Arizona Business FAQs
We have collected the most common questions about doing business in Arizona and answered them for you here. Need more information? We have Arizona business experts standing by with the answer.
Arizona Statutory Agent FAQs
What is a statutory agent?
If you form a business in Arizona, you must designate what’s known as a statutory agent (AZ Rev Stat § 29-3115). This is a person or entity responsible for receiving state and legal documents (service of process) on behalf of your business. Other states refer to this as a registered agent—same thing.
Can I be my own statutory agent in Arizona?
Arizona does not bar business owners from serving as their own statutory agent. However, being your own statutory agent means adding your name and address to the public record. Not only that, you’ll be obligated to perform the duties of a statutory agent, which includes being available at your registered address during regular business hours to accept service of process.
Most business owners aren’t able to stay put five days a week, eight hours a day. This is why many business owners tend to go with a statutory agent service, like ours.
How do I change my statutory agent service to you?
You can easily change your LLC statutory agent in Arizona by filing a form called a Statement of Change form ($5 for LLCs, free for corporations) with a signed Statutory Agent Acceptance form. If you hire us as your statutory agent, we’ll file your LLC or corporation Statement of Change for you at no extra cost!
Corporations will need to use the Statement of Change of Known Place of Business Address, Principal Office Address, or Statutory Agent and attach a signed Statutory Agent Acceptance form. Check out our full Arizona Change of Agent guide for complete details.
Is a registered agent/ statutory agent required in Arizona?
Yes. According to AZ Rev Stat § 29-3115, all Arizona LLCs and Arizona Corporations are required to have a statutory agent. The name and address of this person or organization must be kept on record with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). If your agent resigns or you plan to change your statutory agent, you’ll need to update the ACC.
Does my registered agent need to be in Arizona?
Yes, your business entity needs to list a registered agent (or statutory agent) with an Arizona physical address. This is so the state knows that your Arizona registered business can be reached by the legal system in case lawsuits or other legal notices need to be served.
Can I use your Arizona registered agent address for my business mail?
Absolutely! You’ll receive 3 pieces of regular mail automatically with statutory agent service. If you need more than that, you can upgrade to our Mail Forwarding Service or Virtual Office Service. Both will give you a unique suite number, which will allow you to use your business address as a mailing address.
How do I get your signature as the statutory agent?
Once you hire us to be your Arizona Statutory Agent, you can add the Change of Agent filing at the same time. Then, the state will contact us via email to receive our statutory agent signature of acceptance (you won’t have to do a thing!).
Or, if you want to file the LLC Statement of Change yourself, you can email us the Statutory Agent Acceptance form to sign. We’ll get the signed form emailed back to you within 1-2 business days, then you can send it to the Arizona Corporation Commission with the Statement of Change. Corporations need to file the Statement of Change of Known Place of Business Address, Principal Office Address, or Statutory Agent and attach a signed Statutory Agent Acceptance form.
Arizona LLC FAQs
How long will it take the state to process my LLC application?
It can take anywhere from 5 to 17 business days to get an LLC in Arizona, depending on whether you file online or by mail. If you choose to pay the additional expedited processing fee of $35, your LLC will be ready in 3-5 business days.
Do I need a business license for my Arizona LLC?
Arizona does not have a general business license requirement that applies to all LLCs. However, depending on your industry, you may need some kind of industry-specific license. Also depending on your industry, you may need licenses required by the city/county in which your LLC conducts business or operates. For example, if your LLC engages in retail sales, you’ll need to get a TPT License to collect the Transaction Privilege Tax. The Arizona Department of Revenue provides a list of the business activities that require the TPT License.
How are LLCs taxed in Arizona?
Arizona LLCs are taxed as pass-through entities, which means LLC members report profits on their individual tax returns. There are some state taxes, like the Transaction Privilege Tax or payroll-related taxes (if you have employees) you may need to plan for. If you have questions about your LLC taxes, contact the Arizona Department of Revenue.
Do Arizona LLCs have to file an annual report?
Arizona LLCs are not required to file an annual report. LLCs in Arizona do not require annual renewal, they are active and perpetual until you decide to file for dissolution.
Can I change my statutory agent after I form my LLC?
You can change your statutory agent after your Arizona LLC application is processed by the state. To do this, you’ll need to file a Statement of Change with a completed Statutory Agent Acceptance form. Check our our complete Change Statutory Agent guide.
Do Single-Member LLCs in Arizona need an operating agreement?
There is no state requirement for LLCs to have an operating agreement. However, even as a single-member LLC, having an operating agreement can help maintain the limited-liability boundary between you and your LLC. If you choose to hire us as your registered agent or to form your Arizona LLC, we provide a free attorney-drafted operating agreement you can use right away to open a business bank account.
Arizona Corporation FAQs
How do I form an Arizona corporation?
You will need to submit the Articles of Incorporation to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). Review and approval of your corporate articles can take a few weeks, or 3-5 business days if you pay for expedited processing. Check out our complete guide to forming an Arizona corporation.
Do I need to form a Professional Corporation?
This depends on what industry your business practices. Usually, only people who require special licensing, like doctors, accountants, or lawyers will need to form professional corporations. Check with the agency that licenses your profession to see if you need to form a professional corporation or stick with the standard corporate entity..
What are by-laws and does my corporation need them?
By-laws are a document that lay out the rules for how your corporation will operate, such as how the Board of Directors are elected and how many votes are required for any particular action. Arizona state law requires all corporations to adopt a set of by-laws. When you hire Arizona Statutory Agent to form your corporation, you get a free set of by-laws customized for your business.
How do I change my corporation’s address?
For corporations, the principal address is referred to as the “known place of business address.” This can be changed on your corporate annual report, or by submitting a Statement of Change form.
If you update this address to a Maricopa or Pima County address, you will not need to deal with any publication requirements as your business grows and changes. The ACC (Arizona Corporate Commission) completes the publications for every business listing an address in these two counties. Arizona Statutory Agent offers every client free use of our Maricopa county address for this purpose.
How do I change the officer/director names for my corporation?
Officers and directors can be removed, added, or otherwise changed on the corporate annual report. If you need to make changes sooner, you can submit the Officer/Director/Shareholder Change form.
After making changes to officer/director names, you may be required to publish notice again in an Arizona newspaper for three consecutive weeks. The state will send you a notice in the mail if re-publication is required. Unless your corporation has a Maricopa or Pima county address as the “known place of business” address. Then, the state will make the publication for you for free!
Do corporations have to file an annual report in Arizona?
All corporations need to file an annual report by the anniversary date of their initial incorporation in Arizona. So, if the start date on your Articles of Incorporation, or foreign Authority document, says April 25th, then your annual report will be due by April 25th every year. Your report needs to be submitted online with the ACC (Arizona Corporation Commission).
Arizona Publishing Requirement FAQs
Do I need to publish my LLC or corporation in Arizona?
All Arizona LLCs and corporations must publish notice of formation in a newspaper for 3 consecutive weeks. You have 60 days from the date of your formation to begin the publication process. The newspaper you use must be located in the same county as your Statutory Agent address reported on your Articles of Organization. The cost of publication varies from county to county, ranging from $60 to $300 total.
Want to avoid this requirement? There are two counties that don’t require you to make the LLC publication: Maricopa and Pima. When you hire us to be your registered agent or to form your Arizona LLC, you get to use our Maricopa county address. So, this would be one requirement you could skip!
Do I need to publish my business’s foreign registration in Arizona?
All entities submitting foreign registration applications will also need to complete the publishing requirement. Same rules apply: if you are using a statutory agent located in Maricopa or Pima county, the state will do the publishing for you free of charge.
Will I need to repeat the publishing requirement if I make changes to my business?
Some kinds of changes or amendments will require re-publication. For example, if you change the name of your business or make changes to the list of officers/directors, then the state will send you a request to publish these changes for three consecutive weeks in your county.
However, if you are listing an LLC principal address or corporate “known place of business” address in Maricopa or Pima county, then the state will make the necessary publication for you free of charge.