What Is the Cost of a Registered Agent in Arkansas?
Every Arkansas business entity — whether a corporation, LLC, limited partnership, or limited liability partnership — must maintain a registered agent on file with the Secretary of State, but the expense of doing so depends on which of two separate cost categories applies. State filing fees, set by the Arkansas Code Annotated and published on the Secretary of State’s filing fee schedules page, are paid directly to the state only when a document is actually submitted for filing. Commercial service fees, by contrast, are annual charges paid to a private registered agent company in exchange for serving in the role year-round.
On the state side, Arkansas keeps costs unusually low for registered-agent-related filings. There is no state fee to change a registered agent, no fee for a registered agent to resign, and no recurring annual state charge imposed solely for maintaining the agent designation. The only state filing fees that touch the registered agent at all are the one-time formation fees—$45 online or $50 on paper for most domestic entities—and even those cover the entire formation document, not just the agent appointment.
Commercial registered agent services in Arkansas typically charge between $50 and $300 per year, with the variation driven by the provider, the tier of service selected, and any bundled compliance features. An entity that designates an individual Arkansas resident—such as a member, officer, or organizer—as its own registered agent pays no commercial service fee whatsoever.
Arkansas law does not require any entity to hire a commercial provider. Under the Arkansas Business Corporation Act (A.C.A. § 4-27-501) and the Model Registered Agents Act (A.C.A. § 4-20-105), the statutory obligation is only that the entity continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Arkansas who has consented to serve. A P.O. Box or virtual mailbox cannot satisfy this requirement, as the Secretary of State’s FAQ confirms.
Arkansas State Filing Fees for Registered Agent Appointments
The registered agent designation in Arkansas is set forth in the entity’s formation document — the articles of incorporation for a corporation, the certificate of organization for an LLC, or the certificate of limited partnership for an LP. Arkansas does not charge a separate line-item fee for the registered agent designation at formation. The total filing fee for the formation document covers the entire filing, including the agent appointment. Arkansas offers a discount for online filings: electronic submissions are typically $45 for domestic entities, compared to $50 for paper filings.
The table below lists the formation filing fee for each entity type recognized by the Arkansas Secretary of State. Online fees apply to filings submitted through the Corporations Online Filing System; paper fees apply to filings mailed or hand-delivered to the Business and Commercial Services office.
| Entity Type | Form | Total Formation Filing Fee |
| Domestic For-Profit Corporation | DN-01 | $45 online / $50 paper |
| Domestic Benefit Corporation | Benefit Corp Articles | $50 paper only |
| Domestic Nonprofit Corporation | NPD-1 | $45 online / $50 paper |
| Domestic Nonprofit Corporation — 501(с)(3) | NPD-01-501-c-3 | $45 online / $50 paper |
| Domestic LLC | LL-01 | $45 online / $50 paper |
| Domestic Limited Partnership (LP) | LP-01 | $50 paper only |
| Domestic LLP | Statement of Qualification | $50 paper only |
| Domestic LLLP | LLLP-02 | $50 paper only |
| Foreign For-Profit Corporation | F-01 | $270 online / $300 paper |
| Foreign Nonprofit Corporation | NPF-1 | $270 online / $300 paper |
| Foreign LLC | FL-01 | $270 online / $300 paper |
| Foreign LP | LPF-01 | $300 paper only |
| Foreign LLP | Statement of Qualification — Foreign LLP | $300 paper only |
| Foreign LLLP | F3LP-02 | $300 paper only |
Filings submitted online through the Corporations Online Filing System are paid by credit card. Paper filings mailed to the Secretary of State’s office at 500 Woodlane Street, Suite 256, Little Rock, AR 72201, may be paid by check or money order made payable to the Arkansas Secretary of State. The Secretary of State’s office also accepts filings delivered in person at the Little Rock location during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Central Time.
Note: Arkansas partnership filings — LPs, LLPs, and LLLPs — are not currently available for online submission and must be filed on paper. The $45 online discount that applies to corporate and LLC filings does not extend to paper-only partnership filings.
State Filing Fee to Change a Registered Agent
When an Arkansas entity needs to replace its registered agent or update the agent’s street address after formation, it files a Notice of Change of Registered Agent (Form DO-03) with the Secretary of State. Arkansas charges no filing fee for this form, regardless of entity type. The Model Registered Agents Act (A.C.A. § 4-20-103) sets the fee for a statement of change at zero, and the Secretary of State’s fee schedules for corporations, LLCs, and partnerships all confirm that the Notice of Change of Registered Agent carries no fee, whether filed online or on paper.
The table below summarizes the state filing fees for every registered-agent-related action available in Arkansas.
| Action | Form | Filing Fee |
| Change of registered agent (all entity types) | DO-03 — Notice of Change of Registered Agent | $0 |
| Change of principal office address (all entity types) | Notice of Change of Principal Office Address | $0 |
| Change of foreign address (foreign entities) | Notice of Change of Foreign Address | $0 |
| Resignation of registered agent | Statement of resignation per A.C.A. § 4-20-111 | $0 |
| Commercial registered agent — registration | CRA-R | $50 |
| Commercial registered agent — termination | CRA-TS | $50 |
| Commercial registered agent — change of information | CRA-CF | $0 |
The DO-03 form can be filed online through the Corporations Online Filing System for corporations, LLCs, and most entity types. Paper filings should be mailed to the Business and Commercial Services office at 500 Woodlane Street, Suite 256, Little Rock, AR 72201.
What Is Included in a Registered Agent Service Fee?
The annual fee paid to a commercial registered agent provider in Arkansas covers a defined set of services related to maintaining the entity’s registered office and receiving legal documents on the entity’s behalf. The exact inclusions vary by provider and pricing tier, but commercial agents operating in the state generally structure their offerings around a core service bundle.
Core services (generally included at all price levels):
- A physical street address in Arkansas to serve as the entity’s registered office on file with the Secretary of State.
- Receipt of service of process, lawsuit papers, legal notices, tax correspondence from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, and other official state communications during normal business hours.
- Same-day or next-business-day scanning and uploading of received documents to a secure online dashboard.
- Email or text notification alerts when a document arrives on behalf of the entity.
- Secure online account for viewing, downloading, and managing received documents.
Additional services (included by some providers or at higher tiers):
- Compliance reminders for annual franchise tax deadlines, nonprofit annual report due dates, and other recurring filing obligations.
- Use of the registered agent’s address on formation documents to keep the owner’s personal home address off the publicly searchable Secretary of State records (privacy protection).
- Mail forwarding for general business correspondence beyond service of process and government documents.
- Multi-state compliance dashboard for entities registered in more than one state.
- Document storage and retrieval for historical filings.
What is NOT included in a standard registered agent service fee:
- State filing fees—formation fees, franchise taxes, and any other fees assessed by the Secretary of State are paid separately to the state.
- Preparation or filing of annual franchise tax reports or nonprofit annual reports.
- Legal advice or representation.
- Expedited or same-day processing of state filings.
Registered Agent Cost When Forming a New Arkansas Business
When forming a new entity in Arkansas, the registered agent is named directly in the formation document—the articles of incorporation, certificate of organization, or certificate of limited partnership. No separate agent-designation filing exists, and no additional state fee applies beyond the formation fee itself. The total state cost at formation is the formation filing fee alone.
The table below combines the state formation fee with the annual commercial registered agent service fee to show the total first-year cost for each entity type.
| Entity Type | State Formation Fee | Commercial Registered Agent (Year 1) | Total Year 1 Cost |
| Domestic For-Profit Corporation (DN-01) | $45–$50 | $0–$300 | $45–$350 |
| Domestic Benefit Corporation | $50 | $0–$300 | $50–$350 |
| Domestic Nonprofit Corporation (NPD-1) | $45–$50 | $0–$300 | $45–$350 |
| Domestic Nonprofit — 501(c)(3) (NPD-01-501-c-3) | $45–$50 | $0–$300 | $45–$350 |
| Domestic LLC (LL-01) | $45–$50 | $0–$300 | $45–$350 |
| Domestic LP (LP-01) | $50 | $0–$300 | $50–$350 |
| Domestic LLP | $50 | $0–$300 | $50–$350 |
| Domestic LLLP (LLLP-02) | $50 | $0–$300 | $50–$350 |
| Foreign For-Profit Corporation (F-01) | $270–$300 | $0–$300 | $270–$600 |
| Foreign Nonprofit Corporation (NPF-1) | $270–$300 | $0–$300 | $270–$600 |
| Foreign LLC (FL-01) | $270–$300 | $0–$300 | $270–$600 |
| Foreign LP (LPF-01) | $300 | $0–$300 | $300–$600 |
| Foreign LLP | $300 | $0–$300 | $300–$600 |
| Foreign LLLP (F3LP-02) | $300 | $0–$300 | $300–$600 |
The $0 figure in the commercial registered agent column reflects entities where an individual Arkansas resident serves as the entity’s own registered agent under A.C.A. § 4-20-105, eliminating the commercial service fee.
Many commercial registered agent services offer the first year of service bundled into a formation package. When comparing formation service pricing, confirm whether the quoted price includes:
- The state filing fee (the Secretary of State’s mandatory fee).
- The registered agent service fee for year one.
- The renewal price for registered agent service in subsequent years.
Some providers advertise low introductory formation prices — occasionally as low as $0 plus state fees — but charge significantly higher renewal rates for registered agent service beginning in year two. Online formation is available through the Secretary of State’s Corporations Online Filing System, and the state fees are listed on the filing fee schedules page.
Cost of Serving as Your Own Registered Agent in Arkansas
Under A.C.A. § 4-20-105, an individual resident of Arkansas with a physical street address in the state may serve as the registered agent for any entity. An owner, member, manager, officer, director, or employee may fill this role, provided the address is a street address—not a P.O. Box or virtual mailbox — and the individual is available at that address during normal business hours. An entity itself typically cannot serve as its own registered agent; the agent must be a separate individual or a domestic or foreign entity authorized to transact business in Arkansas.
Cost of self-designation:
- Commercial service fee: $0 — no annual fee is paid to a third-party provider.
- State filing fee at formation: Included in the standard formation fee. No additional state fee is charged for designating an individual as the entity’s registered agent.
- State filing fee to update address: If the registered agent’s address changes, a Notice of Change of Registered Agent (Form DO-03) must be filed at no cost.
Tradeoffs of self-designation:
| Factor | Self as Registered Agent | Commercial Service |
| Annual cost | $0 | $50–$300/year |
| Privacy | A personal or business address appears in the public Secretary of State records | The agent’s address appears in public records instead |
| Business hours availability | Must be physically present at the address during business hours | The service handles availability |
| Service of process delivery | Delivered directly to the individual, potentially in front of clients or employees | Delivered privately to the agent’s office, then scanned and forwarded |
| Address updates | Must file Form DO-03 (no fee) each time the address changes | The agent updates its own address across all represented entities via a single filing |
| Compliance monitoring | The owner must independently track franchise tax deadlines and filing requirements | Some services include automated reminders |
| Eligibility requirement | Must be an Arkansas resident with a physical street address in the state | No residency requirement for the entity’s owner |
The Secretary of State’s office confirms that the registered agent “may or may not be an owner, shareholder, or officer of the corporation” and that “many corporations use their attorney or a professional corporate service company for this service.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Registered Agent Costs in Arkansas
Is there a fee to designate a registered agent when forming an Arkansas LLC or corporation?
There is no separate state fee for designating a registered agent at formation in Arkansas. The registered agent appointment is made within the formation document itself — the Certificate of Organization (Form LL-01) for an LLC or the Articles of Incorporation (Form DN-01) for a for-profit corporation — and the formation filing fee covers the entire filing. The formation fee is $45 online or $50 on paper for a domestic for-profit corporation, LLC, or nonprofit corporation, as shown on the Secretary of State’s corporation fee schedule.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Arkansas?
Changing a registered agent in Arkansas is free. The entity files a Notice of Change of Registered Agent (Form DO-03) with the Secretary of State, and no filing fee applies — this holds true for every entity type, including for-profit corporations, nonprofit corporations, LLCs, LPs, LLPs, and LLLPs. The form can be filed online through the Corporations Online Filing System or submitted on paper to the Business and Commercial Services office at 500 Woodlane Street, Suite 256, Little Rock, AR 72201. Phone inquiries can be directed to 501-682-1010 or 888-233-0325.
Can I designate myself as a registered agent to avoid the annual service fee?
Yes. Arkansas law permits any individual with a physical street address in the state to serve as a registered agent, provided the entity affirms in its filing that the agent has consented to the appointment. Self-designation eliminates the annual commercial service fee. The tradeoff is that the individual’s name and street address will appear in the public record maintained by the Secretary of State, and the individual must be available at that address during normal business hours to accept service of process and official correspondence.
What is the annual cost of Northwest Registered Agent in Arkansas?
Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 per year for registered agent service in Arkansas. The fee includes a physical street address as the entity’s registered office on file with the Secretary of State; receipt and same-day scanning of service of process and official state mail; email notification alerts; access to a secure online dashboard; and limited mail forwarding. Northwest uses its own Arkansas address on formation documents, keeping the owner’s personal address off the public record.
Does the registered agent service fee include the state filing fee?
No. The annual registered agent service fee charged by a commercial provider is entirely separate from any state filing fee. State filing fees — such as the $45 online formation fee for a domestic LLC or the $270 online fee for a foreign corporation’s certificate of authority — are paid directly to the Arkansas Secretary of State. When a commercial provider files formation documents on an entity’s behalf, the total cost includes both the provider’s service fee and the state’s formation fee; these should be itemized separately. Confirm whether a quoted price includes or excludes the state filing fee before purchasing.
Is there a fee to file the consent of registered agent form?
Arkansas does not require a standalone consent of registered agent form to be filed with the Secretary of State. Under A.C.A. § 4-20-105(b), “the appointment of a registered agent … is an affirmation by the represented entity that the agent has consented to serve as such.” The consent is embedded in the formation document itself. There is no separate filing fee because there is no separate filing — the entity simply affirms consent within its articles of incorporation, certificate of organization, or foreign qualification document.
Is there a fee for the registered agent to resign?
There is no fee for a registered agent to resign in Arkansas. Under A.C.A. § 4-20-111, a registered agent may resign by filing a signed statement of resignation with the Secretary of State, and the fee for that filing is zero under A.C.A. § 4-20-103. The resignation becomes effective on the earlier of the 31st day after filing or the date a new registered agent is appointed. The resigning agent must promptly furnish the entity with written notice. The entity must then file a new Notice of Change of Registered Agent — also at no cost — to appoint a replacement.
How does the cost compare for a nonprofit corporation versus a for-profit corporation?
Arkansas charges identical formation fees for domestic for-profit and nonprofit corporations and identical fees for most registered-agent-related filings across both entity types. The material cost difference lies in recurring annual obligations, not in the registered agent designation itself.
Нашёл: nonprofit amendment — форма NPD-2, файл NPD-2_2.pdf. Исправленная таблица:
| Transaction | For-Profit Corporation | Nonprofit Corporation |
| Articles of Incorporation — For-Profit (DN-01) / Nonprofit (NPD-1) | $45 online / $50 paper | $45 online / $50 paper |
| Certificate of Authority — Foreign (F-01) / Foreign Nonprofit (NPF-1) | $270 online / $300 paper | $270 online / $300 paper |
| Change of Registered Agent (DO-03) | $0 | $0 |
| Resignation of registered agent | $0 | $0 |
| Certificate of Amendment — For-Profit (DN-07) / Nonprofit (NPD-2) | $45 online / $50 paper | $45 online / $50 paper |
| Annual Franchise Tax Report | Minimum $150/year | — |
| Annual Report — Nonprofit | — | $0 (due August 1) |
The most significant cost difference is in recurring obligations: for-profit corporations and LLCs owe a minimum annual franchise tax of $150 to the Secretary of State, while nonprofit corporations file an annual report at no charge, due by August 1 each year. Commercial registered agent service fees are not set by state law and do not vary by entity type.
Are there any hidden fees associated with registered agent services?
State filing fees in Arkansas are fixed and publicly available on the Secretary of State’s fee schedules page, and there are no hidden state fees related to the registered agent designation. On the commercial side, however, several pricing structures can produce unexpected costs. Renewal price increases are common—a provider may offer a discounted first-year rate bundled with formation services, then charge a substantially higher renewal rate starting in year two. Upsell offers during the formation process can add costs for compliance monitoring, EIN procurement, operating agreements, or other add-on services. Some providers offer only a limited number of mail scans per year and charge extra for physical forwarding or additional document processing.
Does the cost change if I move my business to a new address in Arkansas?
The answer depends on which address is changing and whether the entity uses a commercial registered agent.
- If the entity’s principal office address changes but the registered agent’s address does not: The entity files a Notice of Change of Principal Office Address at no cost. The registered agent arrangement is unaffected.
- If the registered agent’s street address changes: The entity must file a Notice of Change of Registered Agent (Form DO-03) at no cost to update the registered office address on file.
- If a noncommercial registered agent relocates (same agent, new address): Under A.C.A. § 4-20-109, the agent files a statement of change with the Secretary of State for each represented entity at no fee and promptly notifies each entity of the new address.
- If using a commercial registered agent service: Relocating the entity’s principal office typically does not affect the commercial service fee, because the registered office address on file with the Secretary of State is the agent’s address — not the entity’s business address.