Arizona LLC Cost: $50 to File Articles (2026)

Fact-checked and updated September 14, 2026.

An Arizona LLC costs $50 to form with regular processing of the Articles of Organization at the Arizona Corporation Commission. Expedited processing is $85 total ($50 + $35). After filing, Arizona’s publication rule applies within 60 days—unless your statutory agent’s street address is in a county with population over 800,000, in which case the Commission posts notice to its database instead of a newspaper. Arizona LLCs do not file annual reports. You can submit through eCorp or use ZenBusiness Starter for a $0 formation service fee plus the same $50 state fee. Optional services cost extra.

This guide is for creating a new Arizona LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Arizona’s foreign LLC registration rules before creating a second company.

Arizona LLC costs: required fees and optional extras

Start with the ACC LLC fee schedule (Rev. 3.2026). These are government charges, separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Budget example: $50 to form with regular processing, plus whatever newspaper publication costs in your statutory agent’s county if the ACC database alternative does not apply. That is not an all-in startup budget: permits, insurance, taxes, professional help, and subscriptions are separate. Do not invent a statewide newspaper price—ask papers in the correct county for current rates.

Arizona has no LLC franchise tax or ACC annual-report fee. Transaction privilege tax and income tax depend on your activity through the Department of Revenue and are separate from formation.

Should you file on eCorp or use ZenBusiness?

Choose DIY if you are comfortable completing Form L010, obtaining statutory-agent acceptance, and handling publication or confirming ACC database posting. Choose a filing service if you prefer a guided questionnaire and help preparing the Articles. Either way, you decide ownership, addresses, and management.

ZenBusiness lists Starter at $0 without a base-plan renewal. Its optional first year of Worry-Free Compliance renews at $199/year; registered-agent service is listed at $199/year (intro pricing may show about $99 for the first year—confirm at checkout). EIN and operating-agreement services are separate Starter purchases. Check the current package terms and checkout selections.

A free introductory service can become a recurring expense. Before paying, review the initial total, renewal amounts, and cancellation terms. Keep a copy of your selections. A reminder is not confirmation that publication or a tax account was completed, and ACC fees remain separate.

Can you be your own Arizona statutory agent?

Yes. Arizona uses the term statutory agent. An individual who is 18 or older, a permanent full-time Arizona resident, with a permanent full-time Arizona street address (and Arizona mailing address) may serve. An entity authorized to transact business in Arizona may also serve. The LLC cannot be its own statutory agent, but a member or manager acting as an individual may. Appointment is not effective until the agent (or company) delivers a signed acceptance unless the agent signed the appointing document. See A.R.S. § 29-3115 and the L010i instructions.

Consider whether you can reliably receive legal documents at that Arizona address. If you work primarily at customer sites, a commercial statutory agent may be more practical. Compare delivery procedures and renewal costs before choosing.

Plan your address use before filing. ACC records are public. The statutory-agent street address also drives which county’s publication rule or large-county database posting applies. Hiring an agent does not automatically make every address on the Articles private. Supply accurate information in every field.

How to file your Arizona LLC: a practical checklist

1. Check the name. Search eCorp and confirm the name meets A.R.S. § 29-3112 (including an allowed designator such as LLC or L.L.C., and avoiding corporation-style words). Optional reservation is $10. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance.
2. Arrange statutory-agent acceptance. Have the agent’s Arizona street and mailing addresses ready. Online, the agent can accept via eCorp/ABC; on paper, use the Statutory Agent Acceptance form. Do not list an agent who has not agreed.
3. Decide who manages the company. Choose member-managed or manager-managed and list the required members or managers per the form. Ask your bank what ownership records it needs.
4. File the Articles. Use eCorp or mail/fax per current ACC instructions. Pay $50 for regular processing (or more for expedite/accelerated options). Fees are nonrefundable. Check weekly processing dates posted on eCorp.
5. Complete publication or confirm ACC posting. Within 60 days after ACC files the Articles, publish three consecutive newspaper notices in the statutory agent’s county—or confirm that the agent’s county qualifies for ACC database posting (population over 800,000). An affidavit of publication may be filed but is optional under the statute.

How long does approval take?

Check eCorp’s current processing dates (updated Mondays) rather than relying on a fixed promise. Expedited and accelerated services shorten ACC handling when available and paid. A service’s preparation time is separate from Arizona’s review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; faster service preparation does not guarantee immediate state approval.

If a lease, financing, or opening date depends on the LLC, leave room for agent-acceptance issues, corrections, and the 60-day publication window. Completing an online questionnaire is not the moment the company is approved.

Publication, no LLC annual report, and other ongoing duties

Per ACC business-services FAQs, LLCs are not required to file annual reports; annual reports apply to corporations. That does not mean there is nothing to do after formation.

Under A.R.S. § 29-3201, within 60 days after the Commission files your Articles you must either publish notice for three consecutive publications in a newspaper of general circulation in the county of the statutory agent’s street address, or rely on ACC database posting when that county’s population exceeds 800,000 (commonly discussed for Maricopa and Pima—confirm your agent’s county still qualifies). Newspaper prices vary by paper and county; this guide does not invent a statewide dollar amount.

You must continuously maintain a statutory agent. Failure to maintain one can lead to administrative dissolution. Separately, identify ADOR tax accounts and any city or county licenses for your actual work.

Starting near year-end? Arizona permits a delayed effective date/time not later than the 90th day after delivery of the Articles. Choose the date around your real start of operations, then still meet the 60-day publication clock measured from ACC filing.

After filing: get the business ready to operate

• Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement governs internal affairs under the Arizona LLC Act but is not filed with the Articles. Keep it with company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.
• Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. An EIN service fee pays someone to assist; it is not an IRS charge.
• Separate business finances. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish bookkeeping under the correct legal name.
• Check taxes and operating permissions. Formation does not issue a privilege-tax license or professional credential. Review IRS LLC tax classifications and Arizona/local requirements for your work.
• Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created Arizona LLC falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly before buying a BOI filing add-on.

For a simple one-owner operation, organize these tasks into a short checklist. Where ownership, investors, or tax elections are complicated, formation paperwork alone will not resolve those decisions.

Match insurance to the work your LLC performs

Entity formation and insurance solve different problems. Ask the insurer to identify the correct business and operations; ask clients or landlords what coverage and certificate of insurance they require. Use the relevant guide to compare coverage:

• Arizona cleaning business insurance
• Arizona food truck insurance
• Arizona HVAC insurance
• Arizona landscaping insurance
• Arizona daycare insurance

Continue with the Arizona business guide for the broader startup process.

Arizona LLC questions before you file

What is the cheapest way to form an Arizona LLC?

The regular Articles of Organization fee is $50. Filing directly avoids a third-party preparation charge; ZenBusiness Starter also advertises a $0 formation service fee plus the same $50 state fee. Expedited or accelerated ACC processing costs extra. Newspaper publication, when required, is a separate variable cost.

Does Arizona require LLC publication?

Within 60 days after the Commission files the Articles, you generally must publish notice for three consecutive publications in a newspaper of general circulation in the statutory agent’s county—or the Commission posts to its database if the agent’s street address is in a county with population over 800,000 (commonly Maricopa or Pima). Newspaper prices vary; there is no fixed ACC publication fee.

Does Arizona require an annual report for LLCs?

No. The Arizona Corporation Commission states that LLCs are not required to file annual reports; annual reports apply to corporations. You must still maintain a statutory agent and complete any tax or licensing obligations that apply to your activity.

Does forming an LLC give me an Arizona business license?

No. Formation creates the entity with the Commission. Transaction privilege tax accounts, local business licenses, and industry permits are separate steps before you open.

Can I get an EIN without buying a service?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs free. Form the LLC first, then check eligibility for the IRS online application or use its alternative application instructions.