Last Updated on March 6, 2023
Arkansas Secretary of State Business Name Search
The Business and Commercial Services Division of the Arkansas Secretary of State records all filings and incorporations of businesses formed in the state. The Division keeps all information related to businesses registered in Arkansas. Types of business entities incorporated in the state as a domestic or foreign entity. These entities include Corporations, Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies (LLC), and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP).
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships are not registered with the Secretary of State, and they are not able to be searched. To find the names of the owners of these entities, you will have to visit the County Clerk’s office in the county where the business is located to obtain that information.
Also see: How to start an LLC in Arkansas
How to do an Arkansas SOS Business Search
To navigate through the business entity database, you need to have one of the following information handy:
- Corporation Type
- Entity Name
- Fictitious Name
- Registered Agent
- Registered Agent City
- Registered Agent State
- Filing Number
Note that you can’t search by Arkansas business license.
Read our simplified guideline for a better understanding of the Arkansas business entity search process:
Step 1 – Go to the official website of the Arkansas Secretary of State and click on “Business Search” under the “Business and Commercial Services” section of the site to start your search. It must be noted that filling out all the fields is not mandatory (but we do advise filling them out in case you want to narrow your search).
Step 2 – Assuming you have the business entity name handy, the search can be made by entering the business name. For this example, type in “Arvest Bank” in the entity name field (See the screenshot below for reference).
Step 3 – Click on “Search,” and the Results Page with a list of business entities will appear (as shown in the screenshot below).
Step 4 – You can click on the entity’s name to access more details. The page looks similar to the screenshot below.
Details such as the entity name, any fictitious names, good standing of the entity, principal office address, registered agent and registered agent address, and officers.
For a small fee, a Certificate of Good Standing can be purchased. Additionally, from this screen, the Franchise Tax can be paid, which is a tax on the privilege of doing business in the state. An Annual Report will be submitted with the Franchise Tax.
Registered Agent
In Arkansas, having a Registered Agent is a legal requirement to be named for a registered entity. This is a single point of contact in case the business needs to be served with legal papers or contacted by the state. One of the business owners often files as the entity’s registered agent. When they file, their home address is often used (PO Boxes aren’t allowed), and their name and address is now a public record that can be looked up by anyone. If that is a concern, consider looking into a Registered Agent service.
Business Licenses
The business name registration is different from business licensing in Arkansas. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration has more information regarding business licenses.
Also see: How to do a Uniform Commercial Search in Arkansas
Information on the Arkansas (AR) SOS
The Office:
The most senior political appointee within the state, the constitutional office of the Arkansas Secretary of State, is responsible for carrying out a number of governmental functions. Currently, the office is held by John Thurston.
Functions:
The Arkansas Secretary of State is the person in charge of a number of duties which are delegated to the following seven divisions:
- The Buildings and Grounds Division
- The Business and Commercial Services Division
- The Communication and Education Division
- The Elections Division
- The Fiscal office
- State Capitol Gift Shop
- State Capitol Police