The Arizona Corporate Commission LLC Search allows you to find out whether the name you want for your limited liability company is available or already in use by another business. Conducting a business entity search also allows you to access the complete filing history of any Arizona business.

The first step in naming your Arizona LLC is to make sure the name you want is not already taken by searching the Arizona Business Entity Database. The state maintains one website where you can search for partnerships and another to search for LLCs and corporations. While these systems determine whether a name is available, they don't indicate whether it is considered distinguishable by Arizona law or whether it infringes on federal or international trademarks. You'll also need to check domain name availability by searching a site like GoDaddy.

Searching for a Corporation or LLC

To use the Arizona Business Entity Search:

  • Visit the website and click the tab for Name - Forms to access the search function. 
  • Select Online Entity Name Reservation from the drop-down menu.
  • Choose the correct entity type or select "All" to search all entities. 
  • Select the "Active" option from the drop-down menu.
  • Enter your desired LLC name in the search box. Leave out punctuation. You may want to type just the first few words and then select the "Starts With" option to receive results that are similar to your desired name. 
  • Select the Check Name button to conduct your search.
  • If the results do not show any businesses with the same or a similar name, your desired name is available and distinguishable. You can click on the included link to reserve the business name.
  • If another business returns with the same or a similar name, you'll need to go back to the drawing board.

Checking Arizona LLC Status

After filing Articles of Organization to form a new LLC, you can check to see whether these documents have been approved and/or verify that your business information is listed correctly by searching for your business name on the Arizona Corporation Commission's (ACC) database. 

If the business address or any other information is incorrect, the owners or managers should take steps to fix the error. If the address or the name of a member, manager, or owner is wrong, you can file the ACC's change of address/agent form.

Certain errors must be corrected by filing Articles of Amendment to your original Articles of Organization, including:

  • An existing member who is not listed or a listed member who is no longer with a member-managed LLC
  • A listed member who is no longer a member or who owns less than 20 percent of a manager-managed LLC
  • A member who owns more than 20 percent of a manager-managed LLC is not listed
  • A manager is not listed, or a person who is not a manager is listed in the record of a manager-managed LLC

Filing Your Annual Report

You can also use the ACC search tool to file your LLC's annual report. Visit the website and select search by corporate name. Enter the name of your LLC and select it on the results page. Select the prompt for online filing. You'll need to enter the address of your business, information about your statutory agent, shareholder and capitalization information, and names of directors and officers. Finally, enter your credit card information to pay the annual fee. The annual report can also be filed by mail. The annual report can also be filed by mail.

The annual report will be processed within a few weeks for online filing and about a month for mailed reports. You can receive expedited service within four business days for an additional fee. The same annual report is used for both domestic and foreign Arizona LLCs. 

If you need help with searching for an LLC in Arizona, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.