Register a Foreign Corporation in Arizona
If your business was incorporated outside of Arizona but plans to conduct business here, you can register your existing corporation as a foreign entity in Arizona. This registration permits your corporation to operate legally in Arizona while retaining its original incorporation jurisdiction.
Registering your out-of-state corporation allows you to maintain the history, jurisdiction, organization, and credentials of your existing company, but qualifies you to ALSO do business in Arizona.
Need to start a whole new Arizona corporation?
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How to Register a Foreign Corporation into Arizona
To register a foreign corporation in Arizona, you need to submit an Application for Authority to Transact Business in Arizona to the Arizona Corporation Commission. The filing fee for the Application for Authority for a foreign Arizona corporation is $175 (standard filing, additional fees to expedite.) Printable filing forms are available online to be submitted by mail, fax, or in person, or for faster turnaround file through your Arizona Corporation Commission online account like we do. While the process involves several steps, we’ve streamlined them for your convenience:
- Verify Name Availability
- Appoint a Statutory Agent
- Gather Domestic Corporation Documents
- Complete and Submit Foreign Corporation Application
- Fulfill Publication Requirement
- Register for Arizona Taxes
- Maintain Compliance
Skip the Steps. Work with AZ Experts.
Let us be the first to welcome your corporation to Arizona. Get up and running smoothly, by hiring local experts to register your foreign corporation to do business here.
| Fee Type | With Us | DIY |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic Certificate of Existence | ranges by state | ranges by state |
| Domestic Certified Copy | ranges by state | ranges by state |
| Our Filing Fee for Domestic Documents | $0 | NA |
| Arizona Corporation Registration | $175 | $175 |
| Expedite Corporation Registration (Optional) | $35 (opt) | $35 (opt) |
| Our Filing Fee for AZ Registration | $100 | NA |
| Publication | NA | $50++ |
| AZ Statutory Agent Service | $49/year | $49/year |
| TOTAL | $324+ | $274++ |
Verify Availability of Your Corporation’s Name in Arizona
Even though your corporation has an approved name in your home state, make sure it’s available in Arizona by checking with the Arizona Corporation Commission. If the name is taken, pick a new one for use in Arizona and have your corporation’s members/managers approve it through a resolution. Planning in advance may save your corporation time and a rejection in the long run.
Appoint a Statutory Agent
Just like domestic Arizona corporations, foreign corporations must designate an Arizona statutory agent.
Choosing the right statutory agent for your foreign registration from the start can ensure you don’t experience price hikes during your service renewal, have a professional presence in Arizona as you get established, and may even mean being able to skip the Arizona publication requirement for corporations.
Pro-tip: Choosing a statutory agent operating from Pima or Maricopa County (like Arizona Statutory Agent!), can help clients avoid the expenses and complexities associated with publishing business notices.
Gather Domestic Corporation Documents
When registering your corporation as a foreign entity in Arizona, you’ll need to include a recent Certificate of Good Standing (known as a Certificate of Existence in some areas), much like in other states. Less commonly, the Arizona Corporation Commission also requires a recent certified copy of your domestic corporation’s Articles of Organization/Formation. Fees, filing methods, and timelines for these essential documents vary widely and are determined by each state or other jurisdiction.
Your certified copy of incorporation and certificate of existence should both be less than 60 days old to be accepted for your corporation’s Arizona registration.
Pro-Tip: When you hire us to register your corporation as a foreign entity in Arizona, we handle all necessary filings to obtain the required documents from your home state at no extra cost. We just charge a flat $100 filing fee plus all the state fees, there is no extra fees for our team to do extra filings.
Complete and Submit Foreign Corporation Application
If you decide to complete your own Arizona registration filing, we recommend filing online as it’s faster. Even if you get stuck, the state’s website will save your progress on the filing in your secure account. However, the .pdf version of the application is really helpful as a worksheet or guide for the online filing so you can prepare all your required information in advance.
Generally speaking, here’s what to expect:
- Corporation Details. This includes the legal name of the corporation as it appears in its home jurisdiction, along with any fictitious name it intends to use in Arizona if the original name is not available.
- Principal Office Address. The physical address of the corporation’s principal office, which may be located in Arizona or elsewhere.
- Statutory Agent Information. The name and address of the registered agent in Arizona, who will accept legal documents and official correspondence on behalf of the corporation.
- Type of Business. A brief description of the nature of the corporation’s business activities.
- Jurisdiction of Incorporation. The state or country where the corporation was originally formed.
- Date of Incorporation. The date when the corporation was initially formed in its home jurisdiction.
- Management Structure. Details regarding the management structure of the corporation, whether it is member-managed or manager-managed.
- Signature. The application must be signed by an authorized representative of the corporation, such as a director or officer. If you hire us or another third party, the filing individual must sign and list their company on behalf of your corporation.
Pro-tip: Hire us. You’ll definitely save yourself time by outsourcing to local Arizona experts, and may save yourself money though bypassing the publication requirement discussed in the next step.
Arizona Corporation Publication Requirement
In Arizona, LLCs, corporations, and other entities must publish a notice of their registration within 60 days. The notices must include all information required by the state in a state-approved publication for three consecutive runs. Publication should be completed in the county of the company’s principal or statutory agent’s address.
However, due to procedural differences for larger counties, Maricopa and Pima County businesses do not need to publish notices.
Pro-tip: Based in Pima County ourselves, our office has helped hundreds of clients bypass the hassle of publishing their Arizona corporation notices. Partner with us today.
Register with Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR)
Before your corporation engages in any taxable business activity in Arizona, register with the Arizona Department of Revenue. Corporations registered in Arizona should anticipate filing state corporate income tax, but may need to collect or file other taxes as well.
Arizona Corporation Compliance: Annual Reports
Lucky for them, Arizona LLCs do not have to file annual reports to the Arizona Corporation Commission, however corporations (and many other business types) do. The good news is, it’s not terribly expensive compared to some states, and can be quickly filed online.
Arizona Corporation Annual Reports are due on each corporation’s registration anniversary date, may be filed online through the ACC, and the filing fee is $45. Once registered, you can check your business’s Arizona anniversary date on the ACC’s business search page.
Pro-tip: Our clients receive courtesy due date reminders, free filing tools, and cost effective options to hire us to handle the Arizona annual report on their behalf.