Arizona is one of the few states where forming an LLC can come with a newspaper publication step, and one of the few where the state asks for no annual report from LLCs afterward. The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) lists a regular Articles of Organization fee of $50, and its FAQ says you can file online for $85. Depending on where your statutory agent is located, you may then need to publish a notice of the filing within 60 days.
Arizona LLC at a glance
Fees and deadlines from official state sources| Formation document | Articles of Organization, with a Member Structure or Manager Structure Attachment |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $50 regular per the ACC fee schedule; the ACC FAQ states online filing is $85 |
| Processing / expedite | Regular typically 14-16 days; expedite adds $35; next day, same day and 2-hour options cost more |
| Annual report | Not required for LLCs |
| State LLC tax | No annual LLC fee on the ACC fee schedule; a sales-type Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license may apply to your business |
| Registered agent | Required (Arizona calls it a “statutory agent”) |
| Newspaper publication | Required unless the statutory agent’s street address is in Maricopa or Pima County, where the ACC posts the notice itself |
| Where to file | Arizona Business Center (ACC) |
Step 1Pick a name that meets Arizona’s rules
Your LLC’s name must include “limited liability company” or “limited company,” or an approved abbreviation such as “LLC.” It cannot contain “association,” “corporation” or “incorporated,” or abbreviations of those words. Names using words like “Bank,” “Trust” or “Credit Union” need written approval from the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions before the ACC will accept them. A professional LLC must also state the type of professional services it provides.
To see whether a name is free, use the Arizona Business Center and go to File, then Name, then Check Name Availability. Reserving a name is optional. If you want to hold one while you get ready, a reservation costs $10 and lasts up to 120 days; the ACC says it cannot be renewed.
Step 2Appoint a statutory agent
Every Arizona LLC must appoint and keep a statutory agent at all times. The agent can be an individual who is at least 18 and lives in Arizona, or a business authorized to do business in the state. The articles list the agent’s Arizona street address and a mailing address.
One detail trips people up: the agent has to accept the appointment, and the ACC’s instructions say that acceptance must already be in the Commission’s system when your articles are examined, or the filing is rejected. Line up your agent before you submit.
The agent’s county also decides your publication obligation (see Step 4), so choose with that in mind.
Step 3File Articles of Organization with the ACC
Under Arizona law, the articles must include:
- the LLC’s name;
- a principal address (the known place of business, which can be the same as the agent’s address);
- the statutory agent’s name and Arizona street and mailing addresses;
- whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed, plus the matching attachment. A member-managed LLC lists each member. A manager-managed LLC lists each manager and each member holding a 20% or greater interest.
The organizer signs the articles and does not have to be a member or manager. The ACC recommends filing online through the Arizona Business Center, which checks that required fields are complete. Paper filings can be mailed or delivered to the Corporations Division at 1300 W. Washington St., Phoenix.
Fees and speed. The ACC fee schedule lists $50 for regular filing; its FAQ states that online filing is $85. Regular review typically takes 14-16 days according to the ACC, which also publishes a weekly processing-times sheet. Faster options, each on top of the filing fee:
- Expedite: $35 (typically 3-5 days)
- Next day: $100 (received by 5:00 pm)
- Same day: $200 (received by 10:00 am)
- 2-hour: $400 (received by 3:00 pm)
Paying for speed only speeds up the review; the ACC notes it does not guarantee approval. Card payments carry a separate processing fee charged per transaction.
Step 4Handle publication, then ongoing upkeep
Arizona law requires a notice of your filing within 60 days after the ACC files your articles. How that happens depends on the county of your statutory agent’s street address:
- Maricopa or Pima County: the ACC posts the notice on its website automatically. You do nothing.
- Any other county: you must publish the notice three consecutive times in a newspaper of general circulation in that county. You may then file an affidavit of publication with the ACC.
The ACC tells you by letter after approval whether publication is required. Do not publish before the articles are approved. Newspaper rates are set by each paper, not by the state.
After that, the ongoing state requirements are light. The ACC says plainly that LLCs are not required to file annual reports. You do need to keep your statutory agent and addresses current, and you should respond to any ACC mail or electronic notices. Under a policy the ACC approved in 2025, LLCs that have not filed anything in two years will receive an “Attestation of Existence” notice; if it goes unanswered for 60 days, administrative dissolution begins. Bringing a dissolved LLC back costs a reinstatement fee of $100 plus the effort of refiling.
Step 5Finish setting up the business
- Operating agreement. Not filed with the state, but it sets out ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves. Worth having even for a one-person LLC.
- EIN. Get a free Employer Identification Number directly from the IRS. You will usually need one to open a business bank account or hire.
- TPT license. If you sell goods or services subject to Arizona’s Transaction Privilege Tax, you will likely need a license from the Arizona Department of Revenue, which costs $12 per location. Some cities require their own license too.
- Local permits. Check with your city and county for any business licenses or zoning rules.
- Out-of-state LLCs. An LLC formed in another state that does business in Arizona generally registers here as a foreign LLC instead of forming a new one.
What an Arizona LLC costs
| Articles of Organization | $50 regular (fee schedule); $85 online (ACC FAQ) |
|---|---|
| Optional name reservation | $10 |
| Optional faster processing | $35 to $400 on top of the filing fee |
| Newspaper publication (if outside Maricopa/Pima) | Set by the newspaper |
| TPT license (if applicable) | $12 per location |
| Annual report, every year | None for LLCs |
| Statutory agent, every year | Free if you or another eligible person serves; commercial agents charge their own fees |
How Arizona compares
State filing fee to form an LLC, next to neighboring states. The national median is $100.
National median · Fees from each state's official sources; some states charge a different amount online or by mail. If you live and run your business in Arizona, forming your LLC in another state usually means also registering it here as a foreign LLC, so you pay both states' fees.
Taxes to know about
The ACC does not charge Arizona LLCs a yearly fee. The tax that catches many new owners is the Transaction Privilege Tax, which the Department of Revenue describes as applying to businesses that sell taxable products or services. The ACC itself cannot tell you whether you owe TPT, so contact the Department of Revenue if you are unsure. Income tax filings depend on how your LLC is classified for federal purposes.
File it yourself or use a formation service?
Filing yourself through the Arizona Business Center costs only the state fee, and the online system walks you through each field. A paid formation service can handle paperwork, act as statutory agent or arrange newspaper publication, which some owners find convenient, but none of that is legally required. Compare what a service actually adds against doing the steps above on your own.
What changed recently
- New filing portal. The ACC retired its old eCorp system on January 2, 2026 and launched the Arizona Business Center on January 12, 2026. Older instructions may still mention eCorp.
- Identity and attestation policies. In May 2025 the ACC approved policies requiring two forms of ID for filings (in person from June 16, 2025, with online and mail dates still to be announced), an optional Signing Authority Form, and the yearly Attestation of Existence notice described above.
Frequently asked questions
Do Arizona LLCs file an annual report?
No. The ACC states that LLCs are not required to file annual reports. Corporations do.
Do I have to publish in a newspaper?
Only if your statutory agent’s street address is outside Maricopa and Pima counties. In those two counties the ACC posts the notice for you. Elsewhere, publish three consecutive times within 60 days after approval.
Can I be my own statutory agent?
Yes, if you are at least 18 and live in Arizona. You will need an Arizona street address and must accept the appointment.
How long does approval take?
The ACC says regular processing typically takes 14-16 days, and it posts current times weekly. Paying $35 to expedite typically cuts that to a few days.
Sources
- ACC: Schedule of Fees, Limited Liability Companies (PDF)
- ACC: Business Services FAQs
- ACC: Accelerated (Same Day/Next Day) Services
- ACC: Fee and Payment Info
- ACC: Instructions for Articles of Organization (L010i, PDF)
- ACC: Document Processing Times (PDF)
- ACC: Corporations Division Notices and Alerts
- ACC: 10 Steps to Starting a Business in Arizona
- ACC: Arizona Business Center (online filing and name search)
- A.R.S. 29-3201: Formation of LLC; articles of organization
- Arizona Department of Revenue: TPT License
- IRS: Get an Employer Identification Number