Every limited liability company operating in the United States needs to designate a registered agent. Even after you identify your initial registered agent in your formation paperwork, there are several reasons for why you may need to change the registered agent for your LLC in Arkansas.
Your registered agent could be moving out of state, or they could be a former co-owner or employee who no longer works for your organization. Maybe you want to switch from an individual registered agent to a professional service that operates in all 50 states, or perhaps you’re simply unsatisfied with your current registered agent’s service.
Whatever the reason may be, each state allows you to change your registered agent at any time, and in most states the process is both simple and inexpensive. Let’s dive into the specifics of how to change your LLC’s registered agent in Arkansas.
NOTE: If you need help changing registered agents, the same services that are known for offering top rated LLC formation services — like LegalZoom and Zen Business — can also take over registered agent duties and file the needed paperwork.
Who Can Be a Registered Agent in Arkansas?
An Arkansas registered agent is a person or business entity that has a physical address in the state. You or one of your co-owners can serve as your own registered agent, you can designate a friend or family member for this role, you can hire a lawyer or accountant as your agent, or you can hire an online business services company to provide registered agent service.
No matter who you choose to be your registered agent, they need to be physically present at the address provided to the state during all standard business hours. This person or entity does not need to have any prior experience being a registered agent, but it’s wise to choose a registered agent who is familiar with the serious responsibilities that come with this role.
The state of Arkansas does not have a minimum age to serve as a registered agent. You can find some specific information on the Secretary of State’s website regarding the role of the registered agent for Arkansas businesses:
“The registered agent is the ‘mailbox’ for the corporation. He or she is the person or entity designated by the corporation to receive any service of legal action or other official communication on its behalf. The registered agent may or may not be an owner, shareholder, or officer of the corporation. Many corporations use their attorney or a professional corporate service company for this service. The registered agent’s address must be a street address in Arkansas, and the agent must be located at that address.”
For more general information regarding the role of a registered agent with an Arkansas LLC, we encourage you to check out our full guide on the topic.
What Is the Procedure for Changing Your LLC Registered Agent in Arkansas?
While the role of the registered agent is vitally important for any American business entity, this role can always be changed, and there are different rules for how to change your agent depending on which state your business operates in.
In Arkansas, an LLC may change its registered agent by filing a Notice of Change form with the Secretary of State. Domestic LLCs are also allowed to change agents by amending their articles of organization, although this option is not available for foreign LLCs.
Option 1) Filing a Notice of Change Form
LLCs represented by commercial registered agents can file the Notice of Change of Commercial Registered Agent Information form. LLCs represented by noncommercial registered agents can file the Notice of Change of Registered Agent Information form. There is no fee to file these forms, and they can be filed online, in person, or via mail.
Processing Times
The standard processing time for a Notice of Change form in Arkansas is “within two business days of receipt.” If you file your forms in person, the Secretary of State can often complete the filing while you wait.
Option 2) Filing an Amendment to the Articles of Organization
Arkansas also allows domestic LLCs to change their registered agent by filing a Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Organization form, although foreign LLCs cannot change their registered agent in this manner. There is a $25 fee to file this form.
Processing Times
The processing time for this amendment is the same as the turnaround time for a Notice of Change form.
Prefer to Have a Registered Agent Service Handle Your Requirements?
A registered agent service is a company that specializes in being a registered agent for a wide variety of businesses across the country, bringing tons of expertise and a healthy dose of reliability to the role.
Most professional registered agent services operate on a national basis, meaning there’s no restrictions on which states you can operate your business in. They also tend to charge affordable rates, as you can find several registered agent services that charge around $10/month or even less for this service. In addition, most of these companies will also offer to handle the process of changing a registered agent for you.
If you’re interested in this option, we highly recommend Northwest Registered Agent.
The Law for Changing Your LLC Registered Agent in Arkansas
It’s always important to be well-informed regarding the specific laws for changing your registered agent. In Arkansas, the laws do not vary by entity type or classification.
According to Title 4, Chapter 20 of the Arkansas Code, a business entity operating in the state can change its registered agent by filing a statement with the Secretary of State that states:
- “the name of the entity; and
- the information that is to be in effect as a result of the filing of the statement of change.”
Domestic entities do not need approval from the company’s “interest holders or governors” to make this change, and the appointment of a new registered agent by filing such a statement implies that the agent has consented to serve in this position.
Conclusion
If you operate a limited liability company in the state of Arkansas, you need to designate a registered agent to receive important government document deliveries on your behalf. If you decide at any time that you would rather change your registered agent to a different individual or business entity, it’s important to know what that process looks like.
In Arkansas, an LLC can change its registered agent by filing a Notice of Change form, or by amending its articles of organization. Both are relatively simple procedures with reasonable filing fees, but if you’d rather have a registered agent service handle this task for you, you certainly have that option.
We hope this article helped you improve your understanding of changing a registered agent in Arkansas, and as always we thank you for choosing Registered Agent Ready!