Plant Industries

Serving the citizens of Arkansas and the agricultural and business communities by providing information and unbiased enforcement of laws and regulations set by the Arkansas State Plant Board

Licensing

Obtaining a Seedman's License

A seedsman's license is required for any person who sells, offers for sale or distributes agricultural (1)  seed for planting purposes within or into Arkansas.

  1. Agricultural seed includes the seeds of grass, forage, cereal, and fiber crops and any other kinds of seeds commonly recognized within this state as agricultural seeds and mixtures of these seeds. It also includes garden and lima bean, spinach, mustard, turnip and garden pea seed when in containers of 25 lbs. or more.

A seedsman's license is purchased annually and covers the period of July 1st through June 30th. The fee is $250.00 plus $0.10 per hundred pounds of seed sold for planting purposes within or into the state. Quarterly Seed Reports and fees due based on pounds sold are filed with the State Plant Board no later than 30 days following the end of each quarter.

Application for securing a license and copies of the regulations may be obtained from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Seed Section.

For Industrial Hemp Seed Dealer/Labeler Licenses, you must also participate in your state's industrial hemp program and you must provide documentation of that participation.  This includes sales of industrial hemp seed or propagules.  Propagule shipments must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate or documentation of participation in your state's nurseryman's license program (or equivalent program), to ensure transported materials are free from injurious pests and diseases. NOTICE:  If you are purchasing an Arkansas Seed Dealer License with the intent to distribute Hemp seed into Arkansas the Arkansas Seed Dealer’s License name must match the shippers state hemp license name.  Seed/Propagule requests that do not match will not be approved. 

Click here to view the Arkansas Hemp Seed Dealing Requirements.

Seedsman's LicenseFee
Company or Individual$250.00 + $0.10 per 100 lbs.
Subsidiary location of same name (selling field crop seed within or into AR) (2)$250.00 registration fee
Subsidiary locations with a different name that sell agricultural planting seed into AR must have a separate license.(3)$250.00 + 0.10 per 100 lbs.
  1. Companies with subsidiaries with the same name may use their license to cover more than one location provided they have the ability to report seed sales into or within Arkansas for each location and accept responsibility for any fees or violations made at each location; however, companies with subsidiary locations that sell within or into Arkansas, agricultural seed for planting field crops such as rice, soybeans, and small grains, etc., must register each location and pay required registration fees.
  2. Companies with subsidiaries with different names must have a separate license for each name (if seed labeled from that location is distributed into or within Arkansas).Contact us: [email protected]

Contact us: [email protected]