Business Registers in Arizona: Corporation Commission (ACC)

Overview

Arizona handles business entity registration through the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), an independent state agency with a dedicated Corporations Division. Unlike most other U.S. states, where business filings fall under the Secretary of State's office, Arizona assigns this function to the ACC. The Commission maintains public records for corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) formed or authorized to do business in the state; limited and limited liability partnerships are handled separately by the Arizona Secretary of State.

For KYB and compliance professionals, the Arizona system provides basic entity information (formation data, status, and registered agent details) but does not serve as a repository for financial statements, officer rosters (in many entity types), or beneficial ownership data. Sole proprietors and assumed-name (DBA) filings are handled separately through the Arizona Secretary of State or at the county level.

Official Registers

Arizona Corporation Commission – Corporations Division

The Arizona Corporation Commission is the central registry for business entities in the state. Its Corporations Division processes Articles of Incorporation (for corporations), Articles of Organization (for LLCs), applications for authority filed by foreign entities, and amendments, mergers, dissolutions, and other lifecycle filings.

The ACC maintains a publicly accessible online search portal, the Arizona Business Center (launched in January 2026, replacing the legacy eCorp portal), which allows anyone to look up registered entities. Searches can be performed by entity name, entity ID number, or principal name. Available information typically includes:

• Entity name
• Entity number (ACC file number)
• Entity type and jurisdiction of formation
• Date of incorporation or registration
• Current status (active, inactive, dissolved, etc.)
• Statutory agent name and address
• Principal address

The database is updated as filings are processed. Filing documents, such as articles of incorporation or organization, can be obtained through the Division. The ACC also collects a Certificate of Disclosure with each filing, which requires officers, directors, trustees, incorporators, and shareholders holding more than 10% of issued and outstanding shares to disclose felony convictions (in the preceding five years covering securities violations, consumer fraud, antitrust violations, fraud, misrepresentation, theft, or restraint of trade) or any bankruptcy or receivership.

The Commission does not collect or publish financial statements for private companies, and officer and director information is generally only available for corporations, not for LLCs or limited partnerships.

Most records held by the ACC are public. The Commission complies with Arizona's Public Records Law, though certain submissions may contain confidential or proprietary information and can be withheld under established legal exceptions.

Arizona Secretary of State – Trade Name Registration

Sole proprietors and partnerships operating under an assumed or fictitious business name (DBA / trade name) may register that name with the Arizona Secretary of State. While registration of a trade name is not a strict legal requirement in Arizona, it is considered good business practice. The Secretary of State's office is not the primary business entity register (that role belongs to the ACC), but it handles trade name filings and can be searched to verify assumed names.

Registration and Publication Requirements

Corporations and LLCs

Corporations must file Articles of Incorporation and LLCs must file Articles of Organization with the Arizona Corporation Commission. The LLC name must include "limited liability company" or an abbreviation such as "LLC." Foreign entities (formed outside Arizona) wishing to do business in the state must file an application for authority.

Only corporations (for-profit and nonprofit) must file an annual report with the ACC. Arizona LLCs are exempt from annual reports. A corporation's annual report is due on the anniversary of its incorporation date (not a fixed calendar date) and covers basic entity information, including any changes to officers, directors, addresses, and statutory agent. The fee is $45 for for-profit corporations and $10 for nonprofits; delinquent for-profit reports accrue a penalty of $9 per month.

There is no general obligation for private companies to file annual financial statements with the ACC. Arizona does not maintain a public repository of financial statements for private business entities.

The Certificate of Disclosure that accompanies each filing provides a limited transparency mechanism, requiring disclosure of certain criminal and insolvency history for key persons and significant shareholders (above 10%).

Nonprofit Corporations

Nonprofit corporations are formed by filing Articles of Incorporation with the ACC, following the requirements set out in Arizona Revised Statutes Title 10. At the state level, nonprofits must file an annual report with the ACC. Those with unrelated business taxable income must also file Arizona Form 99T. Arizona does not require nonprofits to submit a copy of their IRS Form 990 with the ACC annual report.

Sole Proprietors

Sole proprietorships are the simplest business form in Arizona and require no formal registration with the ACC. There is no filing of articles or formation documents. If a sole proprietor operates under an assumed name, they may register a trade name with the Secretary of State. All business income is reported on the owner's personal tax return, and personal liability is unlimited.

Partnerships and Associations

General partnerships do not register with the ACC. Limited partnerships (LPs), limited liability partnerships (LLPs), and limited liability limited partnerships (LLLPs) register with the Arizona Secretary of State under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 29 (not the ACC), and LLPs/LLLPs file their annual reports (due April 30) with that office. This is a separate filing regime from the ACC's corporate register. Cooperative marketing associations and other association forms are covered under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 10 and may file articles of incorporation with the ACC as nonprofit or for-profit corporations depending on their structure.

Beneficial Ownership

Arizona does not operate a state-level beneficial ownership register. The Arizona Corporation Commission has noted the federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which mandates beneficial ownership reporting to FinCEN for corporations, LLCs, and similar entities registered in the United States. However, following FinCEN's March 2025 interim final rule, domestic reporting company requirements were removed, leaving only foreign entities in scope at the federal level.

With Topograph

Topograph queries the Arizona Corporation Commission Business Center and returns structured company data for Arizona-registered entities. Company profiles are read live from the register, with search by entity name or entity number.

Company Profile

• Legal name and entity number (the primary identifier)
• Entity type and jurisdiction of formation (for foreign entities)
• Formation date
• Current status (active, inactive, dissolved, etc.)
• Principal and mailing addresses
• Statutory agent name and address

Legal Representatives

• Officers, directors, members, and managers. Arizona publishes the principals for both corporations and LLCs, so these are returned directly from the entity record.
• Statutory agent, returned as the entity's other key person.

Shareholders, beneficial ownership data, financial statements, and NAICS activity codes are not available; the ACC does not publish them (NAICS codes are collected on the record but are typically empty).

Available Documents

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