Submission Options
You can submit the files online, or through the mail. To file the documents by mail, print the forms and mail them to the address:
Office of the Secretary of State
1401 W. Capitol, Suite 250
Little Rock, AR, 72201.
The state of Arkansas will take about 2 days to complete the process if you submit through the mail. However, the process should be completed within a day if you submit the documents online.
Should You Hire a Professional?
This will actually be a lot easier if you’re planning on sifting to a professional registered agent service. The best ones offer exemplary service at extremely reasonable rates. Often, you’re able to download the needed forms with pre-filled information about the service to save time and effort. Northwest Registered agent is one of the most popular companies for this job.
Image | Product | Features | Price |
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Pricing: $125/year Who Should Use It: If you are willing to pay a little more for top-notch customer support and want to combine virtual office and mail forwarding services with registered agent service. Pros
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Pricing: $99/year Who Should Use It: If you need a basic reliable registered agent service at a great price, ZenBusiness is a good choice. Pros:
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Pricing: $119/year. Free for the first year if you use their incorporation service. Who Should Use It: If your objective is to minimize the startup costs in the first year, Incfile is a decent choice. Pros:
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Pricing: $299/year
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Pricing: $99/year. It is reduced to $89/year if you opt for a 3+ years package. Who Should Use It: If you are looking for reliable registered agent services that help track regulatory requirements and promptly notify about lawsuits, Harbor Compliance is a good choice. Pros:
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Pricing: $150/year Who Should Use It: Medium-sized or Start-up Business owners who want to take advantage of Rocket Lawyer’s legal subscription services and don’t mind paying to pay a little extra to get their legal needs fulfilled in one place. Pros
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With professionals, you know for sure the job gets done right. They usually have online storage for all the official documents. When they receive the documents for the corporation, the service will immediately scan them so they can send you the digital copies right away. The documents will also be conveniently stored in the same online location as your other business documents, like your formation documents.
Professionals may even maintain a compliance calendar, warning you way ahead of time when you should file a report or comply with some requirement with a deadline. That means you virtually eliminate the risk that you’ll fail to comply with any sort of compliance requirement. Such a failure may lead to fines and penalties, and perhaps even to the dissolution of your corporation. Reinstating your LLC can be a huge hassle, and it’s like starting the formation process for your LLC all over again.
So, if you’re going to change your registered agent in Arkansas, you may as well do yourself a favor and switch to a good registered agent service. With the benefits you get with the low costs, you’re able to focus more on growing your business instead.