Arkansas Form RN-06 is the one-page application that reserves an LLC name with the Secretary of State for 120 days. The fee is $25, and you can file it online through the Business and Commercial Services portal or mail it to the division’s Little Rock office.1Arkansas Secretary of State. Application for Reservation of Entity Name The form itself is short. Most of the work happens before you fill it out, because a name that violates Arkansas’s rules or duplicates an existing entity gets rejected, and the $25 is not refunded.
Check the Name Before You File
Run a free search on the Secretary of State’s entity database at sos-corp-search.ark.org.2Arkansas Secretary of State. Search Incorporations, Cooperatives, Banks and Insurance Companies Look for exact matches and for names close enough to cause confusion. The Secretary of State will reject anything that isn’t clearly distinguishable from an entity already on file, and the database covers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and foreign entities, so a name can be blocked by any of them.3Justia. Arkansas Code 4-32-103 – Name
Required LLC Designator
Every Arkansas LLC name must contain a designator. Acceptable versions are “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Company,” “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “LC,” or “L.C.” You can abbreviate “Limited” as “Ltd.” and “Company” as “Co.”4Justia. Arkansas Code 4-38-112 – Permitted Names Whichever version you pick, write it on the form exactly as it should appear in your entity name. Leaving the designator off is one of the easiest ways to lose the filing fee.
Words That Need Outside Approval
Some words trigger extra approval requirements from Arkansas licensing boards, and you need those letters in hand before you file:5Arkansas Secretary of State. Name Availability Guidelines
- “Bank” or “Trust” requires a letter of approval from the Arkansas State Bank Department.
- “Engineer” or “Engineering” requires a certificate of authorization or eligibility letter from the State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Professional Surveyors.
- A medical or dental practice needs a certificate of registration from the Arkansas State Medical Board and must comply with the Medical Corporation Act or Dental Corporation Act.
- Insurance companies must get permission from the Arkansas Insurance Department before forming.
- “Razorback(s)” or “Arkansas Razorback(s)” requires a letter of approval from the University of Arkansas System.
Attach the approval letter to your RN-06 to avoid an outright rejection.
Filling Out the Form
Download the current version (revised December 2024) from the Secretary of State’s website.1Arkansas Secretary of State. Application for Reservation of Entity Name Four pieces of information plus a signature:
- Proposed entity name. Write the full name including the LLC designator, exactly as you want it recorded.
- Applicant name. Your full legal name if you’re an individual, or the entity name if a business is reserving the name.
- Mailing address. A complete address where the Secretary of State can send approval or rejection notices.
- Date and signature of the applicant or an authorized representative.
If you’re filing on paper, print clearly. Illegible handwriting slows a filing that should take minutes.
How to Submit and Pay
Online
The Business and Commercial Services division runs an online portal at bcs.sos.arkansas.gov. Online submissions are processed faster than mailed forms and give you immediate confirmation of receipt. Pay the $25 fee electronically during submission.1Arkansas Secretary of State. Application for Reservation of Entity Name
By Mail
Send the completed Form RN-06 with a check or money order for $25 payable to the Arkansas Secretary of State. The address printed on the current form is:
Secretary of State’s Business and Commercial Services Division
500 Woodlane Avenue, Suite 256
Little Rock, Arkansas 722011Arkansas Secretary of State. Application for Reservation of Entity Name
Confirm the address on the current PDF before mailing. The office has moved in recent years.
What the Reservation Gives You
Once approved, the name is held for you for 120 days from the filing date.6Justia. Arkansas Code 4-32-104 – Reservation of Name No one else can register that name or reserve it during the window. Use the time to finalize your operating agreement, secure a registered agent, and prepare your articles of organization.
If you need more time, Arkansas allows two additional 120-day renewals, for a potential total of 360 days. Each renewal runs from the date of the first renewal rather than the original filing date.7Justia. Arkansas Code 4-32-104 – Reservation of Name Let all three periods lapse and the name goes back into the pool.
You can also transfer a reserved name to someone else. File a signed notice with the Secretary of State identifying the name and the new holder’s name and address. The transfer doesn’t reset the clock: the new holder inherits whatever time remains on the original 120-day period.7Justia. Arkansas Code 4-32-104 – Reservation of Name This is useful when partners shift roles during formation or when a professional organizer files on behalf of a client.
What a Reservation Does Not Do
An RN-06 reservation blocks another business entity from registering the same name in Arkansas. It does not give you trademark rights and won’t stop someone from using a similar name in commerce if they haven’t registered it as an entity. If brand protection matters, search the state’s trademark registry separately and consider a state or federal trademark application.8Arkansas.gov. Registered Trademark Search