How to Start a Business in Arizona (2026): Fees, Filings and Licenses

To start a business in Arizona, file with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) if you want an LLC or corporation, then register for Arizona’s transaction privilege tax (TPT) and any city licenses. The ACC charges $50 for LLC Articles of Organization and $60 for corporate Articles of Incorporation, and Arizona LLCs file no annual report, which makes the state one of the cheaper places to form and keep an entity.

Sole proprietors can skip the ACC entirely, though most still need a TPT license and a city license. Below are the steps in order, with the official fees as of October 2026.

Updated October 2026.

Best Business Formation Services in Arizona (2026)

Our ranked picks for forming a business in Arizona are below, starting with Mainstay Filing. Each entry lists the yearly price and what the service covers.

1. Mainstay Filing

Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Arizona. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.

2. AZ Registered Agent.org

AZ Registered Agent.org is a Arizona registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.

3. Arizona Registered Agent.co

Arizona Registered Agent.co is a Arizona registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.

How much does it cost to start a business in Arizona?

What business structure works best in Arizona?

The ACC only forms corporations, nonprofit corporations and LLCs. The Commission itself notes that “S corp” and “C corp” are federal tax designations, not separate Arizona entity types. Here is how the main options compare:

An LLC is the usual choice for owner-operated businesses because it adds liability protection with almost no upkeep in Arizona. A corporation makes more sense if you plan to raise equity or issue stock options. Our step-by-step Arizona LLC guide goes deeper on the LLC route.

How do you choose and check an Arizona business name?

Start by checking availability in the ACC’s business search. A new name has to be distinguishable on the records of the Commission and the Secretary of State, and Arizona’s LLC name statute requires one of these endings: “limited liability company,” “limited company,” “L.L.C.,” “LLC,” “L.C.” or “LC.” LLC names cannot include “association,” “corporation” or “incorporated,” and banking terms are restricted.

You then have three ways to hold a name: reserve it with the ACC for $10 (good for 120 days), register it as a trade name with the Arizona Secretary of State (effective for five years, according to the ACC), or simply file your formation documents right away.

Before you commit, run the name through the Namechk business name generator for alternatives and check the domain and social handles on Namechk. The ACC points out that owning a domain gives you no rights to a business name, and the reverse is also true. Our Arizona business name search guide walks through the ACC search screen.

Does Arizona have DBAs?

Arizona’s equivalent is the trade name, registered with the Secretary of State rather than the ACC. A sole proprietor operating under anything other than their own legal name commonly registers one, and an LLC can register a trade name for a second brand.

Who can be your statutory agent in Arizona?

Arizona calls the registered agent a statutory agent. Every LLC and corporation needs one, and the agent must have a physical Arizona address where legal papers can be delivered during business hours. An individual Arizona resident (including you) or a business authorized to act as an agent can serve.

The appointment only takes effect once the agent accepts it, using the ACC’s Statutory Agent Acceptance (Form M002). Using your own home address puts it on the public record, and the ACC itself suggests caution with public addresses for home-based businesses. Changing an LLC’s statutory agent later costs $5 (Form L020). Mainstay Filing includes a year of registered agent service with its formation package. Compare the options in our Arizona statutory agent guide.

How do you file Articles of Organization or Incorporation?

File online in the Arizona Business Center, which the ACC calls the fastest way to submit, or by mail or fax. Fees under the 2026 fee schedules:

• LLC Articles of Organization: $50, or $85 with the $35 expedite fee.
• For-profit Articles of Incorporation: $60, or $95 expedited. Corporations also file a Certificate of Disclosure, which carries no regular filing fee.
• Same-day and next-day accelerated services cost extra ($100 to $400) if you need a guaranteed review time.

ACC staff examine each filing. If it is approved, you get an approval letter with any additional instructions. For a fuller breakdown of formation costs, see Mainstay’s Arizona LLC cost guide.

Do you have to publish in Arizona?

Possibly. Under A.R.S. 29-3201, a new LLC publishes a notice of its Articles of Organization in a newspaper of general circulation within 60 days of approval, for three consecutive publications, in the county of its statutory agent’s address. LLCs whose statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County are exempt because the ACC posts the notice to its own online database instead. The ACC also tells you in your approval letter whether publication applies, and it keeps a list of qualifying newspapers.

Operating agreement or bylaws

Arizona does not collect operating agreements, but every LLC should have one that sets out ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. Corporations adopt bylaws and hold an organizational meeting to appoint officers.

How do you get an EIN for an Arizona business?

Apply for an Employer Identification Number on the IRS website. It is free and issued immediately when you complete the online application. You will need it for the TPT application, payroll and your business bank account.

U.S.-formed companies do not file a federal beneficial ownership report: FinCEN’s final rule, effective August 14, 2026, keeps them exempt, per FinCEN.

Which Arizona taxes do you need to register for?

Arizona does not have a traditional sales tax. It levies a transaction privilege tax (TPT) on the seller for the privilege of doing business, and most retailers, restaurants, contractors and landlords of commercial property need a TPT license from the Arizona Department of Revenue.

Under A.R.S. 42-5005, the state TPT license costs $12 per location, and cities that levy their own privilege tax can add a license fee of up to $50 each. The state license runs for a calendar year and renews at no charge; city licenses can carry a renewal fee of up to $50. You apply and file through AZTaxes or the state’s Business One Stop portal.

If you hire, you also register for Arizona income tax withholding with the Department of Revenue and for unemployment insurance with the Department of Economic Security, and you report new hires to the state.

What licenses and permits does an Arizona business need?

Arizona has no single statewide general business license. Licensing happens at three levels:

• City or county: most cities require a business license, and the ACC’s own guidance is to register with the city where you are located (or the county if you are unincorporated).
• State: regulated trades need a state license, for example contractors through the Registrar of Contractors and alcohol sellers through the Department of Liquor Licenses and Control.
• Federal: certain activities, such as firearms, alcohol production and aviation, need federal permits.

The Arizona Commerce Authority’s small business services team points owners to the right agency for each license.

What else should you set up before opening?

Open a business bank account in the entity’s name using your approval letter and EIN. The ACC warns that it will not accept temporary checks without a preprinted name and address, so pay filing fees by card or from an established account.

Next, get insurance that matches your risk: general liability for most businesses, professional liability for advice-based work, and workers’ compensation once you have employees. Then build a basic website on a domain that matches your name.

What are an Arizona business’s ongoing obligations?

• LLCs file no annual report with the ACC, per the Commission’s FAQ.
• Watch for an Attestation of Existence notice. Since the Arizona Business Center launched in January 2026, the ACC each January contacts LLCs that have filed nothing for two years; you confirm the business still exists online within 60 days, at no charge. Ignoring it can lead to administrative dissolution.
• For-profit corporations file an annual report each year by their assigned due date. The fee is $45, and late filers accrue a $9 monthly penalty.
• Keep your statutory agent and addresses current with the ACC.
• File TPT returns on the schedule the Department of Revenue assigns, and renew city licenses each January.

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