Arkansas Articles of Incorporation
Arkansas articles of incorporation form a corporation by filing Form DN-01 with the Secretary of State for $45 online, setting the name, agent, and shares. Attorney review available.
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Introduction
Once you create an Arkansas corporation as a separate legal entity by filing the Articles of Incorporation (Form DN-01) with the Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services Division, the state charges an annual franchise tax with a $150 minimum for a stock corporation. Filing brings the corporation into existence so it can own property, sign contracts, and give its owners limited liability for the corporation debts. Arkansas law requires the articles to set forth the corporation name, an initial registered agent and registered office, and the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue (A.C.A. 4-27-202). The filing fee is $45 online or $50 by mail, and online filings add a $5 processing fee. The registered agent named in the articles must have a physical Arkansas street address, not a post office box, and the corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent and office (A.C.A. 4-27-501). After the corporation is formed, Arkansas charges an annual franchise tax with a minimum of $150 for a corporation with stock, set at 0.3% of the corporation outstanding capital stock (A.C.A. 26-54-101 and following). Arkansas corporations do not file a separate annual report; the Annual Franchise Tax Report is the recurring filing and is due by May 1 each year. DocDraft builds your Arkansas articles of incorporation from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
Key Things to Know
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Arkansas charges $45 to file online or $50 by mail for the founding document that creates a corporation as a separate legal entity. You form a for-profit corporation by filing the Articles of Incorporation (Form DN-01) with the Arkansas Secretary of State.
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You file the articles with the Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services Division, for $45 online or $50 by mail. Online filings add a $5 processing fee. The Secretary of State is the filing office for forming an Arkansas corporation.
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Arkansas requires the articles to set forth the corporation name, an initial registered agent and registered office, and the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue (A.C.A. 4-27-202).
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The registered agent named in the articles must have a physical Arkansas street address, not a post office box, and the corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office (A.C.A. 4-27-501).
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After formation, Arkansas charges an annual franchise tax with a minimum of $150 for a corporation with stock, set at 0.3% of the corporation outstanding capital stock (A.C.A. 26-54-101 and following).
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Arkansas corporations do not file a separate annual report. The Annual Franchise Tax Report serves as the recurring filing and is due by May 1 each year, carrying the franchise tax.
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Articles of incorporation form a corporation. To form an Arkansas limited liability company you file articles of organization instead, and corporate bylaws are a separate internal document the corporation keeps rather than files.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Articles of Incorporation in Arkansas, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Articles of Incorporation guide walks through them.
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Arkansas Requirements for Articles of Incorporation
An Arkansas for-profit corporation is formed by filing the Articles of Incorporation (Form DN-01) with the Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services Division. The fee is $45 online or $50 by mail, plus a $5 online processing fee. The corporation legally exists once the Secretary of State files the articles.
The corporation name in the articles must include a designator such as Corporation, Incorporated, Company, or Limited, or an abbreviation, and must be distinguishable from other entities on file with the Arkansas Secretary of State.
The articles must name an initial registered agent with a physical Arkansas street address, not a post office box, and the corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office (A.C.A. 4-27-501).
The articles must state the total number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue. If more than one class is authorized, the articles must state the number of shares in each class and their terms (A.C.A. 4-27-202).
Arkansas charges an annual franchise tax. For a corporation with stock, the tax is 0.3% of outstanding capital stock, with a minimum of $150 per year (A.C.A. 26-54-101 and following). It is owed whether or not the corporation is active.
Arkansas corporations do not file a separate annual report. The Annual Franchise Tax Report is the recurring filing, due by May 1 each year (A.C.A. 26-54-105), and carries the franchise tax. Missing it can lead to penalties and revocation.
The articles state that the corporation is formed to engage in any lawful business for which a corporation may be organized under the Arkansas Business Corporation Act of 1987.
Articles of incorporation form a corporation. To form an Arkansas limited liability company you file articles of organization instead. Corporate bylaws are a separate internal document the corporation keeps rather than files with the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Arkansas, articles of incorporation are the founding document you file with the state to create a corporation. Filing them makes the corporation a separate legal entity that can own property, sign contracts, and shield its owners from personal liability for the corporation debts. A for-profit corporation is formed by filing the Articles of Incorporation (Form DN-01) with the Arkansas Secretary of State, which sets out the corporation name, its registered agent and office, and the number of shares it is authorized to issue (A.C.A. 4-27-202).
In Arkansas, articles of incorporation create a corporation, which has shareholders, directors, and shares of stock and files Form DN-01. Articles of organization create a limited liability company, which has members instead of shareholders and issues no stock. Both are filed with the Arkansas Secretary of State and both form a separate legal entity, but they create different kinds of entities under different parts of Arkansas law. Choose the one that matches the entity you want.
You file the Articles of Incorporation (Form DN-01) with the Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services Division. The filing fee is $45 online or $50 by mail, and online filings add a $5 processing fee. Once the Secretary of State files the articles, the corporation legally exists in Arkansas.
Arkansas requires the articles to set forth the corporation name; the number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue; and the name and street address of the initial registered agent and registered office (A.C.A. 4-27-202). If more than one class of shares is authorized, the articles must state the number of shares in each class and their terms. The incorporator signs the articles.
The registered agent named in Arkansas articles of incorporation must have a physical street address in Arkansas, not a post office box, and must agree to accept legal papers for the corporation. The agent can be an individual who resides in Arkansas or a company authorized to do business in the state. Under A.C.A. 4-27-501, an Arkansas corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in the state.
Yes. Arkansas charges an annual franchise tax on corporations. For a corporation with stock, the tax is 0.3% of the corporation outstanding capital stock, with a minimum of $150 per year (A.C.A. 26-54-101 and following). The franchise tax is owed whether or not the corporation is active or profitable. This is general information about Arkansas filings, not tax advice for your corporation.
Arkansas corporations do not file a separate annual report with the Secretary of State. Instead, the Annual Franchise Tax Report is the recurring filing, and it is due by May 1 each year (A.C.A. 26-54-105). The report carries the franchise tax, with a $150 minimum for a corporation with stock. Filing and paying on time keeps the corporation in good standing; missing it can lead to penalties and revocation.
In Arkansas, articles of incorporation are the short public document you file with the Secretary of State to create the corporation. Bylaws are a longer internal document the corporation adopts and keeps in its own records, not filed with the state, setting the rules for how the corporation is run, such as how directors are elected and how meetings are held. You need the Arkansas articles to exist as a corporation and the bylaws to govern it day to day.