Secretary of State Cole Jester Announces Business & Commercial Services Milestone

(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) - Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester is pleased to announce his office has reduced wait times for new business filings by over 90% in the last six months. Previously, the turnaround time to start a new business averaged over 14 days. The office is now processing business filings in one day or less. For many Arkansans, they now will be able to start a business the very same day they file. The updated timeline will impact a widespread number of business and commercial processes, including new and current business filings, charitable organization and nonprofit filings, notary certifications and other specialized services, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filings and services, international document authentication, and other various forms of business. "I am proud of the hard work of my Business Services team,” said Secretary of State Cole Jester. “We have fought to put our customer - the taxpayer - first. We have to be a pro-business state and this is a powerful step forward. Businesses - not government - will make our state’s economy flourish.” About Arkansas Business & Commercial Services: The Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division provides a wide range of services to individuals and companies doing business within Arkansas, whether they’re based inside the state or elsewhere. The BCS division combines several departments under one convenient umbrella to streamline customer service. BCS is Arkansas’s starting point for people wishing to transact business in the state. Consumers can search for an available name for their company as well as file appropriate documents for their business. BCS also records trademarks, files notary public certifications, issues Authentication of Documents and Apostilles, and records Uniform Commercial Code Filings. For more information, you may visit the BCS office in the Victory Building at 1401 W. Capitol Avenue, Suite 250 in Little Rock, or in the Today's Bank Building at 300 North College, Suite 201F in Fayetteville, by phone at 501-682-3409 or by email at corprequest@sos.arkansas.gov. If your question is concerning UCC filings please email us at ucc@sos.arkansas.gov.