Arkansas Registered Agent
Contents
[ show ]
What Is an Arkansas Registered Agent?
A registered agent is a point of contact between a business and the state the business operates in. Registered agents are also sometimes called resident agents or statutory agents. They receive all communication from the state of Arkansas on a business’s behalf. This includes service of process should the company be part of a lawsuit. It is required by law for businesses in Arkansas to have a registered agent. Most businesses elect their registered agent upon formation, but it is possible for businesses to change their registered agent if they aren’t happy with the service they’re receiving or if they are acting as their own registered agent but would like to hire someone. Registered agents are required by law because they ensure that a business receives correspondence. This leaves no room for confusion or excuses for why a business didn’t meet a deadline. It’s all about accountability and efficiency.What Are the Requirements To Be a Registered Agent in Arkansas?
Almost anyone can be a registered agent because the requirements are not strict. You only have to be 18 or older, have a street address in Arkansas, and maintain regular business hours. This means that you can be the registered agent for your business if you want to. You could also have a friend or family member, co-owner, or employee act as your registered agent. Of course, there are some reasons that you may prefer to hire a registered agent, which we will talk about in the next section.Why Businesses Need an Arkansas Registered Agent
![woman sits at a desk sorting through mail](https://businessnerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/woman-sits-at-a-desk-sorting-through-mail.jpg)
Compliance
Registered agents help companies meet important deadlines by maintaining a compliance calendar and sending reminders. One such deadline is that of annual reports. Should a company be involved in a lawsuit, it’s also important that they respond to service of process in a timely manner. When companies don’t meet these deadlines, they lose their good standing with the state. This puts businesses at risk of losing certain protections such as limited liability. Companies may also have to pay fees for missing deadlines. A registered agent is invaluable because they keep track of all of these important compliance deadlines. In addition, their reminders ensure that you’re able to file important documents before they are due.Privacy
A registered agent’s address is public record and thus easy to access. Some people would prefer not to have their address made public, especially if they’re unable to use the location of their business as their address. If your business does have a location, it may not be the best place for legal mail to be sent. Should employees witness you receiving service of process, it would be not only embarrassing but bad for morale. Employing a registered agent to receive important documents on your behalf can help you avoid such situations.Online-Only Business
Not every business has a building. Online marketplaces are abundant and successful, and even office work can be done from home. If your business doesn’t have a building and you don’t want your own address on public record, then hiring a registered agent is the solution.Irregular Business Hours
One of the requirements to be a registered agent is to keep regular business hours. Even if you’d prefer to be the registered agent for your company, keeping regular hours isn’t always realistic. If you work irregular hours and can’t change them or don’t want to change them, then hiring a registered agent may be the best option.Organized Paperwork
Registered agents receive correspondence from the state, which means legal documents and a lot of paperwork. However, it’s part of their job to organize this paperwork and make it easy for you to access. It’s the norm for registered agents to scan and upload these documents to a server and keep them organized in different folders. Not only that, but registered agents have to keep track of important deadlines and send reminders. Though this is work that you could do yourself, it can often be a headache and add more stress to an already heavy workload. For this reason, many businesses prefer to hire a registered agent.Locations in Different States
If you have a large business that operates in different states, then you need a registered agent in each state. You can’t be the registered agent for more than one state, so even if you are your own registered agent in Arkansas, you’ll still have to hire others.What To Look for When Choosing an Arkansas Registered Agent
![man sits at desk with laptop and binder](https://businessnerd.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/man-sits-at-desk-with-laptop-and-binder.jpg)