Arizona does not use its Secretary of State for company records. The Arizona Corporation Commission, a body of five elected commissioners, runs a Corporations Division that forms LLCs and corporations, keeps their records and issues certificates. Its online portal is Arizona Business Center, which took over from eCorp in January.
Two points set Arizona apart. LLCs never file an annual report with the Commission, so their yearly state cost at the Commission is zero. And every main filing has two prices, a regular one and an expedited one, so read the fee you pick with care.
Arizona Corporation Commission business search
Searching for corporations and LLCs runs on Arizona Business Center. The same portal is where you reserve a name, so a search doubles as your first name check. Keep the Commission's own notice in mind: a record only shows that an entity exists in Arizona records.
| Official business search | arizonabusinesscenter.azcc.gov (azcc.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Name availability check | arizonabusinesscenter.azcc.gov (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| What a result means | Not rated or endorsed by the state (azcc.gov, checked ) |
Being on file is not a license or an accreditation. When you vet a company, treat the search as a starting point.
Arizona status words
"Active" means current and compliant. "Pending Inactive" is a warning stage for a corporation that missed its report. "Administratively Dissolved" follows a failed statutory duty, such as not filing the annual report or not keeping a statutory agent.
| Status shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active | Current and compliant. |
| Pending Inactive | Corporation missed the annual report deadline and received a delinquency notice. |
| Administratively Dissolved | Entity failed a statutory requirement such as the annual report or keeping a statutory agent. |
| Delinquent | Outstanding filing obligations or fees. |
Status wording from azcc.gov, checked .
Arizona filing fees
Articles of Organization for an LLC cost $50, or $85 expedited. For-profit Articles of Incorporation are $60, or $95 expedited. A nonprofit pays $40, and an out-of-state LLC files a Foreign Registration Statement for $150.
| Form an LLC | $50 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $60 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $40 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $150 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $10 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Annual or biennial report | LLC: $0; for profit corp: $45; nonprofit corp: $10 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $10 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing | Expedited review adds $35 per filing. Accelerated services: 2-hour $400 (8am to 3pm), same day $200 (received before 10am, done by 5pm), next day $100 (received before 5pm, done by 5pm next business day). (azcc.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Arizona. State fees are separate.
Expedited review adds $35 per filing. For real speed the Commission sells faster tiers: next day for $100, same day for $200, and two hours for $400. Regular processing runs about 14 to 16 days, and current wait times are posted on the portal.
Annual reports: corporations only
Arizona LLCs have no annual report at the Commission. Corporations do. A for-profit corporation pays $45, or $80 expedited, while a nonprofit pays $10. The due date differs from company to company and appears in the online account.
The fee, the due date, late penalties and the filing steps are in our Arizona annual report guide.
A late for-profit corporation pays $9 per month. Its status turns Pending Inactive, and dissolution comes about 120 days after that. See our annual report deadlines by state for a side by side view.
Choosing a name in Arizona
An Arizona LLC name needs limited liability company, limited company, L.L.C., LLC, L.C. or LC, in upper or lower case, under A.R.S. 29-3112. The same section keeps words like association and corporation out of LLC names, and allows bank or trust only for companies in that business.
| LLC name must include | limited liability company, limited company, L.L.C., LLC, L.C., LC (upper or lower case) (azleg.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Corporation name must include | association, bank, company, corporation, limited, incorporated, or an abbreviation of one (azleg.gov, checked ) |
| Words that are limited | LLC names may not contain association, corporation, incorporated or abbreviations; bank, deposit, credit union, trust or trust company only if actually in that business (azleg.gov, checked ) |
| How different a name must be | A corporate name shall be distinguishable from the names of other corporations, foreign corporations authorised in Arizona, LLCs, partnerships and other listed entities, with exceptions for written consent or court judgment (A.R.S. 10-401). LLC names: distinguishable on the records from unavailable names (A.R.S. 29-3112). (azleg.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation fee | $10 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | Up to 120 days, not renewable (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | arizonabusinesscenter.azcc.gov (azcc.gov, checked ) |
A reservation costs $10, or $45 expedited, and lasts up to 120 days. It cannot be renewed, so file your articles inside that window.
Arizona statutory agent
Arizona calls the registered agent a statutory agent.
Every corporation and LLC must appoint and maintain a statutory agent at all times. Agent must be an Arizona resident aged 18 or over, or an authorised business with a physical Arizona address. (azcc.gov, checked )
The agent must have a physical Arizona address. A post office box alone will not meet that rule.
Arizona Certificate of Good Standing
The Commission issues a Certificate of Good Standing for $10, ready in about 7 to 10 business days, or for $45 expedited. Good standing here means only that the entity meets its filing requirements today.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our Arizona good standing guide.
DBAs in Arizona
Contact the Corporations Division
| Office | Arizona Corporation Commission (azcc.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Corporations Division (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Five elected commissioners: Chair Nick Myers, Vice Chair Rachel Walden, Lea Marquez Peterson, Kevin Thompson, Rene Lopez (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | 602-542-3026 (Call Center) (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | 1300 W. Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007 (azcc.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | 1300 W. Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007 (Tucson office: 400 W. Congress Street, Tucson, AZ 85701) (azcc.gov, checked ) |
The Call Center number is 602-542-3026, and callers inside Arizona can use 1-800-345-5819. The division also has a Tucson office at 400 W. Congress Street. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:55 p.m. Some filings also need newspaper publication depending on the county, so ask about it when you form.
Sources
- www.azcc.gov/corporations/home: office name, division, officeholder, mailing address, street address, phone, contact page, business search, name check. Checked .
- azcc.gov/corporations/notices: hours, search disclaimer. Checked .
- www.azleg.gov/ars/29/03112.htm: LLC name endings, restricted words. Checked .
- www.azleg.gov/ars/10/00401.htm: corporation name endings, name rule. Checked .
- azcc.gov/docs/default-source/corps-files/fee-schedules/fee-schedule-llcs.pdf: name reservation fee, LLC filing fee, foreign LLC fee, expedite fees, certificate fee. Checked .
- azcc.gov/faqs/BusinessServicesFAQs: name reservation term, name reservation form, report fee, registered agent rule, status terms. Checked .
- azcc.gov/docs/default-source/corps-files/fee-schedules/fee-schedule-corporations6def4cc74b1a47129d16c2b1c3851bda.pdf?sfvrsn=2d6fbddb_4: corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee. Checked .