Jane Haskins practiced law for 20 years, representing small businesses in startup, dissolution, business transactions and litigation. She has written hundreds of articles on legal, intellectual property and tax issues affecting small businesses.
Jane Haskins, J.D. ContributorJane Haskins practiced law for 20 years, representing small businesses in startup, dissolution, business transactions and litigation. She has written hundreds of articles on legal, intellectual property and tax issues affecting small businesses.
Written By Jane Haskins, J.D. ContributorJane Haskins practiced law for 20 years, representing small businesses in startup, dissolution, business transactions and litigation. She has written hundreds of articles on legal, intellectual property and tax issues affecting small businesses.
Jane Haskins, J.D. ContributorJane Haskins practiced law for 20 years, representing small businesses in startup, dissolution, business transactions and litigation. She has written hundreds of articles on legal, intellectual property and tax issues affecting small businesses.
Contributor Chauncey Crail ContributorChauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.
Chauncey Crail ContributorChauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.
Written By Chauncey Crail ContributorChauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.
Chauncey Crail ContributorChauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tracto.
Contributor Kelly Main Staff ReviewerKelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist c.
Kelly Main Staff ReviewerKelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist c.
Kelly Main Staff ReviewerKelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist c.
Kelly Main Staff ReviewerKelly Main is a Marketing Editor and Writer specializing in digital marketing, online advertising and web design and development. Before joining the team, she was a Content Producer at Fit Small Business where she served as an editor and strategist c.
Updated: Feb 13, 2024, 8:53pm
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Business licenses allow your company to operate within the city or state where you do business. Some business licenses are general and can easily be obtained by filling out a form. Others are specific to your profession or industry and may come with many more requirements. The process of obtaining an Arkansas business license can be complex. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a guide on how to get a business license in Arkansas.
Along with many states, Arkansas does not require every business to obtain a generic business license at the state level. The only statewide permit or license applicable to most businesses is the Arkansas sales tax permit, often called a seller’s permit, which registers your business for the Arkansas sales and use tax.
At the local level, city and/or county governments in Arkansas may require general business licenses but this depends on the local municipality. There may also be specialized business licenses required on the local, state or federal level for certain professions or industries your business may be engaged in or operating within.
Arkansas businesses may be required to obtain a few different business licenses or permits to legally operate in the state. Any business operating within Arkansas intending to sell or lease tangible property or taxable services ordinarily subject to sales and use tax must obtain an Arkansas sales tax permit so it may collect the appropriate tax on its sales. Any business located outside of Arkansas making annual sales greater than $100,000 or 200 transactions within the state must also obtain a sales tax permit and register as a remote seller.
Most cities in Arkansas require businesses to obtain a general business operating license, sometimes called a business license, to legally operate within city limits. For example, both the cities of Little Rock and Fayetteville (the two largest cities by population in the state) require business licenses for all businesses. On the state level, Arkansas requires licenses for a number of different specialized occupations including various health and safety, food service and construction-related businesses.
Finally, your business may need to obtain federal licensing to operate legally. Though federal licenses are rarer, they are required for businesses dealing in some industries that are regulated by the federal government.
