Learn the steps to form an LLC in Arizona – from choosing your name to filing your Articles of Organization. $1 + $50 state fee. Start today.
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Filing fee: $50 (Articles of Organization); $85 with expedited processing
Processing time: 14-16 business days for regular filings; 3-5 business days expedited
State agency: Arizona Corporation Commission
Annual report due: None — Arizona LLCs don’t file annual reports. Instead, a one-time newspaper publication is required within 60 days of formation, waived if your statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County.
State tax rate: No franchise tax or annual LLC tax; pass-through income is taxed at Arizona’s flat 2.5% income tax rate, and the state Transaction Privilege Tax (sales tax) is 5.6%
Start your U.S. business journey today. Form your company with confidence and let Brio handle the paperwork.
Forming an LLC in Arizona takes 5 steps: choose and check your business name, appoint a Registered Agent (called a statutory agent in Arizona) with a physical Arizona address, file Articles of Organization online or by mail, draft an operating agreement, and get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. The state filing fee is $50.
Arizona taxes pass-through income at a flat 2.5% — the lowest flat income tax rate in the country — and charges no franchise tax or annual LLC fee. An LLC gives you personal liability protection and pass-through taxation without the administrative overhead of a corporation — a combination that works well for most Arizona entrepreneurs.
Arizona also keeps ongoing paperwork unusually light: LLCs file no annual report at all, so once your company is formed there’s no recurring filing with the Corporation Commission. The one quirk is a one-time newspaper publication requirement after formation — and even that is waived for most new LLCs, because the state publishes the notice itself when your statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County.
Unlike some states, Arizona doesn’t require you to reserve your name before filing — you simply claim it when you file your Articles of Organization. If you’re not ready to file yet, you can optionally reserve a name with the Corporation Commission. The fee is $10 — or $45 with expedited processing — and the reservation holds your name for 120 days.
Your LLC name must be distinguishable from other registered businesses in Arizona and must include a designator like “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Company,” “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “LC,” or “L.C.” Check the Corporation Commission’s business name database before you file to avoid a rejection.
Every Arizona LLC must have a registered agent — Arizona calls it a statutory agent — a person or entity designated to receive legal notices and government documents on behalf of the business. The agent must have a physical street address in Arizona (a P.O. box doesn’t count) and be available during regular business hours.
You can serve as your own statutory agent if you’re an Arizona resident with a physical address in the state. One Arizona-specific detail: the agent must formally accept the appointment — online filings handle this electronically, while paper filings need a signed Statutory Agent Acceptance form. Many business owners use a professional registered agent service instead — it keeps your personal address off public records and ensures someone is always available to receive documents.
The Articles of Organization is the document that legally creates your Arizona LLC. You file it with the Arizona Corporation Commission — online through its Arizona Business Center portal or by mail. Regular processing takes 14-16 business days either way; adding $35 for expedited processing cuts that to 3-5 business days, and expedited online filings are often approved in about a day.
The Articles must include your LLC’s name, its principal address, your statutory agent’s name and Arizona street address (plus their signed acceptance), and whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed — with the names and addresses of all members, or of all managers and any member owning 20% or more. The state filing fee is $50.
Arizona doesn’t require you to file an operating agreement with the state, but you should have one. It’s the internal document that defines how your LLC is managed — who owns what, how profits are distributed, and how decisions get made. Without one, Arizona’s default LLC statutes fill in the gaps, which may not reflect what you actually want.
Your operating agreement should specify whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed — a choice you already declare in your Arizona Articles of Organization, so the two documents should match. In a member-managed LLC, all owners share day-to-day authority. In a manager-managed LLC, a designated manager handles operations while other members retain economic rights. A written agreement is the version that holds up when disputes arise.
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a 9-digit federal tax ID issued by the IRS. Your Arizona LLC needs one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal taxes. Applying online at irs.gov is free and issues your EIN immediately after you complete the application.
To use the IRS online application, the responsible party must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and the business must have its principal place of business in the United States. The IRS does not charge a fee for issuing an EIN.
Arizona LLCs file no annual report — once your LLC is formed, there’s no recurring filing or fee owed to the Corporation Commission. The one post-formation task is publication: within 60 days of approval, you must publish a Notice of LLC Formation in a newspaper in your statutory agent’s county for 3 consecutive runs (roughly $60-$120). If your statutory agent’s address is in Maricopa or Pima County, you’re exempt — the Commission publishes the notice on its website for free.
If your LLC sells taxable goods or services, you’ll also need a Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) license from the Arizona Department of Revenue — $12 per business location — before you start operating. Beyond that, keep your statutory agent and addresses current with the Corporation Commission; skipping publication or losing your agent can put your LLC’s good standing at risk.
The required Arizona state fee is $50 to file the Articles of Organization with the Corporation Commission, or $85 with expedited processing. If your statutory agent is outside Maricopa or Pima County, budget roughly $60-$120 for the one-time newspaper publication, and reserving your name before filing is optional at $10. There’s no additional state fee to get your EIN; the IRS issues EINs for free.
Yes. Arizona allows a single person to form and own an LLC – this is called a single-member LLC. You can complete the Articles of Organization filing online through the Corporation Commission’s Arizona Business Center without an attorney. You’ll still need to appoint a statutory agent with a physical Arizona address, but that can be yourself if you qualify.
No. Arizona charges a $50 Articles of Organization fee – that’s a required state fee you can’t avoid. What you can avoid is paying extra for formation help. We handle your Arizona LLC filing for $1; you only pay the required state fees.
No – Arizona is one of the few states with no annual report and no annual fee for LLCs. Your only post-formation state task is the one-time newspaper publication within 60 days of approval — and even that is waived if your statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County. Just keep your statutory agent and addresses current with the Corporation Commission, and file a $5 Statement of Change if they move.
Yes, every Arizona LLC is required to have a registered agent, which Arizona calls a statutory agent. A statutory agent is a person or entity that receives legal notices and official government documents on behalf of your LLC. The agent must have a physical street address in Arizona (not a P.O. box), be available during regular business hours, and sign an acceptance of the appointment. You can serve as your own statutory agent or use a professional service.
The mistakes that come up most often are missing the 60-day newspaper publication deadline (required unless your statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County), filing without the statutory agent’s signed acceptance (an automatic rejection), operating without the $12 TPT license when selling taxable goods or services, and not having a written operating agreement. A lot of business owners also pay for annual report services they don’t need — Arizona LLCs don’t file one.
Regular filings with the Corporation Commission take 14-16 business days, whether you file online or by mail. Paying $35 extra for expedited processing cuts that to 3-5 business days, and expedited online filings are often approved within a business day of your statutory agent accepting the appointment. If speed matters, file online and expedite.
Thinking about another state? Compare Wyoming, Delaware, Texas and Florida — or browse all 50 state guides.
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