How to search Arizona records
- Search eCorp by entity name, Entity ID or statutory agent. The agent search is useful for finding every company tied to one address.
- Open the "Document History" tab to read filed articles as PDFs at no cost.
- An "Active" status with a "Pending Inactive" flag usually means a missing publication affidavit or an agent problem.
Open the official Arizona search
Arizona SOS, corporation and LLC search
Arizona SOS Business Search
Arizona does not keep its business register in a Secretary of State office. People who type "Arizona SOS business search" are looking for the Arizona Corporation Commission and its eCorp Entity Search. It is free to search by name or entity ID, and the step-by-step instructions above walk through it.
Arizona Entity Search
An entity search of the Arizona business registry returns every registered type at once: domestic and foreign LLCs, corporations, partnerships and nonprofits. Read the status first, then the formation date and the registered agent. Arizona has no recurring report, so addresses and officers on an older record can be out of date. Treat good standing as a separate check.
Arizona Corporation Search
A corporation search uses the same index as LLCs, so filter by entity type if the name is common. Searches typed as "AZ corp commission business entity search" land here too. The record shows whether it is a for-profit corporation or a nonprofit, and the entity types guide explains how each one appears. Corporations are formed by filing articles of incorporation, so the formation date on the record is the date those articles took effect.
Arizona LLC Search
Run the Arizona LLC search with the exact name, then note the entity ID. Forming an Arizona LLC costs $50 with no recurring report fee. Whether members appear depends on the filings; our LLC lookup guide covers what the state shows, and the business owner lookup covers what it does not. A state record never shows an EIN; use the EIN lookup for that.
Arizona Business Name Search
An Arizona business name search shows names already on file, not names the state will accept. Arizona lets you hold a name for 120 days for $10. The name claim guide lists the checks to run before you file, including trademarks and DBA names. Arizona trade names are registered with the Secretary of State, not the Corporation Commission, so a trade name search uses a different site.
Arizona Corporation Commission Search
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC, often searched as AZCC), not the Secretary of State, registers corporations and LLCs in Arizona. Its eCorp entity search is free and shows the statutory agent, listed principals and filed document images. For other checks, see the business verification checklist.
A commission, not a Secretary of State
Arizona is one of two states, with Virginia, where business entities are registered by a corporation commission. The Arizona Corporation Commission is a constitutional body with elected commissioners, and its eCorp system is unusually generous: every filed document is a free image, principals are listed, and you can search by statutory agent to find every company tied to one address.
Arizona filing facts
| Record number | Entity ID |
|---|---|
| LLC formation fee | $50. Articles of Organization; expedited service costs extra. |
| Recurring filing | No annual report for LLCs |
| Due | Not required for LLCs. Corporations and nonprofits file an annual report. |
| Name reservation | $10 for 120 days |
| Agency phone | 602-542-3026 |
What an Arizona LLC costs in its first three years
First recurring filing assumed in year 2; state charges only.
| Year | Formation | Recurring filing | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $50 | $0 | $50 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Three-year state total | $50 | ||
Publication and statutory agents
Two Arizona rules catch newcomers. First, a new LLC or corporation must publish a notice of formation within 60 days unless its known place of business is in Maricopa or Pima County, where the Commission publishes it for free. A record flagged as pending inactive often traces back to a missing publication affidavit. Second, Arizona calls the registered agent a statutory agent and requires the agent to sign an acceptance. Because LLCs file no annual report, an Arizona LLC record can stay unchanged for years; check the document history date before assuming the listed principals are current. If you are weighing Arizona against Nevada next door, the fee directory shows the upkeep gap: Arizona LLCs pay nothing yearly at the state level, Nevada LLCs pay $350.
Finding every company behind one address
Arizona's statutory agent search is one of the most useful tools in any state for research. Enter the agent's name or a commercial agent company and eCorp lists every entity using it. Investigators use this to map related companies, and landlords use it to see whether a tenant's LLC is one of many shells registered to the same person. Combine it with the free document images: the articles of organization name the organizer, and amendments show when principals changed.
How Arizona compares with its neighbors
| State | LLC filing | Yearly upkeep | Report cycle | Reservation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $50 | $0 | None | $10 |
| California | $70 | $810 | Every 2 years | $10 |
| Nevada | $425 | $350 | Yearly | $25 |
| New Mexico | $50 | $0 | None | $20 |
Before you rely on an Arizona result
- New LLCs and corporations must publish a notice of formation within 60 days unless the business address is in Maricopa or Pima County, where the Commission publishes it for free.
- Arizona uses the term statutory agent instead of registered agent.
Bulk Arizona business data
Sold by the state. About $1,000. Commercial requests may be refused.
Searching beyond Arizona
Registries next to Arizona: California business search, Nevada business search, New Mexico business search.
Arizona business search questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Arizona?
The state filing fee is $50. Articles of Organization; expedited service costs extra. Keeping the LLC on file then averages $0 a year in state fees.
When is the Arizona annual report due?
Arizona has no recurring report for LLCs. Corporations and nonprofits file an annual report.
Can I reserve a business name in Arizona?
Yes. A name reservation costs $10 and holds the name for 120 days.
Do Arizona LLCs file an annual report?
No. Arizona LLCs have no annual report. Corporations and nonprofits do, and new entities outside Maricopa and Pima counties must publish a notice of formation.
Is the Arizona business entity search free?
Yes. Searching the eCorp Entity Search costs nothing. The Arizona Corporation Commission charges only for certified copies and certificates of good standing.
Who keeps business records in Arizona?
The Arizona Corporation Commission. Its business line is 602-542-3026, and its free search is the eCorp Entity Search.
What number identifies a business in Arizona?
Arizona assigns each entity an entity ID. It is different from the federal EIN and from the number the same company holds in any other state, and searching by it returns exactly one record.
Can I download a list of all Arizona businesses?
Only by buying it. About $1,000. Commercial requests may be refused.
Sources
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