To register a business name in Arizona, you must first confirm it’s available with the Arizona Secretary of State and comply with state regulations.
You confirm your name’s availability by conducting a business entity search, and we’ll walk you through the steps to ensure your new name complies with Arizona naming regulations.
We’ll also look at how the business entity site works, learn what to avoid, and tips on what to do after registering your new business name.
An Arizona business entity name search provides information about registered entities (and DBAs) in the State, including business name availability, the entity type, the business status (active or non-active), the formation date, and the owners’ names.
While that’s all handy information, we will focus only on using the business entity search to see if your chosen name is available.
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:
To ensure your chosen business name is unique from any LLCs registered in Arizona, visit the Determining Distinguishability of Entity Names website.
The Arizona name availability search tool allows you to check various business structures, including LLCs, limited liability partnerships, corporations, and registered DBAs.
The below step-by-step guide will show you how to search for an Arizona LLC business entity.
When using the Arizona business entity search, apply the following tips for the best results:
Now, let’s look at how to use the Arizona entity search tool.
Your first step is to visit the Arizona Secretary of State Entity Search website, where you will see the below page.
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:
If the name you want (or one similar) is registered with the Arizona Secretary of State, it will show in the results.
Our example has 3 results, the first being an exact match.
Now click on the matching LLC name registered number on the left (you don’t need to press search), and the following information will appear:
The entity information page provides the following business information:
You’ll also see the LLC’s registered agent’s contact details and principal information, which contains the LLC’s members’ and managers’ addresses, etc.
Below the principle information section, you can print the LLC’s documentation or continue your search, which will bring you to the filtering results page.
If your initial name search doesn’t provide any matching results, your chosen name might be available; however, to confirm it, you must filter the results.
Here are the search choices:
Below, you have the filter choices:
If the search doesn’t show any matching results, your name is probably available for LLC registration.
However, it’s advisable to contact the Arizona Secretary of State to confirm this before submitting your LLC Articles of Organization.
The Arizona state LLC formation fee is $50, but there are other costs when starting an LLC in Arizona that you must account for in your financial section of your business plan.
LLCs must publish a public announcement in a local newspaper of their LLC formation, which, depending on the paper, can cost from $50 to $300.
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.
To see if a fictitious name is available, visit the Arizona Secretary of State Entity Search website. In the Filter By section, press Name Type and select the fictitious name option from the drop-down menu.
Here is an example:
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 takes 2 to 3 weeks. You can pay $35 to expedite the process.
Once you’ve found an available name, consider stopping others from using it in Arizona, nationwide, and online.
Suppose you’re not ready to form your LLC and register your business name. In that case, you can pay $45 to reserve it for 90 days with the Arizona Secretary of State.
Registering your business name as a trademark stops others from using it in the United States.
Visit the United States Trademark and Patent Office online database to confirm that your name is available as a trademark and to ensure it hasn’t already been trademarked.
The Arizona tradename guidelines also provide information about registering a trade name/mark in the Copper State.
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.
Registering your business name 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.
And you must check your chosen name is available as a domain and ensure it isn`t trademarked,
If you need inspiration for choosing the perfect business name or registering your LLC, follow those links to find all the help you need.
A business entity search provides information on businesses registered with the Arizona Secretary of State, 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.
Arizona doesn’t require registering trade names, but to find those that are, search the Arizona Corporation Commission Search for an Entity Name and the Arizona Secretary of State Entity Search tool.
The fee to reserve a business name online in Arizona is $45.
To use a DBA in Arizona, you must register with the Arizona Secretary of State using its online service.
LLCs not registering a DBA must trade using the name on their formation documents.
Sole proprietorships can only trade using their private name unless they register a DBA.
Arizona LLC naming requirements:
This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between Tailor Brands and any other brands, services or logos.
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