If you are starting a business in Arkansas, you must appoint a registered agent when filing your LLC or Corporation documents with the Secretary of State. Hiring a professional registered agent is well worth the small annual fee and peace of mind. Not utilizing a professional registered agent and attempting to handle these responsibilities yourself, you run the risk of getting sued, missing a deadline, compromising your privacy, or having confidential information end up in the wrong hands. This post will help you eliminate the guesswork and start your business on the right foot by helping you find the best registered agent services in Arkansas.
N.W. Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is the best overall due to its numerous pros and a minimal number of cons. Perfect for all sorts of registered agent work.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the ideal choice if you're interested in starting and growing your business with all sorts of registered agent services right at your fingertips.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is the best registered agent in Arkansas for monitoring compliance. All documents are processed the same day; perfect if you're in a rush.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority provides highly efficient registered agent services while being very affordable for all sorts of businesses and entrepreneurs.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs who want to do all of their legal correspondence themselves with certain helpful features.
Arkansas has many registered agent services, but we want to ensure you select the best. Through our own process of starting numerous companies and after 8 hours of painstaking research, we have diligently vetted many registered agent services and have utilized many of these services ourselves.
Your designated Arkansas registered agent will provide you with an address to be publicly recorded and used as the point of contact for receiving all legal and compliance documents pertaining to your business. This service protects your private address from being publicly listed and ensures legal documents can be received during normal business hours, a compliance requirement by the state of Arkansas.
What is the Best Registered Agent Service in Arkansas?
1. Northwest Registered Agent
Best Overall Registered Agent in Arkansas ($125/year)
Northwest Registered Agent is known for its superior customer service, affordability, and 24/7 usability. They hold a high standard of privacy by default – your data will never be sold.
Northwest Registered Agent will be the point of contact for your business, keeping your personal address off public records. You will be notified when important documents come in and have access to a scanned copy through your online portal.
Clients can also rely on their free legal and state mail forwarding service to have important mail forwarded to them wherever they are. Get annual report compliance reminders and pre-filled forms with your corporate data for easy filing. Northwest Registered Agent offers you business solutions, convenience, and peace of mind at a competitive price.
Pros
- Superior Customer Service: Personable phone and email support with a record of 20+ years of customer happiness.
- Discounts with LLC Formation: You can hire them to form your LLC for $225, which includes the first year of registered agent service for no additional cost. Bulk service discounts if you need services in 10 or more states.
- Same-day mail updates: Important documents are scanned upon arrival and available to you online.
Cons
- Not the cheapest: Other companies offer lower prices for similar services.
- Additional expenses: You will be charged additional fees if you need more than 5 normal business mail documents scanned per year.
- Other add-on services can be expensive: While not required, they offer other add-on services that can be considered pricey if you opt to use them.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($125/year): You can count on same-day local scanning, privacy protection, online access to all documents, excellent customer service, annual reports, and compliance reminders.
Additional add-on services:
- $20 for premium mail forwarding
- $499 for attorney trademark services
2. ZenBusiness
Best Registered Agent in Arkansas for Startups and Small Businesses ($199/year)
If you are starting a business, partnering with ZenBusiness is a great choice. Get your first year of registered agent services free when you use their LLC or Corporation formation services.
ZenBusiness will handle receiving all your business mail and legal documents and notify you in real time when a legal matter requires your attention. Their number one responsibility is to be available during standard business hours to receive your legal notices and business mail.
Get notified when it’s time to file annual reports to keep you in good standing with the State Secretary of Arkansas. You can also benefit from their other business offerings, such as tax and accounting services, funding, bookkeeping, and comprehensive reporting, all in one place.
ZenBusiness is known for providing a wonderful customer support experience. They average 4.3 out of 5 stars for happy customer reviews on the Better Business Bureau website.
Pros
- Low Starter Price: Gets your business established and your first year of registered agent services for $49.
- Reliable Support: Top-tier customer care team offers you valuable resources to help your business.
Cons
- Compliance Alerts Not Included: Their basic registered agent annual service fee is $199 and does not include compliance reminders. Compliance alerts cost an additional $50.
- Add-on Expenses: Other services are pricey, such as annual reporting, which costs an additional $100 + state fees.
Pricing
ZenBusiness can act as the hub for all your business needs, keeping you organized and compliant.
Registered Agent Service ($199/year): Enjoy the flexibility and convenience of having instant access to your business documents at your fingertips and ensuring your sensitive information is protected.
Additional add-on services:
- $49 first year starter package: Form your LLC + registered agent services & compliance support
- $199/yearly for pro package
- $299/yearly for premium package
3. Harbor Compliance
Best Registered Agent in Arkansas for Compliance Monitoring ($99/year)
Looking for a no-frills registered agent? Harbor compliance can fulfill all your registered agent needs for a very reasonable price. Their address will be listed as the point of contact for your business, keeping your personal address off of the public record for your privacy and flexibility.
As your Arkansas registered agent, they take on the responsibility of receiving important mail and legal documents on behalf of your business, eliminating the risk of a missed delivery. They will always be available to receive your mail during standard business hours and will update you when important documents arrive.
Their services include local document scanning, same-day electronic delivery, and compliance alerts about annual report filing. Your registered agent will notify you about reporting and filing dates to keep your business in good standing with state compliance.
Pros
- Affordable: Quality registered agent services at a lower cost than most other companies.
- No hidden fees: The annual price covers all registered agent services without any hidden fees.
Cons
- Customer service: Some reports indicate that their customer service is not very strong.
- No Refund Policy: If you are unhappy with your services and want to change your registered agent, you won’t get a refund.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($99/year): Harbor Compliance registered agent services are reliable, all your documents are easily accessible online, and compliance notifications are included.
4. Inc Authority
Best Registered Agent in Arkansas for Affordability ($99/year)
Inc Authority is a full-service business formation specialist that offers free LLC and Corporation formation and your first year of registered agent services free. They offer several packages, but the basic one offers you free business formation, all you have to do is pay the Arkansas state filing fee.
Run your business confidently with Inc Authority as your designated registered agent. When forming your business, they will prepare your entity formation documents and submit them to the state. You can count on convenient and compliant service, knowing your business can always be reached during normal business hours. Your registered agent is authorized to receive legal documents and official government mail for you, and you will be notified when urgent documents come in. Access your business documents in your client portal.
You will need to set up your business through Inc Authority to use them as your registered agent service. Inc Authority has several packages, including Entry, Starter, and customized packages for growing businesses.
Pros
- First Year Free: Free Registered Agent Service for the first year when you form your business.
- Affordable: Low-cost option to maintain compliance.
Cons
- Must Form an LLC: Registered agent services are only available for clients who form their businesses through them.
- Business Formation can be Costly: Their business packages are about average pricing at more than $300 a year for access to more resources.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service (Free first year, then $99/year): Get your business formed for free and your first year of registered agent services free, then receive basic registered agent services for only $99 a year.
5. LegalZoom
Best Registered Agent for DIY Entrepreneurs ($299/year)
LegalZoom holds an industry-leading reputation that is undoubtedly better than most registered agent services, but you pay a higher price than the others. Their secure address will go on file with the state for receiving all legal correspondence and official documents on behalf of your business. This keeps your business compliant and ensures you never miss an important notice.
You can count on your registered agent to separate your important documents from your junk mail and notify you immediately if your business ever receives court documents. All your important documents will be easily accessible online and include unlimited cloud storage.
They will send you compliance alerts about tax and annual report deadlines and provide identity theft protection and business credit monitoring. LegalZoom also has a Business Advisory Plan option which includes attorney services for an additional monthly cost.
Pros
- Chat support
- Business document storage
- Tracking important deadlines
- Renewing licenses
- Compliance alerts
Cons
- Can be expensive for some startups
- Relatively weak free features
Pricing
The registered agent service provided by LegalZoom includes acceptance of business correspondence, along with reminders of tax and annual reporting requirements for $299/year. Although the service is more costly than others, the annual fee includes the cost of Arkansas state filing fees.
6. Rocket Lawyer
Best Risk-Free Registered Agent Option in Arkansas ($149.99/year)
Designating Rocket Lawyer as your registered agent service provider keeps your business compliant and provides you with convenient access to all your legal documents online. They will receive mail and legal documents for you during standard business hours. All your official documents are scanned, emailed to you, and uploaded to your portal, so you never miss an important alert.
Rocket Lawyer demonstrates its commitment to its customers with a satisfaction guarantee policy. If you are unsatisfied with your service at any time, they promise a full refund. They also offer a premium member plan that gets you 25% off registered agent services plus access to an attorney for legal consultations. When you sign up for Rocket Lawyer, you get a 7-day free trial to explore all their service offerings for free.
7. Incfile
Best Registered Agent Customer Support & Services($119/year)
Since 2004, Incfile has provided a low-cost solution for Arkansas business startups and registered agent services. They have experience helping over 800,000 entrepreneurs, setting business owners up for success.
With Incfile, you can take advantage of their free business formation service and get your first year of registered agent services free. When you sign up for Incfile registered agent services, you will receive a physical address as your point of contact for any official and legal correspondence.
Get notified by text and email when important documents come in, and find all your legal correspondence in your dashboard. Your registered agents will also help you stay on top of deadlines and compliance with annual reporting to keep you in good standing with the state. When you need help, customer service is a phone call away.
Incfile has additional help resources and tools available to you, such as their business library full of free downloadable learning guides that make it easy for you to learn and grow your business as you go.
Pros
- First Year Free: Incfile will file your business documents and provide the first year of registered agent service all for free.
- Affordability: Low-cost annual registered agent services.
- Bilingual Customer Support: Incfile’s customer support team can help you in English and Spanish.
Cons
- Lack of 24/7 Support: Incfile’s customer support team is only available between 9AM and 6PM CST.
Pricing
Incfile delivers a lot of value at a low cost compared to other registered agent services. Their free business formation + first year of registered agent services is hard to beat.
Registered Agent Service (Free first year, then $119/year): Incfile registered agent service covers the basics, keeping your business documents in one place with an easy-to-use interface and convenient alert system to ensure you never miss an important notice or deadline.
8. Incorp
Quality Registered Agent Service provider in Arkansas ($129/year)
Having a dependable registered agent is key to operating a compliant Arkansas business. Since 1998, Incorp has been helping people start their businesses and maintain business compliance in the state of Arkansas. A trusted company, Incorp is dedicated to providing quality care and fast, reliable service.
Incorp will cover your basic registered agent service needs, such as providing you with an official address where your business mail and legal documents can safely be received. This relieves you of the responsibility of being present during business hours and protects your personal address from going on public record.
You will receive notifications when important mail comes in. Their entity management system is your business portal where you can access and store your important legal documents and keep track of compliance calendar alerts. You can get a discount when you pay for a few years of registered agent services at a time.
9. SunDoc Filings
Standard Registered Agent Service in Arkansas ($159/year)
SunDoc offers your business standard registered agent services, which include a physical address, email notifications when an important document is received, and access to all your documents online.
Your registered agent handles service of process on behalf of the business and is responsible for forwarding important legal documents to you or your attorney on file. Any legal correspondence from the state filing agency, state tax agency, and the Internal Revenue Service is sent directly to you.
SunDoc filing will set you up with automatic email alerts to be notified when filing deadlines are approaching. Login to your account to access your corporate information, customized reporting tools, and service of process history.
They also offer you tools and resources for your business compliance needs, such as annual report filing and start-to-finish business formation services.
10. Swyft Filings
Best Registered Agent in Arkansas For Quick Communications ($149/year)
Swyft Filing can cover your basic business needs and offer additional services to support your business as you grow. Start your business with their formation services, pricing begins at $49 or designate them as your registered agent when you are ready to document your business with the state of Arkansas.
Swyft Filing registered agent will be the point of contact to receive your mail and legal documents. They will send you a notice as soon as documents from the state are received and upload your important legal mail to your online account so you never get caught off guard or miss a deadline.
Reporting services are not included in the registered agent plan, so you will need to pay $99 for an annual report to stay on top of compliance. You can reach their customer care team by phone or live chat if you have questions. Find helpful articles, state guides, and information about taxes and finance in their online learning center.
11. CSC Global
Best Registered Agent in Arkansas For Global Business Connections ($299/year)
CSC Global is a premiere registered agent service with powerful, intuitive technology to manage all your entity data, compliance events, and service of process all in one secure place.
You can count on fast notifications and same-day scanning for your business documents. If an urgent document needs your attention, their electronic delivery methods, online tracking, and proof of delivery ensure information is received and handled in a timely manner. They will also keep you up to date on compliance notices and state filing deadlines so you can remain in good standing. Data security is a pillar of their company, and all your business data is securely stored in their world-class hosting facilities.
Their registered agent service alone is above the average price point. However, if you are interested in other business services such as entity management, business licenses, or legal and global financial assistance, then CSC Global is a great choice.
12. Arkansas Registered Agent Service
Local Registered Agent Service in Arkansas ($49/year)
Arkansas Registered Agent Service is a straight-to-the-point, hassle-free choice for your basic business compliance needs. Legally operate your business with a reliable point of contact for receiving your business mail. There are no hidden fees, and Arkansas Registered Agent Service operates on transparency, letting you know the costs and filing fees at the state level.
They are not a huge company, but they are reliable and personable, and they get the job done right. Your business mail will always be able to be received during standard business hours, and you will get timely updates when legal documents come in. Find your important documents in your online dashboard and receive compliance reminders when it’s time to file your annual report.
This is a great budget choice if you just need basic registered agent services and nothing extra.
13. Resident Agent LLC
Basic Arkansas Registered Agent Services ($75/year)
Registered Agent LLC is clear about what they provide and what they don’t. When you file your business formation paperwork, you will record the physical address that Resident Agent LLC provides you with so they can handle your registered agent service needs.
You don’t have to worry about checking for updates, Resident Agent records all service of process and uploads legal documents into your online account immediately. When documents are received on behalf of your business, they will be made available to you on your online account. They also send compliance calendar alerts, report reminders, and state status notices so you can stay on top of your business needs.
Although Resident Agent LLC is a cheap option, it is not a secure option. They do not have the proven track record and security measures that other agent services provide.
What is an Arkansas Registered Agent?
An Arkansas registered agent is your designated point of contact for your Arkansas business, authorized to accept official mail and legal and compliance documents on behalf of the business.
How Can an Arkansas Registered Agent Help your Business?
You can rely on your Arkansas registered agent to be there for your business so that you can operate freely and never miss important legal correspondence. They will always be available during normal business hours to take care of handling and receiving your important business documents.
- Secure Address: Having a registered agent protects your personal data from being publicly listed. Their address will be used for your business documents to keep your personal address private.
- Privacy: If your company is sued, your registered agent will receive the paperwork for you, providing an extra layer of protection and saving you any embarrassment of this happening in front of your customers or employees.
- Peace of Mind: Your agent will always be available to accept and sign official documents during standard US business hours, Monday-Friday, 9-5, all year round.
- Convenience: Your registered agent will scan your important documents as soon as they are received, forward important mail to you, and relay notices or alerts pertaining to your business. Access your legal documents online anywhere, anytime.
- Compliance: Appointing an Arkansas registered agent protects you by ensuring your business can always be reached during normal business hours, which is a requirement. Your registered agent may also offer you annual report filing services to ensure your remain in good standing with the state of Arkansas.
Is a Registered Agent Legally Required in Arkansas?
You are required to appoint an Arkansas registered agent upon the formation of your LLC, corporation, or nonprofit. To appoint a registered agent, you must visit the Arkansas Secretary of State Business Services page online. When you file your “Certificate of Organization for Domestic LLC – LL1” form, you will be asked to appoint your registered agent.
If you use one of the services above, they’ll do most of this for you and let you know of any action steps needed.
Arkansas Registered Agent Q&A
How Much Does an Arkansas Registered Agent Cost?
Prices for Arkansas registered agent services depend on the plan and services you select.
Based on our diligence, the cost of hiring an Arkansas registered agent starts as low as $49 and can go up to $300. Many companies offer the first year of registered agent services free if you form your business with them.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent In Arkansas?
Some business owners choose to be their own registered agents, however, it is very inconvenient.
If you choose to be your own registered agent, your address will be publicly listed, and you are required to be present to receive important legal documents at that address during standard business hours. Also, you take on the responsibility of staying on top of all legal documents, deadlines, annual reporting, and state compliance updates.
Can a Company in Arkansas Change Its Registered Agent?
If you have an established business in Arkansas and want to change your registered agent, you as the business owner, can file a Notice of Change online or submit your form to the Secretary of State via mail. The form needs to be completed and signed by the new registered agent and an authorized member of the LLC.
If sending by mail, send to:
Arkansas Secretary of State
1401 W. Capitol Ave.
Suite 250
Little Rock, AR 72201
How Long Does it Take to Get an Arkansas Registered Agent?
Designating your registered agent is a fast process that can be done online in less than a few hours. The rest of the process for filing your Certificate of Organization or Articles of Incorporation with the Arkansas Secretary of State may take as little as two days or up to two weeks to process.
N.W. Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is the best overall due to its numerous pros and a minimal number of cons. Perfect for all sorts of registered agent work.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the ideal choice if you're interested in starting and growing your business with all sorts of registered agent services right at your fingertips.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is the best registered agent in Arkansas for monitoring compliance. All documents are processed the same day; perfect if you're in a rush.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority provides highly efficient registered agent services while being very affordable for all sorts of businesses and entrepreneurs.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs who want to do all of their legal correspondence themselves with certain helpful features.