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Starting an LLC in Arizona means filing articles of organization with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), not the Secretary of State. You’ll also need to appoint a statutory agent to receive legal notices and other official communications for the company.
Arizona also has a publication requirement that many states do not. After the ACC approves your articles, you may need to publish a notice of formation three consecutive times in a newspaper tied to your statutory agent’s county. This guide explains when that applies, what it costs, and what to do after your LLC is approved.
Key takeaways
- File articles of organization, Form L010, with the ACC.
- The standard filing fee is $50; expedited processing adds $35, and faster options are available for additional fees.
- Every Arizona LLC must maintain a statutory agent with an Arizona street address.
- Publication is generally required within 60 days after approval unless the ACC posts the notice for the relevant county.
- Arizona does not require a standard annual report for LLCs, but you still need to maintain your agent, address, tax registrations, licenses, and company records.
Step 1: Choose a name for your Arizona LLC
Your LLC name must be distinguishable from other business names on file with the ACC and must include an appropriate designator, such as “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Company,” “L.L.C.,” or “L.C.” Avoid names that imply a regulated or professional activity unless you have confirmed that any required approval is available.
How do you check Arizona LLC name availability?
Search the ACC’s business database before filing. A name that appears available in a search is not guaranteed to be approved, so it helps to keep alternatives available. LegalZoom’s name-checking tools can also help identify potential conflicts, but the ACC makes the final determination.
Can you reserve an Arizona LLC name?
Yes. Arizona name reservations generally cost $10 for standard processing or $45 for expedited processing and last 120 days. A reservation holds the name while you prepare your filing; it does not form the LLC or replace the articles of organization.
Do you need a trade name for your Arizona LLC?
A trade name, sometimes called a DBA, is separate from your LLC’s legal name. You may register one with the Arizona Secretary of State if you plan to operate under a different public-facing name. A trade name does not create an LLC or provide liability protection by itself.
Free Arizona Business Name Check
Starting a business? Use our free name check tool to check your business name against the Arizona Corporation Commission records.
By clicking "Check Availability," I agree to LegalZoom's Terms of Use. This search is a preliminary check of state databases and does not include variations or trademarks. Results do not guarantee name availability or compliance with legal requirements.
Step 2: Appoint an Arizona statutory agent
Arizona calls this role a statutory agent rather than a registered agent, and every Arizona LLC must continuously maintain an eligible statutory agent with an Arizona street address. The agent receives service of process, legal notices, and certain official communications.
An eligible agent may be an Arizona resident or an authorized domestic or foreign business entity. The LLC cannot serve as its own statutory agent. A post office box alone is not sufficient because the agent must have a physical Arizona street address where documents can be delivered.
Can the owner be the statutory agent?
Yes, if the owner meets Arizona’s eligibility and availability requirements. The owner’s name and address will become part of the public record, and the owner must be available at the listed address during ordinary business hours.
How do you change an Arizona statutory agent?
File the ACC’s Statement of Change of Principal Address or Statutory Agent. The regular filing fee is $5. Update the record promptly if the agent resigns, moves, or stops accepting documents.
Step 3: File your Arizona articles of organization
File Form L010 with the ACC online through eCorp, by mail, or in person. The filing identifies the LLC’s name, principal address, statutory agent, management structure, organizer, and required member or manager information.
Mail or in-person filings may require a cover sheet, Statutory Agent Acceptance, and a membership or management attachment. The exact attachments depend on the management structure and filing method, so check the ACC’s current form instructions before submitting.
What information do the articles require?
The articles generally require the entity name, principal address, statutory-agent information, whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed, organizer information, and the applicable member or manager details. For a manager-managed LLC, review the ACC’s instructions about listing members who meet the applicable ownership threshold.
What information becomes public?
The articles and related filing information are public ACC records. Review names, addresses, signatures, and attachments for accuracy before filing, and avoid including unnecessary personal information.
How long does Arizona LLC approval take?
The ACC lists regular processing as an estimated 14–16 business days and expedited processing as an estimated 3–5 business days. Next-day, same-day, and two-hour services may be available for additional fees, but faster processing does not guarantee approval if the filing is incomplete or defective.
Step 4: Complete Arizona’s publication or ACC-posting requirement
After the ACC approves your articles, Arizona law generally requires notice of the LLC’s formation to be published three consecutive times in a newspaper in the county of the statutory agent’s street address. The notice must be completed within 60 days after the ACC files the articles.
If the statutory agent’s street address is in a county where the ACC posts formation notices in its public database, newspaper publication is not required. While some sources will list those counties simply as “exempt,” the notice is still handled through an ACC-posting process.
How do you know whether a newspaper publication is required?
Use the county connected to the statutory agent’s street address, not necessarily the county where the owner lives or where the business operates. Following the approval of your filing, the A.C.C. will inform you by letter if your document is required to be published.
What proof of publication should you keep?
The newspaper generally provides an affidavit of publication. Keep the affidavit and related publication records with the LLC’s permanent records. Confirm current ACC instructions before sending anything to the Commission; the affidavit is generally retained rather than filed with the articles.
Step 5: Create an Arizona LLC operating agreement
Arizona does not require you to file an operating agreement with the ACC, but creating one is strongly recommended. It can explain ownership, voting, contributions, distributions, management authority, recordkeeping, member departures, and dispute procedures.
Without a tailored agreement, Arizona’s default rules may control what happens. For example, the ACC’s statutes explain that members generally have equal voting rights unless the operating agreement provides otherwise. Even a single-member agreement can document the company’s separate structure, ownership, management authority, and procedures for adding members or transferring assets.
Step 6: Get an EIN, open a bank account, and register for Arizona taxes
An employer identification number (EIN) may be required if your LLC has employees, is taxed as a partnership or corporation, or meets other federal requirements. A single-member LLC that is disregarded for federal tax purposes and has no employees may not need an EIN for federal tax reporting, but many owners obtain one for banking or business administration.
Open a business bank account for your LLC, and keep business and personal funds separate. Banks commonly ask for your approved formation documents, an EIN, an operating agreement, and identification.
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Does your Arizona LLC need a Transaction Privilege Tax license?
That depends on the business activity. Arizona’s Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) applies to specific taxable activities rather than to every LLC automatically. A taxable business may need a state TPT license and city or county registrations. The state license fee is generally $12 per location, with possible local fees.
Arizona LLC filing fees and total startup costs
Every Arizona LLC pays the same $50 base filing fee to the ACC, but total startup costs vary. Your total may change based on expedited processing, newspaper publication, a trade name, TPT registration, local licensing, and whether or not you hire a commercial statutory agent.
| Cost item | Amount | When you pay it |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of organization | $50.00 | At initial filing with the ACC |
| Name reservation, standard (optional) | $10.00 | Before filing, only if you reserve a name in advance; holds name 120 days |
| Newspaper publication (if needed) | Roughly $60–$300, depending on newspaper and county | Within 60 days of ACC approval, unless statutory agent address is in Maricopa or Pima County |
| Trade name registration (optional) | $10.00 | At any point; filed with Arizona Secretary of State, not ACC |
| Transaction Privilege Tax (if needed) | $12.00 state fee + variable municipal fees (up to ~$50.00 per city) | Before you begin taxable sales activity |
ACC accelerated services are available for additional charges and do not replace the underlying filing fee. Verify current fees before publishing or filing because agency schedules can change.
What to do after your Arizona LLC is approved
Save your filed articles, approval notice, statutory-agent acceptance, publication affidavit or ACC-posting record, operating agreement, EIN confirmation, tax registrations, and licenses in one business record system.
Also, complete any required publication or ACC-posting step, open your business bank account, obtain required licenses, register for TPT if your activity is taxable, and set up a system for tax and payroll deadlines.
If your LLC has no filings for an extended period, watch for current ACC communications about any required attestation of existence or business verification process. This is separate from an annual report and should be checked against the ACC’s current instructions.
How to start your Arizona LLC with LegalZoom
LegalZoom can help simplify the Arizona LLC formation process by guiding you through the state filing, statutory-agent options, operating-agreement preparation, EIN process, and business-license research, depending on the package you choose.
Additionally, once up and running, you can use LegalZoom’s compliance services to make sure your LLC doesn’t fall out of good standing.
Find the right state to form an LLC
Find the right state to form an LLC
Every state has different rules, costs, and considerations for LLC formation.
Arizona LLC FAQs
Can I form an Arizona LLC if I live in another state?
Yes. You can form an Arizona LLC without being an Arizona resident, but the LLC must maintain an eligible Arizona statutory agent with an Arizona street address.
What happens if my statutory agent’s Arizona address changes?
Update the statutory-agent or principal-address information with the ACC promptly. Until the change is accepted, official notices may continue going to the old address.
Can I change my Arizona LLC’s name after formation?
Yes. File the appropriate amendment with the ACC, confirm that the new name is available and compliant with Arizona naming rules, and update contracts, licenses, tax registrations, and bank records as needed.
Do you need to register a foreign LLC in Arizona instead?
If your LLC was formed in another state but will conduct business in Arizona, you may need to complete foreign qualification instead of forming a new Arizona LLC. Review Arizona’s requirements for a foreign LLC and consider the process for registering a foreign LLC in Arizona before choosing a filing path.
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