Arizona foreign corporation registration is a certificate of authority a foreign entity must have before being permitted to do business within the state of Arizona. Foreign qualification is the process to become approved. The form to file is the application for authority, and it goes to the Arizona Corporation Commission. A certificate of good standing that has been issued within the past 60 days must also be provided from the foreign corporation's home state.

Filing Process

A filed Arizona foreign corporation registration can take six to seven weeks for the Arizona Corporation Commission to process. There is an expedited option that reduces the wait time to nine business days. It costs extra to use the expedited option. In addition to that waiting time, it also takes time to get the certificate of good standing from the applicant's home state. The foreign entity must appoint a registered agent in Arizona as part of the filing process, and that agent must be maintained to keep the corporation in good standing.

Registering Agencies

If your business was originally established in and falls under the laws of another country or another state, and you want to do business or have employees in Arizona, then you must register as a foreign entity with either the Arizona Secretary of State or Arizona Corporation Commission. The one you file with is decided by your business structure. Requirements for licensing and registration aren't the same for each business. Some businesses need one or more licenses, while others don't need any.

Required Under Arizona Law

The law in Arizona makes it a requirement that all limited liability companies (LLC) and corporations file registration forms with the state in order to engage in business activities. For-profit organizations and nonprofits that were started in other states are both required to register with the Arizona Corporation Commission in order to have the right to operate in Arizona. Becoming qualified or registered to transact business and conduct business affairs is required, and it's a process of filing the right paperwork.

Required Information

Information required for the application includes:

  • The type of business you own
  • The street address for your principal foreign office
  • The place of business where you plan to operate in Arizona
  • The name of your registered or statutory agent
  • The legal street address of the registered agent, which must be in Arizona but can't be a post office box
  • The filled application; none of the required information can be omitted

Other Necessary Documents

Some other documents you may be required to submit to register as a foreign entity in Arizona include:

  • A reproduction of your original Articles of Incorporation.
  • A copy of any changes you've made to your articles of incorporation.
  • A certificate from the state of origin that authenticates your corporation's existence. This certificate needs to be dated within 60 days of filing your application for authority.
  • Proof that you published the required copy of your application for authority in an Arizona-based newspaper within 60 days of filing. The proof can be in the form of an affidavit, and you have 90 days to present it to the Arizona Corporation Commission.
  • The filing fee.
  • An expedited processing fee if you need rush service.

Getting the Application Approved

Your organization's name can't conflict with the name of any existing business in Arizona. This includes corporations, limited partnership organization names, foreign corporation names, and the names of limited liability companies. Your name also can't be in conflict with any trade names that have been registered with Arizona's Secretary of State.

Renewing Foreign Corporation Registration in Arizona

The Arizona Corporations Commission requires corporations doing business in the state of Arizona to renew annually. To do this, you need to prepare an annual basic report and file it with the commission. This filing updates the state about major changes your company has undergone and things that have happened to your business over the past year. The form can be filed online, and a $45-fee is required for for-profit corporations or $10-fee for a nonprofit.

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