How Long Does It Take To Form an LLC in Arizona (Your Guide)

Arizona is a good state for a new LLC because it has no franchise tax, and you can securely protect your personal assets from business liability.

Before you enjoy these LLC benefits, it's a good idea to know how long the Arizona Secretary of State takes to process and approve the registration paperwork to ensure your LLC is compliant.

Working with our LLC experts with over two decades of experience, we've researched the processing times offered by the Arizona department to give you the most updated information.

Quick Summary

How Long Does It Take To Form an LLC in Arizona?

It takes 14-16 days to form an LLC in Arizona on standard processing time and 5 business days with expedited processing.

Online submissions can be approved instantly or take 1 business day.

Arizona LLC Processing Time

The Arizona LLC processing time is when the ACC receives your registration documents and reviews and approves them.

In Arizona, all LLC filing is done by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) and not the Secretary of State [1].

Here are four filing methods the ACC offers business owners in this state.

1. Online Filings

We strongly advise submitting your filings online through the ACC’s website, eCorp.

You can set up an account on the eCorp portal to upload your paperwork online.

Filing online is quick, easy, and convenient. Certain online filings may be completed instantly, whereas mail or in-person submissions need a waiting period.

Furthermore, when you file online, the filing platform will guarantee that you fill out all of the appropriate forms and give helpful comments along the way to ensure that your filing is completed correctly.

The payment option for online submissions is using credit cards, and the ACC only accepts Mastercard and Visa. You can check our article for more information on how much it costs to form an LLC in Arizona.

Also, if you're a frequent flier with the ACC, they have a money-on-deposit (MOD) account option that you can use. You can create this account on the eCorp system.

2. Mail Filings

Arizona mail filing takes 14-16 business days for your LLC to be approved.

If you file your Articles of Organization by mail, you must include your checks in the folder with the correct payment amount.

Per state law, all checks must be payable to the Arizona Corporation Commission, with all words spelled correctly and no abbreviations.

Please keep in mind that checks without the account holder's name and address and an imprinted check number will not be accepted.

3. In-person Filings

In-person filings mean you physically take your LLC documents to the ACC office in Arizona.

Standard in-person filing of the LLC Articles of Organization in Arizona takes the same processing time as the mail orders, which is 14-16 business days.

However, you can pay for expedited processing and get approved sooner.

The ACC offers two payment options for in-person filings, which include using a credit card or check to pay for processing your Articles of Organization.

However, if you're filing at the Phoenix head office, you can pay in cash.

If you're using a check, ensure the name, address, or check number is not stamped or handwritten because the ACC will reject it.

Also, ensure you're not paying using a temporary check from a new bank account.

4. Expedited Filings

The Arizona Corporation Commission offers expedited processing at an extra cost to start an LLC in Arizona to be completed faster.

If you want your LLC approved within a shorter time, you can pay an additional filing fee of $35 for your Articles of Organization to be processed within a turnaround time of 3-5 business days.

The ACC also offers expedited shipping for name reservations in Arizona, which costs $45 ($10 standard filing fee plus $35 expedited processing fee).

If you can't wait for 5 business days, it's a good thing that the ACC offers other expedited service options, including:

• $100 for next-day delivery
• $200 for same-day processing
• $400 for two-hour processing (this can be a good option for In-person filings) [2].

If you're forming a foreign LLC in Arizona, you must pay for expedited processing of the Foreign Registration Statement, which costs $35 and is processed within 5 business days.

Steps To Start an LLC in Arizona

If you plan on registering an LLC in Arizona, here are 6 steps to get started.

• Step 1: Look up an Arizona LLC and ensure it's available through an online business name search.
• Step 2: Choose a registered agent service in Arizona to handle all legal paperwork.
• Step 3: Draft your LLC formation documents (Articles of Incorporation and operating agreement) and submit them to the Arizona Corporation Commission along with the proper state fees.
• Step 4: File the Arizona Privilege Sales Tax license with the Arizona Department of Revenue to ensure your LLC operates legally.
• Step 5: Visit the Arizona Commerce Authority Small Business Services website and apply for the Privilege Tax business license and other permits depending on the LLC’s principal place of business.
• Step 6: Apply for an employer identification number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to file taxes, obtain licensing, and apply for business credit cards and loans.
• Step 7: Open a business bank account for commercial transactions.

FAQs

Should You Hire an LLC Service in Arizona?

Because forming an LLC in Arizona and running a company simultaneously is a lot to juggle, it's best to work with an LLC service to assist you.

Here's our list of the best Arizona LLC service providers that will handle the legal aspects of your new LLC, giving you extra time to concentrate on your firm and elevate productivity.

You will also receive high-quality LLC creation services from these experts at a reasonable cost.

Establishing your new Arizona LLC will be a breeze, thanks to their professional support, cutting-edge solutions, and customizable platforms.

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References:

1. https://www.azcc.gov/corporations
2. https://www.azcc.gov/corporations/same-day-next-day-services