Arizona Secretary of State – AZ SOS Business Search

The Arizona Corporation Commission website serves as the official hub for people seeking to establish a business in Arizona or access information about existing businesses.

This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of searching Arizona business entity records and registering your business within the state.

We will also address common questions that individuals often have when embarking on the journey of starting a business in Arizona.

Arizona Secretary of State Corporations Division
Phoenix Office – 1300 West Washington 1st Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85007-2929
Tucson Office – Arizona Corporation Commission 400 W. Congress, 2nd Floor Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone Number: (602) 542-3026
Fax: (602) 542-8813
Website: http://www.azcc.gov/divisions/corporations/
E-Mail: https://azsos.gov/about-office/contact-us

To access the Arizona Corporation Commission website, visit azcc.gov. The website provides a range of services related to business, regulation, and voting in the state of Arizona.

On the homepage, you’ll find the ‘Your Arizona Business’ tab. This is where you can search for existing businesses, reserve a new business name, register a new business, and file your annual reports.

How to Find Business Entity Records for Businesses in Arizona

To search for a business in Arizona, you need to go to azcc.gov and select ‘Search Corporations and LLCs’ from the ‘Your Arizona Business’ tab.

This will take you to the Entity Search page, which allows you to search for records of all existing businesses in Arizona.

You can choose a search type – for example, businesses beginning with a certain word, businesses containing a certain word, or an exact match business name.

In this example, we’re going to choose ‘contains’ and search for all businesses that contain the word ‘grill’.

We could also have chosen to search for the business by the name of a person associated with that business (an agent).

Finally, there is the option to filter our search by other factors, such as whether the business is still active or the county in Arizona where the business is registered. 

The website will show a maximum of 500 results, so you may need to select a filter in order to narrow down your search to an acceptable number. In the example below, you can see how we have narrowed our search for businesses that contain the word ‘grill’ to only include active businesses in Apache county.

Finally, we hit the search button to bring up our results.

On the search results screen, we can see the business (or ‘entity’) ID, business name, type of business, county, agent name, agent type and status.

It’s also possible to click on an individual Entity Name to see more details about that specific business.

Using this method to find a business is helpful when you want to learn more about a specific company. It’s also useful if you’re considering starting a business in Arizona and want to check if a business with the same name exists or if you want to look into potential competitors. 

For those starting a new business, the next step after looking for similar businesses is to register your own business. We’ll explain how to do that in the next section.

How to Register a Business Entity in Arizona

To register a new business in Arizona, you need to go to azcc.gov and select ‘Start a New Corporation or LLC’. 

Alternatively, if you aren’t ready to register your business but want to reserve your business name, you can select ‘Reserve an Entity Name’.

Whichever option you choose, you will reach a page where you can register an eCorp account, which is the first step to registering a new business in Arizona.

For more information about the process of registering a business in Arizona, see the Secretary of State’s Ten Steps to Starting a Business in Arizona.

FAQs

What are the subtypes of business entity in Arizona?

In Arizona, business entity types encompass limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships.

What is the difference between a corporation and an LLC in Arizona?

Both corporations and LLCs in Arizona establish the business as a distinct legal entity from its owners. The primary distinctions lie in management flexibility and tax arrangements, with LLCs offering greater adaptability.

Does LLC have to be in the name of a business entity in Arizona?

Yes, in Arizona, all LLCs are required to include either the abbreviation ‘LLC’ or the words ‘Limited Liability Company’ as part of their business name.

What are the benefits of an LLC in Arizona?

The main benefit of an LLC in Arizona is its ability to legally separate the business from the owner, limiting the owner’s legal and financial liability. Additionally, registering an LLC is a more cost-effective and straightforward process compared to registering a corporation. Furthermore, LLCs provide increased flexibility in both management and tax options.

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

Currently, the cost to register a business in Arizona is $50. This fee, known as a Domestic Filing, can be completed online at azcc.gov.

What is the annual fee for an LLC in Arizona?

In Arizona, LLCs are not required to submit annual reports, so there is no annual report fee.

How long does it take to get an LLC in Arizona?

If you register your new LLC online at azcc.gov then your filing will be processed within 1-2 days.