Business licenses and permits in Arkansas

What applies everywhere in Arkansas

17 requirements are set by Arkansas itself and apply whichever city you open in. Local permits sit on top of them.

Sources

Every statewide figure above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

1. Arkansas Code section 26-54-104 — the three franchise tax formulas by entity typeState of Arkansas · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
2. Arkansas Secretary of State — corporation formation fee scheduleArkansas Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
3. Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration — sales tax permit registration, $50 feeArkansas Department of Finance and Administration · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
4. Arkansas Code of Rules 023.00.15, rule 16 — barber shop registration feesArkansas State Board of Barber Examiners · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
5. Arkansas Secretary of State — LLC formation fee scheduleArkansas Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
6. Arkansas Department of Health — food protection FAQ, the certified food protection manager requirement effective 7 September 2019Arkansas Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
7. Arkansas Code of Rules 016.22.02, rule 3 — child care centre license fees by capacityArkansas Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
8. Arkansas Code section 17-25-103 — the $50,000 commercial contractor licensing threshold and penaltiesState of Arkansas · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
9. Arkansas Department of Health — cosmetology establishment fee scheduleArkansas Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
10. Arkansas Board of Electrical Examiners administrative rules — license fee scheduleArkansas Board of Electrical Examiners · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
11. Arkansas Code section 20-57-204 — food service establishment permit feesState of Arkansas · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
12. Arkansas Secretary of State — business services FAQ, describing licensing as board-by-board rather than a single general licenseArkansas Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
13. Arkansas Code section 17-25-513 — the $2,000 home improvement registration thresholdState of Arkansas · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
14. Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board rules — license fee schedule by classArkansas HVACR Licensing Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
15. Arkansas Code of Rules 007.04.19, rule 8 — plumbing license fee scheduleArkansas Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
16. Arkansas Code of Rules 209.01.24, rule 2 — the complete veterinary fee schedule, with no premises permit lineArkansas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04

Which Arkansas city are you opening in?

• Little Rock, ARLittle Rock has a genuine general business license — the City's own documents call it a 'privilege' license, the same term other Arkansas cities use — but it is priced through roughly 230 separate trade classifications under Municipal Code Chapter 17, Article II (Business Tax) rather than one flat fee. Food-establishment permitting is handled directly by the Arkansas Department of Health through its own local field office (the Pulaski County Health Unit), not by an independent county health department, so no separate city-level food permit is recorded here on top of the state layer. A single current ordinance (No. 22,204, 2022) prices building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits and Certificates of Occupancy; a separate ordinance (No. 21,676, 2018) prices zoning and site-plan filings.15 published records
• Fort Smith, ARFort Smith lies within Sebastian County: the Arkansas Department of Health's 'Sebastian County Health Unit - Ft. Smith' directory entry lists 'Counties Served: Sebastian'. The City requires a general Business License under Code of Ordinances ch. 13, art. 3 (Occupational Registration), priced by whether a business has a physical location, is home-based, is temporary or is a mobile food truck rather than by named trade, and its Utility Department requires a FOG (fats, oils and grease) wastewater discharge permit of food-service facilities under Ordinance 89-16. Food-establishment permitting is handled by the Arkansas Department of Health through its Sebastian County Health Unit and is recorded at the state layer. Building and sign permit fees are set in Code of Ordinances ch. 6, art. II, Sec. 6-30, which the City's Building Permit Fee Schedule Information page links as its building permit fee schedule.12 published records
• Fayetteville, ARFayetteville has a genuine general Business License, but — unlike Little Rock's roughly 230 trade classifications — it is priced by only three premises categories (Home Based, Non-Home Based/Commercial, Short-Term Rental) under Unified Development Code Chapter 118. Food-establishment permitting is handled directly by the Arkansas Department of Health through its own local field office (the Washington County Local Health Unit), not by an independent county health department, so no separate city-level food permit is recorded here on top of the state layer. A city-wide fee-alignment ordinance effective June 20, 2026 raised many Development Services fees; figures below are taken from the City's current live fee schedule rather than older, superseded PDFs.10 published records
• Pulaski County, ARPulaski County, Arkansas, seat Little Rock; population 401,209 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county's business-facing permits concern land and roads outside city limits. Pulaski County Planning and Development reviews site plans for non-residential development and expansions in unincorporated areas under the Subdivision and Development Code, issues floodplain development permits under Ordinance 15-OR-23, assigns 911 addresses under Ordinance 25-OR-46, and administers the Lake Maumelle Watershed Zoning Code inside that watershed; the Road and Bridge Department issues driveway connection and road-cut permits on county roads under Code § 15-4. Stormwater Management Ordinance 07-OR-71 governs land disturbance inside the urbanized area mapped in its Appendix B. The county Health Department page states that "Pulaski County Community Services works in partnership with the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)" and lists three ADH Pulaski County Health Units. The U.S. Census Bureau 2020 place-by-county file lists eight incorporated cities in Pulaski County: Alexander (which extends into Saline County), Cammack Village, Jacksonville, Little Rock, Maumelle, North Little Rock, Sherwood and Wrightsville. Each city runs its own business license, building permit and zoning programs, which stack on these county records for a business inside its limits.7 published records
• Faulkner County, ARFaulkner County, Arkansas, seat Conway; population 131,611 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The county-level permits for a business in unincorporated Faulkner County come from two offices. The Faulkner County Office of Emergency Management (OEM/911) handles floodplain development permits under the Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance (Ord. 19-06, approved March 19, 2019), 911 address assignment and hazardous materials registration under Code of Ordinances §920.00. The County Judge's Office issues permits for driveways, entrances, utility lines and other work on county roads (Code §1200.04), heavy haul special use permits and bonds (Ord. 08-11) and road improvement permits. The county floodplain page states that "Faulkner County OEM/911 manages floodplain permitting for all areas outside the city limits of Conway, Mayflower, Wooster, Vilonia, and Greenbrier. If your property is located within one of these cities, you must contact that city directly for permitting before starting any work." The county OEM 911 Addressing page states that OEM assigns 911 addresses "throughout Faulkner County, except within the city limits of Conway", and adds: "Please note that the county does not issue Certificates of Occupancy." The Faulkner County Code of Ordinances is published on Municode, which shows the codification as current through December 7, 2021. The U.S. Census Bureau's 2020 place list names these incorporated places in Faulkner County: the cities of Conway, Greenbrier, Guy, Holland, Mayflower and Vilonia; the towns of Enola, Mount Vernon, Twin Groves and Wooster; the town of Damascus, which also extends into Van Buren County; and the city of Quitman, which also extends into Cleburne County. A business inside one of these cities or towns also deals with that municipality's own licensing and permitting, which stacks on these county records. Food service, mobile food, onsite sewage, childcare and alcohol licensing are state programs listed on the Arkansas state page.6 published records
• Washington County, ARWashington County, Arkansas, seat Fayetteville; population 266,184 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). Land use outside city limits is governed by Ordinance 2025-044, The Freedom and Property Preservation Zoning Act of Washington County, adopted 8-21-2025. The county Planning page states that the designated zoning for the entirety of the county's parcels is "Agricultural/Single-Family Residential, one (1) unit per acre", and answers the question of what permits a business needs with: "The majority of the unincorporated part of Washington County is zoned for Agricultural and Single Family uses by right. All other uses can be allowed via the Conditional Use Permit process." Conditional uses are heard by the Planning Board / Zoning Board of Adjustment and ratified by the Quorum Court by ordinance; sites of one acre or more also go through Large Scale Development review, and development in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area needs a Floodplain Development Permit. The Planning page adds that "other rules and regulations may still apply to your property, including but not limited to floodplain permits, additional dwelling/residential units, any type of commercial use, subdivision, or large-scale development." Food service, on-site wastewater and alcohol are licensed through Arkansas state programs. The Planning Office's city contact page lists the county's 13 incorporated cities and towns: Elkins, Elm Springs, Farmington, Fayetteville, Goshen, Greenland, Johnson, Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Springdale, Tontitown, West Fork and Winslow. The county's building information sheet tells owners of property within city limits to contact that city; each city's own business licensing, permits and zoning stack on these records for a business inside its limits.5 published records
• Saline County, ARSaline County, Arkansas, seat Benton; population 131,252 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). The Saline County Planning Board administers the Saline County Subdivision Rules and Regulations (approved April 15, 2019 by Ordinance 2019-11; revised by Ordinances 2022-12 and 2023-11), whose Section 19 covers commercial, office, industrial, mixed-use and multi-family development, including the leasing or renting of land or structures for it. The rules apply in the county's territorial jurisdiction, defined in §2.2.33 as land outside the incorporated areas and outside any city's extraterritorial planning jurisdiction. Filing fees are those of Ordinance No. 2003-02, printed in the current rules. The Saline County Road Department, which shares its 5555 Cynamide Road office with the Planning Board, handles work in county road easements under Ordinance 2024-19 (adopted August 19, 2024), and its Engineering Department runs the county stormwater program. The incorporated cities and towns are Alexander (which extends into Pulaski County), Bauxite, Benton, Bryant, Haskell, Shannon Hills and Traskwood. Each sets its own business licensing, permit and planning requirements, which apply in addition to these county records for a business inside its limits or planning jurisdiction.3 published records

Is there a single Arkansas business license?

Who issues permits in Arkansas?

• Arkansas Department of Health, Food Protection ProgramFood establishment permits · Cosmetology salon licensing · Plumbing licensing4 permits
• Arkansas Secretary of State, Business and Commercial Services DivisionEntity formation · Annual franchise tax reports4 permits
• Arkansas Contractors Licensing BoardCommercial contractor licensing · Home improvement registration2 permits
• Arkansas Department of Finance and AdministrationSales and use tax permits2 permits
• Arkansas Board of Electrical ExaminersElectrical licensing1 permit
• Arkansas Division of Child Care and Early Childhood EducationChild care centre licensing1 permit
• Arkansas HVACR Licensing BoardHVAC and refrigeration contractor licensing1 permit
• Arkansas State Board of Barber ExaminersBarber shop registration1 permit
• Arkansas State Board of Veterinary Medical ExaminersVeterinarian licensing · Corporate practice registration1 permit

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