To form an Arizona LLC, you file Articles of Organization with the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) and pay $50, as of October 2026. You must appoint a statutory agent who accepts in writing, and a notice of your filing must be published. Arizona LLCs don't file annual reports.
Arizona is cheap to start and cheap to keep. The catch is a publication step that depends on one address on your form. Here's what the ACC's own instructions and FAQs say.
Arizona LLC fees and speeds
From the ACC, as of October 2026. Fees are non-refundable and can't be transferred:
| Service | Fee | Typical review time |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (regular) | $50 | About 14 to 16 days |
| Expedite | $50 + $35 | About 3 to 5 days |
| Next day | $50 + $100 | By close of business the next business day |
| Same day | $50 + $200 | By close of business the same day |
| Two-hour service | $50 + $400 | Within 2 hours of receipt |
| Annual report for an LLC | Not required | Only corporations file them |
Publication: whether you pay depends on your statutory agent's county
This is the detail most guides skip. Arizona law (A.R.S. section 29-3201) requires a notice of your Articles of Organization to be published, and the ACC says not to publish until it approves the filing. Who publishes depends on your statutory agent's street address:
| Statutory agent's street address | What happens |
|---|---|
| In Maricopa or Pima county | The ACC posts the notice on its website automatically |
| Anywhere else in Arizona | You publish the notice in a newspaper of general circulation |
Your approval letter tells you if you need to publish, and the ACC keeps a list of newspapers as a courtesy, without endorsing or being affiliated with any of them. Remember that everything you file with the ACC becomes public record, including your principal address. The newspaper gives you an Affidavit of Publication. Filing it with the ACC is optional, but keep it with your business records either way.
The statutory agent rules
- An individual agent must be a permanent, full-time Arizona resident with a physical street address in Arizona, and any mailing address must be in Arizona too.
- The agent can also be a business entity authorized to transact business in Arizona.
- An LLC can't be its own statutory agent, though a member or manager can act as one personally.
- The agent must accept the appointment in writing, using Statutory Agent Acceptance form M002. If no acceptance is on file when your articles are examined, they're rejected.
- Official ACC notices go to the statutory agent's address, so pick someone who'll pass them on.
Member-managed or manager-managed?
You choose on the articles and attach either the Member Structure or the Manager Structure Attachment, or the filing is rejected. In a manager-managed LLC, any member who owns 20% or more must be listed. The ACC's instructions include a warning worth reading twice: without an operating agreement, each member gets one vote regardless of ownership, so in a two-member LLC both must agree on every decision because there's never a majority. An operating agreement fixes that.
How to form an Arizona LLC, step by step
- Check the name. If an identical trade name is registered with the Secretary of State, its owner must be named in the filing. My guide to a DBA in Arizona explains how trade names work.
- Appoint a statutory agent and get form M002 signed.
- Decide on member-managed or manager-managed and complete the matching attachment.
- File online through the ACC system, which helps you pick the right filing, or by mail with a cover sheet. Pay $50, plus any expedite fee.
- If your approval letter says so, publish the notice in a newspaper, after approval only.
- Register for any state taxes you'll collect, such as Arizona transaction privilege tax.
You can set a delayed effective date up to 90 days after delivery. If the ACC asks for more information and you supply it within 30 days, the LLC still counts as formed on the date you first delivered the articles.
Keeping an Arizona LLC in good standing
With no annual report, the ongoing duties are about addresses. The law requires the LLC to keep a statutory agent with a valid address on the ACC's records at all times, and a valid principal address too. Failing either can lead to administrative dissolution (A.R.S. section 29-3708). To change the statutory agent or its address, you file a Statement of Change. For small mistakes in a filing, there's a Statement of Correction.
Paying in person or by mail? Never mail cash. Cash is accepted only at the Phoenix office, with no bills larger than $20, and Tucson doesn't take it. Frequent filers can open a deposit account with the ACC to cover filing fees.
My verdict
At $50 with no annual report, as of October 2026, an Arizona LLC is cheap to start and cheap to keep. The two traps are a statutory agent outside Maricopa or Pima, which means paying a newspaper, and a two-member LLC with no operating agreement. Sort both before you file.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Arizona?
The Articles of Organization filing fee is $50, as of October 2026. Expedited processing adds $35.
Do Arizona LLCs have to file an annual report?
No. The ACC says LLCs aren't required to file annual reports. Only corporations file them.
Does an Arizona LLC have to publish in a newspaper?
Only if your statutory agent's street address is outside Maricopa or Pima county. Inside those counties, the ACC posts the notice on its website automatically.
Can my LLC be its own statutory agent in Arizona?
No. The LLC must appoint someone apart from itself, although a member or manager can serve as an individual.
How long does an Arizona LLC take to form?
Regular processing typically takes 14 to 16 days. Expedite typically takes 3 to 5 days, and next-day, same-day and two-hour options cost more.
Who has to be listed in a manager-managed Arizona LLC?
At least one manager, plus any member who owns 20% or more of the LLC.
Do I need an operating agreement for an Arizona LLC?
It isn't filed with the ACC, but without one Arizona's LLC statutes govern how the LLC runs, and each member has one vote regardless of their share.
