If you’re registering an LLC in Arizona, it’s essential to confirm that your business name is available and compliant with state naming rules. You can do this by conducting a business entity search through the Arizona Corporation Commission’s (ACC) Arizona Business Center. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how the search tool works, what to avoid, and tips on what to do once you’ve chosen a name and are ready to move forward with your business registration.
Why do you need to do a business entity search?
An Arizona business entity name search provides information about entities registered with the ACC, including business name availability, the entity type, the business status (active or inactive), the formation date, and the names of members or managers.
While that’s all handy information, we will focus only on using the business entity search to see if your chosen name is available.
Arizona state naming guidelines
Like all US states, Arizona has naming guidelines you must follow when choosing your new business name to ensure it complies with state regulations.
Arizona LLC name requirements:
- Distinguishable: Your name can’t be identical or too similar to any LLCs already on file with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
- Required terminology: Your name must include one of the following: limited liability company, limited company, or an approved abbreviation, like LLC, L.L.C., LC, or L.C.
- Restricted terminology: You cannot include the words corporation, association, incorporated, or an abbreviation applicable to these words.
- Government affiliation: Your name can’t mislead the public by implying it is affiliated with a government department, such as a Bureau, Board, Commission, Agency, Division, or abbreviations like DEA, FBI, or CIA.
- Restricted wording: Your LLC name cannot contain words associated with financial, insurance, or medical institutions, including Bank, Banker, Banking, Banc, Banco, Banque, Credit Union, Deposit, Savings Association, Building Association, Savings and Loan Association, Savings Bank, Thrift, Trust, or Trust Company.
To ensure your chosen business name is unique from any LLCs registered in Arizona, review the ACC’s guidance on determining distinguishability of entity names.
Conducting a business name search in Arizona: step-by-step guide with tips
The ACC’s business search tool allows you to check the names of business entities on file with the Commission, including LLCs, corporations, and reserved names. (Trade names, or DBAs, are registered separately with the Arizona Secretary of State; see below.)
The below step-by-step guide will show you how to search for an Arizona LLC business entity.
Helpful Tips
When using the Arizona business entity search, apply the following tips for the best results:
- Searches aren’t case-sensitive, so capitalization doesn’t matter.
- Punctuation marks like commas and periods generally don’t affect whether two names are distinguishable.
- Try variations of your name, including with and without spaces, plurals, and common misspellings.
- For best results, narrow your search using the available filters.
Now, let’s look at how to use the Arizona entity search tool.
Basic entity search
Your first step is to visit the Arizona Business Center business search (formerly eCorp).
Enter the business name you want to use; as an example, I’ll use Arizona Landscaping Service as my desired business name and press search:
Reviewing the results
If the name you want (or one similar) is registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission, it will show in the results.
Our example has 3 results, the first being an exact match.
Click on a matching business to open its record, and the following information will appear:
The entity information page provides the following business information:
- Entity name
- Entity ID
- Entity type: Domestic or foreign LLC
- Entity status: Active or inactive
- Formation date
- Reason for status: In good standing or not
- Business Type
- Domicile state
You’ll also see the LLC’s statutory agent’s contact details and principal information, which contains the LLC’s members’ and managers’ addresses, etc.
Filtering the results
If your initial name search doesn’t provide any matching results, your chosen name might be available. To be more confident, broaden the search to names that contain your key words, and use the filters to include both active and inactive entities and reserved names.
If the search doesn’t show any matching results, your name is probably available for LLC registration.
The ACC makes the final decision on distinguishability when it reviews your Articles of Organization, so if you’re unsure, contact the Arizona Corporation Commission before filing.
Fees
The Arizona state LLC formation fee is $50 ($85 with expedited processing), but there are other Arizona LLC cost factors that you must account for in your financial section of your business plan.
Publication costs:
If your statutory agent is outside Maricopa and Pima counties, your LLC must publish a notice of its formation in an approved newspaper three times. The cost depends on the newspaper. In Maricopa and Pima counties, the ACC posts the notice for you.
Fictitious name
A fictitious name (Doing Business As) is a name you can use other than your registered LLC name.
Non-registered business structures, like sole proprietorships and general partnerships, can also use a fictitious name.
In Arizona, DBAs are registered as trade names with the Arizona Secretary of State, not the ACC. To see if a trade name is available, search the Secretary of State’s trade name records.
Once you confirm your chosen DBA is available, register it with the Arizona Secretary of State using its online service.
Filing a DBA in Arizona costs $10, and the registration is valid for five years. If your application needs review, it can take a few weeks.
What can you do once you have an available name?
Once you’ve found an available name, consider stopping others from using it in Arizona, nationwide, and online.
Consider name reservation
Suppose you’re not ready to form your LLC and register your business name. In that case, you can pay $10 to reserve it for 120 days with the Arizona Corporation Commission (if you want expedited processing you will need to pay $45).
Consider trademarking your name
Registering your business name as a trademark stops others from using it in the United States.
Visit the United States Patent and Trademark Office online database to confirm that your name is available as a trademark and to ensure it hasn’t already been trademarked.
The Arizona Secretary of State also registers state trade names and trademarks in the Copper State.
Consider domain registration
Registering a domain name that represents your business culture and purpose enables you to create an online branding presence that engages your target audience.
If your business name is available as a domain, that’s perfect, but even if it’s not, using one that suits your niche and is easy to remember and search for will help you stand out from your competitors.
Ideally, you want the .com extension, but if it isn’t available, you can use other popular ones like .net, .co, or .io.
To find domains, use a name-checking tool like namechk.com or get one here at Tailor Brands.
Conclusion
Registering your business name by doing an LLC search is just one step in forming an LLC, but it’s one of the most important because your chosen name is crucial for engaging your target audience and conveying what your business offers.
You should also check that your chosen name is available as a domain and make sure it isn’t trademarked.
If you need inspiration for choosing the perfect business name or registering an LLC, follow those links to find all the help you need.
FAQ
A business entity search provides information on businesses registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission, including name availability, entity status (active or inactive), entity type, date of formation, and the names of members or managers associated with the entity. This will enable you to confirm whether your chosen business name is available and, if not, whether the entity is active.
Search the Arizona Corporation Commission’s Arizona Business Center for LLC and corporation names. Because Arizona doesn’t require trade names to be registered, also check the Arizona Secretary of State’s trade name records for names that are.
The fee to reserve a business name in Arizona is $10 for regular processing and $45 for expedited processing. The reservation lasts 120 days.
Registering a trade name with the Arizona Secretary of State is optional, but it’s a good idea if you plan to do business under a name other than your LLC’s legal name. Registration costs $10 and lasts five years.