An Arizona limited liability company (LLC) offers the benefits of limited liability protection and tax options. We’re here to help you get started in just 5 steps with this Checklist for Starting an LLC in Arizona.
Recommended: Start your LLC with Northwest for $29 (plus state fees).
Or, use our guide to help ensure that you have everything you need to start your Arizona LLC:
Arizona LLC Formation Checklist
Launching an Arizona LLC for your small business but not sure where to begin? This LLC creation checklist is your guide to the important steps to LLC formation, including:
Step 1: Name Your LLC
Your business’s name is one of the first — and arguably most important — decisions you make when forming an LLC in Arizona. When selecting the name for your LLC, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Your state’s naming requirements
- Whether the name is available in Arizona
- Whether there is a matching domain name (URL) available
Naming Requirements
Each state has its own requirements for naming a business entity.
Arizona LLC Naming Rules:
- Your name must include the phrase “limited liability company” or one of the following abbreviations: “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “Limited,” “Ltd.,” “Company,” or “Co.”
- Your name cannot include words that could confuse your LLC with a government agency (e.g., FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.).
- Restricted words (e.g., Bank, Attorney, University, etc.) may require additional paperwork and a licensed individual, such as a doctor or lawyer, to be part of your LLC.
- Read the Arizona state statute about LLC naming for a complete list of naming rules.
Name Availability
The first step in naming your LLC is to make sure it is available. In Arizona, your business name must be unique. To make sure your business name meets this requirement, use our Arizona LLC Name Search guide to confirm the availability of your chosen LLC name.
Domain Name Availability
Before you decide on a business name, it is important that you check if the matching web domain name is available.
Need Help Naming Your Business?
Fortunately, choosing a business name for an LLC is super easy with the help of our free business name generator. Simply include a keyword and industry to explore potential business names with available domain names at no cost to you.
For more help, visit our How to Name a Business in Arizona guide.
Step 2: Choose a Statutory Agent
A statutory agent, known as a registered agent in most states, is responsible for accepting legal and tax documents on behalf of your business. An Arizona statutory agent can be an individual or a business entity (such as a professional service). You can also be your own statutory agent.
If you’re not sure about serving as your own statutory agent, you might consider hiring a registered agent service. Using a registered agent service ensures that your business never misses important mail or falls behind in legal obligations, while also maintaining your privacy.
Form an LLC and get free registered agent service for the first year with Northwest.
Step 3: File Formation Documents
To register your Arizona LLC, you'll need to file the following forms with the Arizona Corporation Commission:
- Form L010 - Articles of Organization
- Form M002 - Statutory Agent Acceptance
- Form L041 - Member Structure Attachment or Form L040 - Manager Structure Attachment
- Cover Sheet
You can file online, by mail, or in person. The fee to file is $50.
For help with completing Form L010, visit our Arizona Articles of Organization guide.
Recommended: Save time and have a service form your LLC. Check out our Best LLC Services review to learn more.
Step 4: Publish Notice of Your New LLC
Arizona requires newly formed LLCs to publish a Notice of LLC Formation for three consecutive weeks in an approved newspaper in the county of the LLC’s principal office. This must be done within 60 days of formation.
Businesses whose principal address is in Maricopa or Pima counties don't have to publish a Notice of LLC Formation.
You will need to publish the following information:
- Your LLC's name
- The name and street address of your Statutory Agent
- The address of the LLC's principal place of business (if different from that of the Statutory Agent)
- Whether your LLC is member-managed or manager-managed
- The name(s) and address(es) of either your LLC manager or each member of your LLC
Read our full guide for Arizona LLC publication requirements to learn more.
Step 5: Draft an LLC Operating Agreement
Now that you’ve officially formed your LLC, the next step is to draft an LLC operating agreement.
An LLC operating agreement outlines the ownership and membership duties of your LLC. In essence, this document allows the business owner(s) to clearly define both the financial and working relationships between each business owner or “members” as well as the members and managers.
This makes managing your business not only easier but also more streamlined, thanks to a solidified set of rules that inform voting rights, ownership stakes, and more.
How to Draft an LLC Operating Agreement
Here’s the good news: drafting an LLC operating agreement is easy and free using our free operating agreement tool or by downloading this free operating agreement template. If you’d prefer to create your own, here are the six articles you can generally expect to cover:
- Organization
- Management and voting
- Capital contributions
- Distributions
- Changes to the membership structure
- Dissolution
Visit our full How to Create an Arizona LLC Operating Agreement guide to learn more.
Step 6: Get an EIN
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like a Social Security number for your LLC. Besides allowing the IRS to identify your business for tax reporting, an EIN allows you to get a bank account for your LLC. If you’re not sure if you need an EIN for your business, here are some circumstances that require LLCs to obtain an EIN.
Your LLC is required to get an EIN if:
- Your LLC has employees
- Your LLC files excise tax
- Your LLC withholds taxes for nonwage income paid to a nonresident alien
The benefits of having an EIN outweigh the disadvantages and most banks require LLCs to have an EIN to open a checking account. Not to mention, it is free and easy to file for an EIN using the IRS website.
After You've Formed Your LLC
There are some important tasks you need to complete after forming your LLC, from obtaining the right permits to developing a strong web presence.
These are some of the most important things you need to do after forming your LLC:
- Open a business bank account
- Establish business credit
- Hire an accountant
- Register for business licenses and permits
- Get business insurance
- Establish your web presence
Open a Business Bank Account and Credit Card
Opening a business bank account and getting a business credit card before you start operating is one of the most important things to do to maintain your LLC’s liability protection — also known as its corporate veil.
Limited liability protection means that the personal assets of the owner are not in danger if the business is sued or goes into debt. This is one of the biggest benefits of forming an LLC.
The easiest way to lose personal liability protection is to mix your personal financial accounts with the business.
Hire an Accountant
You might be thinking about doing your own accounting and avoiding hiring a professional to save some money. While this might be possible (especially with the help of accounting software), the advantages of hiring an accountant are likely to save you money in the long run — not to mention help you avoid potential legal troubles.
Hiring an accountant for your LLC can:
- Prevent the business from overpaying on taxes and helps it avoid penalties and fines
- Give you more time to focus on your growing business instead of doing accounting and bookkeeping
- Help you discover areas of unforeseen loss or extra profit
Take advantage of a free tax consultation with our trusted partners.
Research and Register for Business Licenses
Getting the right Arizona business licenses and permits is one of the most important things to do after forming an LLC.
This can sometimes be an intimidating step, as the business license and permit requirements vary considerably from state to state and even between counties and cities. Different types of businesses may also have different licensing requirements, like seller's permits.
There are three main licensing jurisdictions: federal, state, and local.
To find out which business licenses you might need and how to get them, check out our How to Get a Business License guide.
Get Business Insurance
Every LLC should have some type (or types) of business insurance.
At a minimum, your LLC should have general liability insurance, which is a broad insurance policy that protects your business from lawsuits.
Before you decide on which business insurance to get for your LLC, check out our review of the 7 Best Small Business Insurance Companies.
Establish Your Web Presence
All businesses should have an internet presence. This includes having:
- A website
- Social media accounts
- A YouTube channel
The style of your website could vary greatly depending on the type of business you have as well as your own personal preferences.
If you don’t feel comfortable making your own website, there are a lot of tools and website builders that can help you create your own business website.
Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
How to Start an LLC
Forming an LLC is easy. There are two options for forming your LLC. You can use one of the Best LLC Services for a very low fee or use our free form an LLC guides.
Recommended: Use our free Arizona LLC guide to Start an LLC in Arizona yourself.
Arizona LLC Checklist FAQ
How long does it take to get an LLC in Arizona?
In Arizona, regular Articles of Organization processing can take up to 30 business days, but documents can be expedited for an additional fee.
Learn more here: How to Start an LLC in Arizona
What are the requirements for an LLC in Arizona?
To form an LLC, you need to file Form L010 - Articles of Organization, Statutory Agent Acceptance, Member or Manager Managed Form, and Cover Letter with the Arizona Corporation Commission online, by mail, or in person, along with a $50 filing fee.
Learn more here: How to Start an LLC in Arizona
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Arizona?
If you are filing Arizona LLC formation documents yourself, you will only need to pay the $50 filing fee.
If you choose to hire one of these Best LLC Services to complete your filing, you’ll be charged a small additional fee.
What do you need to start a business?
To start a business, you’ll need a few things such as:
- A business idea
- A business name
- A business plan
- A business structure
- Funding
- Licensing and permits
- Business insurance
In addition to this, you need to satisfy any state or federal requirements as well as any requirements unique to your business. For a more in-depth guide to starting a business, visit our How to Start a Business in Arizona guide.
How do you set up your own LLC?
Starting an LLC on your own is simply done by submitting completed formation documents such as Articles of Organization to appropriate government agencies for your state (typically, the Office of the Secretary of State). This filing can usually be done online or by mail, depending on the state you’re located in.
Learn more here: How to Start an LLC in Arizona
Can I be my own statutory agent in Arizona?
Yes, Arizona does allow you to be your own statutory agent, also known as a statutory agent. However, before you decide to act as your own statutory agent, there are a few things you need to consider:
- You’ll have to maintain normal (i.e., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) business hours at the address you provide.
- If you run your business from home, you’ll be required to make your personal address public.
- You must keep up on important notices, dates, and deadlines.
- You could be served in front of your family or coworkers.
Check our Arizona statutory agent guide for more details.
What is better: a DBA or LLC?
Unlike an LLC, a “doing business as” (DBA) name is not a business structure. Therefore, it is difficult to compare DBA vs. LLC. Generally, however, we recommend forming an LLC for your business. If you choose to form as a sole proprietorship or would like to operate under a different business name than the one you have registered, filing a DBA is a great option.