diff --git a/arch/arc/CMakeLists.txt b/arch/arc/CMakeLists.txt
index 6edd56adfda..a42cfb6ff94 100644
--- a/arch/arc/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/arch/arc/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -10,5 +10,4 @@ zephyr_cc_option(-fno-delete-null-pointer-checks)
 
 zephyr_cc_option_ifdef (CONFIG_LTO         -flto)
 
-add_subdirectory(soc/${SOC_PATH})
 add_subdirectory(core)
diff --git a/arch/arc/Kconfig b/arch/arc/Kconfig
index fef216e6710..adc720d83c7 100644
--- a/arch/arc/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/arc/Kconfig
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ choice
 	prompt "ARC SoC Selection"
 	depends on ARC
 
-	source "arch/arc/soc/*/Kconfig.soc"
+	source "soc/arc/*/Kconfig.soc"
 endchoice
 
 
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ menu "ARC Options"
 
 # Include these first so that any properties (e.g. defaults) below can be
 # overriden (by defining symbols in multiple locations)
-source "arch/arc/soc/*/Kconfig"
+source "soc/arc/*/Kconfig"
 
 config ARCH
 	default "arc"
diff --git a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/doc/board.rst b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/doc/board.rst
index 0e51c902886..a8624eb2d08 100644
--- a/boards/arc/em_starterkit/doc/board.rst
+++ b/boards/arc/em_starterkit/doc/board.rst
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ The default SoC for this board supported in Zephyr is the EM9D.
 This configuration is a Harvard Architecture, with a separate
 instruction bus and data bus. Instruction memory is called ICCM
 and data memory is called DCCM. The configuration file for EM9D
-is found in :file:`arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d`.
+is found in :file:`soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d`.
 
 If you have a larger program, you can select the EM7D or EM11D, which gives
 access to 128KB DRAM with i-cache and d-cache. The configuration file for EM7D
-is found in :file:`arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d` and EM11D is
-found in :file:`arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d`.
+is found in :file:`soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d` and EM11D is
+found in :file:`soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d`.
 
 
 Hardware
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/CMakeLists.txt b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/CMakeLists.txt
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.defconfig
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.soc b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.soc
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.soc
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/Kconfig.soc
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/dts.fixup b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/dts.fixup
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/dts.fixup
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/dts.fixup
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/linker.ld b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/linker.ld
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/linker.ld
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/linker.ld
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/power.c b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/power.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/power.c
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/power.c
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.c b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.c
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.c
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.h b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.h
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.h
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc.h
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_config.c b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_config.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_config.c
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_config.c
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.S b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.S
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.S
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.S
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.h b/soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.h
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.h
rename to soc/arc/quark_se_c1000_ss/soc_power.h
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/CMakeLists.txt b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/CMakeLists.txt
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig
similarity index 56%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig
index 46628e34c91..c7b0de50060 100644
--- a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ config SOC
 	string
 	default "snps_emsk"
 
-source "arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d"
-source "arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d"
-source "arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d"
+source "soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d"
+source "soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d"
+source "soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d"
 
 endif #SOC_EMSK
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em11d
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em7d
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.defconfig.em9d
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.soc b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.soc
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.soc
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/Kconfig.soc
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/dts.fixup b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/dts.fixup
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/dts.fixup
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/dts.fixup
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/linker.ld b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/linker.ld
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/linker.ld
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/linker.ld
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/soc.c b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/soc.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/soc.c
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/soc.c
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/soc.h b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/soc.h
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/soc.h
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/soc.h
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/soc_config.c b/soc/arc/snps_emsk/soc_config.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_emsk/soc_config.c
rename to soc/arc/snps_emsk/soc_config.c
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/CMakeLists.txt
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig
similarity index 68%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig
index 8fdeb6cdab8..1df7591992a 100644
--- a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ config UART_CONSOLE_ON_DEV_NAME
 	string
 	default "UART_0"
 
-source "arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.em"
-source "arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.sem"
+source "soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.em"
+source "soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.sem"
 
 endif #SOC_NSIM
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.em b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.em
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.em
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.em
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.sem b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.sem
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.sem
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.defconfig.sem
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.soc b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.soc
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.soc
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/Kconfig.soc
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/dts.fixup b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/dts.fixup
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/dts.fixup
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/dts.fixup
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/linker.ld b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/linker.ld
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/linker.ld
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/linker.ld
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/soc.c b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/soc.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/soc.c
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/soc.c
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/soc.h b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/soc.h
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/soc.h
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/soc.h
diff --git a/arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/soc_config.c b/soc/arc/snps_nsim/soc_config.c
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/arc/soc/snps_nsim/soc_config.c
rename to soc/arc/snps_nsim/soc_config.c