Arizona · Start a business

How to start a business in Arizona

Arizona's Department of Revenue administers and collects transaction privilege tax for all cities and towns.

As of 4 min readVermilion Vitez Team

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STATE FILING FEE$50FILEDARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSIONEINNONEOPENARIZONA · 10 STEPSFrom structure to open door

Short answer

To start a business in Arizona, pick a structure and file with the Arizona Corporation Commission: $50 for an LLC, $60 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes.

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What do you file before you open in Arizona?

  1. Pick a structure

    Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Arizona LLC guide, Arizona corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Arizona. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.

  2. Check and register the name

    Search the Arizona Corporation Commission records before you pick a name: state name search. Arizona trade names are registered with the Secretary of State, and a registration lasts five years before it can be renewed by application filed within six months before it expires. 1 See Arizona name search guide.

  3. File with the state

    Arizona charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $50 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $60 3. See LLC cost.

  4. Name a registered agent

    An Arizona statutory agent needs a permanent, full-time physical street address in Arizona, and the corporation cannot be its own agent. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Arizona registered agent rules.

Which accounts do you open after you file in Arizona?

  1. Get an EIN

    An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. 5

  2. Open your state tax accounts

    The Arizona Department of Revenue requires a business to register with it before any taxable activity for transaction privilege tax and withholding purposes, and transaction privilege tax filings, payments and renewals are made at AZTaxes.gov. 6 See Sales tax permit.

  3. Register as an employer

    Arizona employers register for unemployment insurance with the Department of Economic Security, using the Arizona Joint Tax Application that the Department of Revenue shares with that agency. 7 Arizona employers report every newly hired and rehired employee within 20 days of hire to the State Directory of New Hires, a program of the Arizona Department of Economic Security Child Support Division. 8 Arizona's workers' compensation law covers every person who employs workers regularly employed in the same business or establishment, except domestic servants, as well as the state, each county, city, town and school district. 9

What keeps your Arizona business in good standing?

  1. Check licenses and permits

    The Arizona Department of Revenue says not all Arizona businesses are required to have a license and some need more than one, with special licenses, certifications and permits required for certain businesses and professions. 10

  2. Calendar the yearly filings

    Arizona has no annual report for LLCs. See Arizona annual report.

  3. Use free local help

    Small business advising in Arizona runs through the Small Business Development Center state-wide network. 11 The Arizona Department of Revenue points new Arizona businesses to Arizona Business One Stop, an online portal with personalized tools to plan, start, grow, move and close a business. 12

What it costs to start a business in Arizona

$50to file an LLC 2
$60to file a corporation's articles 3
136,134business applications filed in Arizona in 2025 13

Do you need a business license in Arizona?

It depends on the trade and the place. The U.S. Small Business Administration says most small businesses need a combination of licenses and permits from federal and state agencies, and that requirements and fees depend on the business activity and the issuing agency. 15 Arizona's own rule is in step 8. 10 Where to look up licenses: Arizona Business One Stop.

  • City business permits. Many Arizona cities require businesses to obtain annual permits to conduct business within city limits, and other Arizona state agencies issue their own types of licenses. 14

How to register a business name in Arizona

QuestionArizona
Where it is filedWith the state 1
OfficeSecretary of State
What it is calledtrade name

Check that the name is free first: state name search.

Also in Arizona

  • City transaction privilege tax. The Arizona Department of Revenue administers and collects transaction privilege tax for all Arizona cities and towns, so no additional license application is needed for it, and city license fees vary. 16
  • County personal property tax. Arizona businesses report personal property tax to the local county assessor's office, and list all personal property other than motor vehicles used in the business. 17

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Common questions

What are the steps to start a business in Arizona?

Pick a structure, file with the Arizona Corporation Commission, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the Arizona Department of Revenue, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.

What does it cost to register a business in Arizona?

In Arizona, an LLC filing is $50 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $60.

Can I start a business in Arizona with no money?

Arizona charges $50 to file an LLC. An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one.

Are there small business grants in Arizona?

The U.S. Small Business Administration says it does not provide grants for starting or expanding a business; its grants go to nonprofits, resource partners and educational organizations.

What is the Arizona SBDC?

The Arizona Auditor General's financial report for the Maricopa County Community College District lists the Small Business Development Center state-wide network among the direct community services the district provides.

Sources 18 links, checked Nov 12, 2026
  1. DBA or trade name registration azleg.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  2. Official state fee schedule for LLC filings azcc.gov, checked Oct 17, 2026
  3. Corporation filing azcc.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  4. Registered agent rule azcc.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
  5. IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  6. State tax registration azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  7. Unemployment insurance registration azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  8. New hire reporting azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  9. Workers' compensation coverage azleg.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  10. General business license azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  11. Small Business Development Center azauditor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  12. State business portal azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  13. US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  14. City business permits azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  15. SBA: licenses and permits sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  16. City transaction privilege tax azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  17. County personal property tax azdor.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
  18. SBA: grants sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026

Last verified Nov 12, 2026.

This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.

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