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Arkansas business entity information is available through the Arkansas Secretary of State's online business entity search. The search needs only one search term, and it returns the details you need for onboarding, compliance checks, or business transactions.
This article will walk you through exactly how to search the Arkansas database, where to find each piece of information, and what format each data point takes in Arkansas's system.
Summary table: finding your Arkansas entity information
Four data points cover what most onboarding forms and state filings ask for.
Information required | Where to find it | What it looks like | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Entity name | Arkansas business search results | "Riverwalk Manufacturing LLC" | Use the exact legal name as registered |
Entity type | Corporation Details page | Domestic Limited Liability Company, Foreign For Profit Corporation, Domestic Nonprofit Corporation, etc. | Must match the Arkansas designation in the Corporation Type list |
Entity number | Corporation Details page or filed certificate | Numeric identifier assigned by the Arkansas Secretary of State | Also called the Filing Number or File Number, depending on the system |
Formation date | Corporation Details page or filed certificate | A single calendar date on the entity record | Usually the date and time the Secretary of State filed the record, unless a later effective date was named |
How to search for Arkansas business entities
The Arkansas SOS offers its business entity search, where the form offers seven fields: Corporation Type, Name, Fictitious Name, Registered Agent, RA City, RA State, and Filing #. The portal instructions read: "Please enter at least one search term. All fields are not required." Name and Fictitious Name are mutually exclusive.
The SOS search page does not specify matching rules for the Name field, so if an exact name returns nothing, switch to the Registered Agent or Filing # field. Use the available search filters to narrow the results before reviewing matching entities. Narrowing the type shortens the result list for a common name.
Ownership data is not part of the record. The search page carries the notice "LLC Member information is now confidential per Act 865 of 2007," which makes the member information filed with franchise tax reports confidential and unavailable for public inspection, with limited exceptions. The SOS Business Services FAQ confirms owner information is not a public SOS record.
What you'll see in search results
A matching entity's search result gives you enough to confirm you have the right record before opening the full file.
Entity name as registered
City and state
Status, such as Revoked or Dissolved
Open the entity's record to review the details available in the Secretary of State's database. Registered agent names appear in Secretary of State filing records, which is useful when several of your entities share the same agent.
How to find your entity number in Arkansas
Use the Arkansas Secretary of State business entity record to confirm the identifier shown for your entity. The same number is labeled "Filing Number" in the Corporations Online Filing System and "File Number" in the online franchise tax system.
Where to locate your Arkansas filing number
1. Arkansas business search (fastest method)
Filing # is both a search field and a line on the Corporation Details page
The SOS franchise tax forms page points filers to this same search for a filing number
2. Certificate of Organization or Articles of Incorporation
Blank SOS forms such as Form LL-01 for LLCs and Form DN-01 carry no filing number, date, or seal; BCS adds those on the filed copy
A.C.A. § 4-27-125(b)(1) requires the SOS to file a corporate document "by stamping or otherwise endorsing 'Filed,'" with the date and time
3. Franchise tax filings and state correspondence
The online franchise tax filing system says the file number "is located above your company name on your tax report," and it is a labeled field on the remittance stub of every 2026 franchise tax form
Arkansas entity number format
Format: Arkansas Secretary of State records refer to an entity number assigned by the Secretary of State, but the located official sources do not state a standard format.
Example: 811226874
How to find your entity type in Arkansas
The classification your entity received at formation determines which annual filing and fee apply. The Business Services FAQ lists the types formed by filing with BCS: business, nonprofit, and professional corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and limited liability companies.
Where to find your Arkansas entity type
1. Arkansas business search (most accessible)
Review the Corporation Details page carefully before relying on the record; "Foreign For Profit Corporation" covers out-of-state companies that completed foreign registration in Arkansas
2. Certificate of Organization, Articles of Incorporation, or Certificate of Formation
The filed document states the entity form you registered and may name the Arkansas Act it was filed under
3. Annual franchise tax reports
Entity type sets the report and fee: $150 minimum for corporations with stock, $300 for corporations without stock, and $150 for an LLC or PLLC, per the SOS franchise tax forms page; nonprofit corporations pay no franchise tax and instead file a free annual report by August 1, per Act 569 of 2007
Deadlines and fees also drive your Arkansas annual report filings.
How to find your formation date in Arkansas
Your Arkansas formation date is the date your formation document became effective. The Business Services FAQ puts it this way: "The effective date of a filing is the date it is received by the BCS Division." A later effective date named in the document controls instead. For documents submitted through the Corporations Online Filing System, "Filings submitted online will be recorded as of date submitted."
Where your Arkansas formation date appears
1. Arkansas business search (easiest access)
Location: the Corporation Details page for the entity
2. Certificate of Organization or Articles of Incorporation
The "Filed" endorsement required by § 4-27-125(b)(1) carries the date and time of filing
If a delayed effective date was named, that date, not the file stamp, is when the entity legally came into existence
3. Arkansas franchise tax confirmations
The 2026 forms set the deadline as on or before May 1, 2026, and note that Acts 1046 and 1140 of 1991 eliminated the opportunity to request an extension; reports mailed instead of filed online must carry a USPS postmark by that date
An LLC's first report is due by May 1 of the year following formation, per the SOS LLC franchise tax form
Formation date vs. effective date
Arkansas lets both LLCs and corporations name a future effective date up to 90 days past the filing date. Under A.C.A. § 4-38-207, an LLC record that names a date but no time takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on that date. A corporation record that names a date without a time takes effect at the close of business on that date under § 4-27-123(b).
Manage Arkansas entity records and filings with Discern
Once you have the filing number, entity type, and effective date from the Arkansas SOS search, Discern stores them as the system of record for that entity next to every other state registration you hold. Arkansas annual report filings require current registered agent and entity information, and Arkansas franchise tax is due on or before May 1 of the reporting year.
For teams with entities in many states, the same dashboard shows good standing, upcoming deadlines, and registered agent status across every jurisdiction. This kind of multi-state footprint can be difficult to track when records are split across legacy systems. Centralizing registered agent and annual report workflows can make multistate compliance easier to manage. Learn more about what Discern does for multi-state entity portfolios.
Frequently asked questions about Arkansas business entity search
These answers cover the questions that come up most often after a first pass through the Arkansas SOS portal.
Is LLC member or shareholder information available through the Arkansas business search?
No. Member information filed with franchise tax reports has been confidential since Act 865 of 2007, and ownership information generally is not a public SOS record; the entity maintains it.
How long does it take for a new Arkansas filing to show up in the search?
Per the SOS For New Businesses page, mailed documents typically take 7 to 10 business days to process, while dropped-off and online filings typically take 3 to 7 business days. Treat these as estimates rather than a guaranteed turnaround.
Is there a fee to use the Arkansas business entity search?
No. The search is a free tool on the Secretary of State's site, and no account is required to look up an entity's name, status, or filing details.
Can the Arkansas business search show whether my registered agent information is current?
Yes. The entity's record in the search shows the registered agent on file, which is useful for confirming an agent hasn't lapsed or checking which entities share the same agent.
Updated on
2026-09-10
