Certificate Of Organization In Arkansas: Step-By-Step Filing Guide May. 2026

Arkansas provides a strong economy and friendly operating environment, making it a great place to form your Limited Liability Company (LLC). To do so, you need to file a Certificate of Organization with the Arkansas Secretary of State. This documents

In this article, I’ll take you through every required step to file your Certificate of Organization in Arkansas. You’ll learn how to submit it online and by mail, your expected processing times, and reasons why you must file one to form your LLC.

What Is The Arkansas Certificate Of Organization?

The Arkansas Certificate of Organization officially recognizes your business as a separate legal entity in the state. Once completed, it puts your company’s details on the official public record. Without this filing, your LLC will not be recognized by the state and will not have limited liability protection.

You can file your Articles of Organization by mail or online:

• By mail: the fee is $50 and takes 2–3 weeks processing time plus additional mailing time.
• Online: the fee will be $45 and it will take 3-7 business days.

I recommend you file online to have your LLC approved quickly.

How To File Your Certificate Of Organization In Arkansas Online

Before beginning your online filing, you need to navigate to the correct online filing page. Follow the steps below:

1. Visit the Arkansas Corporations Online Filing System.
2. Look for the section titled “Domestic LLC” on the homepage.
3. Click “Certificate Of Organization For Domestic LLC – LL-01.”
4. Click the “Start Form” button to begin.

The online system will take you to the mail filing window once you click the “Start form” button. From here, follow my detailed steps outlined below to complete your filing.

1. Filing Act

Once you’re on the online filing form, the first section should be titled “Filing act.”

The required fields are automatically filled by the system based on the Arkansas state requirements. Therefore, you do NOT need to complete anything for this first section.

Move forward to the next section without making any edits or selections.

2. Company Name

In the “Company name” section, enter your LLC name exactly as you want it to appear in the state record. Include your preferred capitalizations and chosen designator (“LLC” or “L.L.C.”)

Note: Most business owners choose “LLC” as it’s the easiest to use.

The system will show a warning message once you’ve entered your desired LLC name.

Click “Continue” if you’ve already performed a name search and confirmed that your desired business name is unique and available to use.

If you don’t perform a name check, your filing may be rejected by the state if it is not available to use or does not meet the state naming requirements.

3. Principal Information

Scroll down, and you should see the “Principal information” section. This requires you to enter the street address of your LLC’s principal place of business. In other words, you need to enter a physical address that you want to be associated with your LLC.

Ignore the following fields:

• Entity name.
• First name.
• Last name.
• Phone.
• Email.

4. Registered Agent

Scroll down further, and you should see the “Registered Agent” section. This requires you to fill in the primary information of the individual or company responsible for receiving and processing official state notices and legal filings on behalf of your LLC.

This can be yourself, your friend, a family member, or a professional third-party Registered Agent service. They must have a physical Arkansas street address and be available during normal business hours.

Enter your Registered Agent’s name in the appropriate fields. If it’s an individual, leave the “Business name” field blank.

Below, enter their physical Arkansas street address. This can NOT be a P.O. box.

Once you’ve completed the required information, move to the “Organizers/Officers” section.

5. Organizer/Officers

In the “Organizers/Officers” section, you must list at least ONE Organizer and ONE LLC member/manager. This information is required by the state to properly identify who is forming your LLC and who is managing it.

a. Enter LLC’s Organizer Information

First, add your LLC’s Organizer.

1. Leave the “Business name” field blank if the Organizer is an individual. Then, enter their full legal name (First name, middle name, and last name).
2. Enter “N/A” in the middle name box if they don’t have a legal middle name.

Your page should look something like this:

b. Enter LLC’s Members Information

Next, add your LLC’s members.

You must add at least one LLC member in this section. You can list yourself twice if you’re forming your own LLC and acting as the Organizer and the LLC member.

You should see a table listing your LLC members once you’ve completed the existing LLC members’ information.

6. Submitter Contact Information

The next section should be titled “Submitter contact information.”

You need to provide the contact details of the person submitting your Certificate of Organization. This information may be used by the Arkansas Secretary of State if they need to reach you regarding your filing.

Enter the following details in the required fields:

1. Full name.
2. Complete mailing address.
3. Contact phone number.
4. Email address.

You can enter an individual name or a business name in this section, but not both.

Note: I recommend you use your own name so that any future official state correspondence reaches you directly.

7. Annual Franchise Tax Report Contact Information

The “Annual Franchise Tax Report contact information” section is required because the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration will use it to send reminders and instructions regarding your LLC’s yearly Franchise Tax report.

Enter the following details:

1. Your full name.
2. Your complete mailing address.
3. Your phone number.
4. Your email address.
5. Your full legal name again in the “Signature box.”

Note: This information ensures that your LLC receives timely notices about your Franchise Tax obligations, helping you maintain good standing with the state.

8. Agreement

Next, scroll down to the “Agreement” section. Here, you must confirm your effective LLC date and agree to the terms and conditions before submitting your filing.

Follow the steps below to complete this section correctly:

1. Select your “Effective date.” Most people choose “Today’s date” so that their LLC becomes official once approved. You can also choose a date up to 90 days in the future.
2. Review the agreement statement carefully. Then, check the required box to confirm that you agree to the terms and conditions.
3. In the “Signature” box, type your full legal name.
4. Click “Submit” to continue.

9. Document Upload Page

You should be taken to the “Document upload page” once you’ve agreed to the terms and pressed “Submit.” This allows you to attach any relevant or necessary documents that must accompany your Certificate of Organization.

Note: Most LLC filers will not need to upload anything in this section. You should only upload additional documents if instructed by your attorney.

Leave all fields blank if you have nothing to upload and click “Next” to continue.

The system will move you forward to the “Review page” once everything is completed.

10. Review Page

In the “Review page,” carefully review the information you’ve entered throughout your filing process.

This is what you should do before proceeding to the next section:

1. Review each section for accuracy (Names, addresses, and titles).
2. Check for missing fields, incorrect details, and typos.
3. Click the “Go back to make changes” link at the top of the page to make any changes.
4. Click “Next” once all information is correct. This will take you to the “Payment” page.

11. Payment Method

On the “Payment” page, you can choose how you want to pay your state filing fee. Most people choose to pay using a credit card. However, you can also pay by debit card.

You should see the following options:

1. Pay by credit card: This is the most common choice and offers a quick processing time.
2. Subscription: This allows payment using an INA (Arkansas.gov) subscriber account. This is often used by businesses that often use state services (Background checks and specialized lists).

For simplicity, this guide will focus on using the credit card payment option.

12. Make Payment

Once you’ve selected your payment method, you’ll be redirected to the Arkansas GovPay page to complete your transaction.

Submit your payment by following the steps below.

First, fill in the requested personal information. Then, click “Next” to continue.

After this, enter your Card details (Card number, expiration date, and security code).

Then, click “Next” to continue.

Finally, review your payment summary and click “Submit payment.”

Once submitted, your Arkansas LLC Certificate of Organization is successfully submitted online.

How To File The Arkansas Certificate Of Organization By Mail

You can file your Certificate of Organization by mail if you prefer. This must be done through the Business and Commercial Services Division of the Secretary of State.

The filing fee is $50, which must be paid by check or money order to the Arkansas Secretary of State.

Follow these steps to file by mail:

1. Download and complete the LL-01 PDF Form. This allows you to type your information directly into the document.
2. Enter your required LLC details by following the instructions included on the form.
3. Review all entered information carefully to ensure there are no errors. Use the images below as reference points to see what your completed form should look like.

1. First Page: Certificate Of Organization For Limited Liability Company

The first page of your mail filing is called the “Certificate of Organization for Limited Liability Company”.

a. Provide Your LLC Name

In the “The name of the Limited Liability Company is” field, fill in your LLC’s official legal name. This must be exactly as you want it to appear on all your business documents going forward.

Note: Make sure you’ve checked your desired business name against existing state businesses first. It must be unique and distinguishable to be accepted by the state.

b. Provide Principal Address

Next, fill in your LLC’s address in the “Address of the principal office of business of the Limited Liability Company shall be” field.

c. Provide Registered Agent’s Information

In the “The name and address of the Registered Agent of this company shall be” field, add your LLC’s Registered Agent information. Include their name and official business address.

• Your Registered Agent’s name must be their fully legal name (First name, middle name, and last name). Or, if your Registered Agent is an entity, provide their Business Name
• Their address must be a physical Arkansas street address (Not a P.O. box).

d. Provide LLC’s Officer Information

In the next field titled “The name and title of at least one officer for franchise tax purposes,” add at least one LLC member’s name. This is used for Franchise Tax reporting.

In the right-hand column, write their title as “Member” if your LLC is Member-Managed. Write “Manager” if your LLC is Manager-Managed.

e. Provide Signature

At the bottom of page 1, enter the date that you’re filing your Certificate of Organization. Print your full legal name on the right-hand side of the signature line before printing it out so you can sign on the left.

2. Second Page: Limited Liability Company Franchise Tax

The second page is called “Limited Liability Company Franchise Tax.”

Fill in your LLC’s Franchise Tax information following the order noted in the picture below:

1. Your LLC’s legal name.
2. Your name.
3. Your road address.
4. Your City, State, and Zip code.
5. Your contact telephone number.
6. Your contact email address.
7. Your Federal Tax ID/EIN.

Once you’ve completed the required fields, tick the box stating “I affirm that franchise taxes are due by May 1st of the year following formation of this entity.” This confirms that you understand your Franchise Tax due date.

Next, add your title to the “Title” box. This should be “Organizer” If you are forming an LLC on your own.

Once you’ve completed the required fields, you can print the document and sign it.

Then, send your completed Certificate of Organization (LL-01) along with your $50 filing fee by check or money order made payable to:

ARKANSAS SECRETARY OF STATE
Business & Commercial Services Division
1401 W. Capitol Avenue
Suite 250
Little Rock, AR 72201

Once mailed, your filing will be processed in the order it is received.

Certificate Of Organization In Arkansas Approval Process

As stated above, your chosen filing method determines the approval time when filing your Certificate of Organization:

• Online filings: 3–7 business days processing time.
• Mail filings: 2–3 weeks processing time + additional mailing time.

Note: You’ll receive the same documents once your formation application is approved, regardless of your submission method.

• Your documents will be returned in two separate emails if you filed online.
• You’ll receive them by postal mail if you filed by mail.

You should receive:

1. A payment receipt.
2. A stamped and approved copy of your Certificate of Organization.
3. A Certificate of Approval with a State Seal (you’ll need this when opening a dedicated business bank account).

Arkansas State Contact Information

Contact the Arkansas Secretary of State – Business and Commercial Services Division (BCS) directly if you have questions regarding your LLC name availability or the state filing requirements. They’ll assist with naming rules, filing issues, and general questions about forming your LLC.

The Importance Of Filing A Certificate Of Organization

You cannot perform normal business operations until your Certificate of Organization is filed and approved by the state. Without your completed filing:

1. Your Arkansas LLC Doesn’t Legally Exist Without One

Under Arkansas Code § 4-38-201, your LLC does not legally exist until your Certificate of Organization is delivered to the Arkansas Secretary of State and accepted for filing. Your LLC is officially legally formed and recognized as a separate business entity when the state files this document.

Here’s what it means if your certificate has not been filed and approved:

• Your LLC is not recognized as a separate business entity in the state.
• You do not have limited liability protection.
• Your activities are treated as personal, not LLC operations.

2. You Cannot Obtain Essential Tax Or Licensing Documents

You must obtain proof that your LLC has been legally formed in the state before obtaining key business documents. These include your Employer Identification Number (EIN), State Tax accounts, and Local Business Licenses. Governments will not issue these documents, as you technically have no effective legal status until approved.

According to the Arkansas Code § 4-38-207, an LLC only becomes effective after its Certificate of Organization is filed, and its effective date is established.

Without your approved Certificate of Organization, you cannot:

• Obtain your EIN from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
• Register for State Business Taxes.
• Apply for or receive Business Licenses and Permits.

3. You Face Operational And Credibility Risks

Your LLC has no legal authority to operate if your Certificate of Organization is not approved by the state. Vendors, partners, and banks require proof of formation before officially recognizing your business.

This creates several business risks:

• You cannot open a dedicated business account with most banks.
• LLC contracts may be unenforceable.
• Partners and vendors may decline to work with you.
• You’re personally liable for your business obligations and debts.

Frequently Asked Questions