Registered Agent in Arizona: requirements, cost & best options
Arizona is unusual three ways: no annual report, filings go to the Corporation Commission instead of the Secretary of State, and there's a publication rule most LLCs are actually exempt from. Here's how it works.
By Luis Cornado, Founder & Editor · Published June 7, 2026 · Updated July 26, 2026
The exact Arizona rules, real costs, and the right registered-agent option for your LLC — checked against the official Arizona source.
The Short Answer
- Arizona requires every LLC to keep a statutory agent (its term for a registered agent) with a physical Arizona street address — no PO box — who formally accepts the role.
- Filings go to the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), not the Secretary of State — a setup only a couple of states use.
- Arizona LLCs file no annual report at all, so ongoing upkeep is minimal.
- There's a publication requirement (publish 3 times within 60 days), but if your statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County you're exempt — which covers most of the state's population.
- You can be your own statutory agent with an Arizona address; many use a service for privacy and to sit in an exempt county.
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boltQuick decision for Arizona
- chevron_rightBe your own statutory agent if you're an Arizona resident with a physical in-state street address and are there during business hours — common, since Arizona is mostly a home-state market.
- chevron_rightUse a professional agent if you want privacy, are out of state, or want to lock in the Maricopa/Pima publication exemption with a Phoenix or Tucson address.
- chevron_rightNorthwest fits if you want an Arizona address (ideally in Maricopa or Pima to skip publication) plus privacy — Arizona itself has no annual report to track.
Arizona Registered Agent & LLC Facts
| Requirement / Metric | Arizona Specifics |
|---|---|
| Registered agent required? | Yes — every Arizona LLC & corporation |
| Governing statute | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 29-3115 (statutory agent) & § 29-3201(G) (publication) |
| Physical Arizona address required? | Yes — a physical Arizona street address (Arizona calls the registered agent the 'statutory agent') |
| PO box allowed? | No — a PO box does not satisfy the requirement |
| Can you be your own agent? | Yes, with a physical Arizona street address; the statutory agent must formally accept the role |
| LLC filing fee | $50 (confirm current) |
| Annual report | None — Arizona LLCs file no annual report (only corporations do) |
| Franchise / annual tax | None — no franchise tax and no annual report |
| Publication requirement | Yes — publish a notice 3 times within 60 days of forming, UNLESS your statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County (exempt). Roughly $80–$120 where required. |
| Change registered agent fee | $5 (Statement of Change of Known Place of Business or Statutory Agent, filed with the Corporation Commission) |
| Official source | Arizona Division / Secretary of State |
Fees and rules change — always confirm the current figures on the official Arizona source linked above before filing.
What Arizona requires from a registered agent
Like every state, Arizona requires every LLC to keep a registered agent at a physical Arizona street address (a PO box won't do), staffed during business hours to receive lawsuits and official state mail. And Arizona adds a step most states skip: Yes — publish a notice 3 times within 60 days of forming, UNLESS your statutory agent is in Maricopa or Pima County (exempt). Roughly $80–$120 where required.
Can you be your own registered agent in Arizona?
Yes, with a physical Arizona street address; the statutory agent must formally accept the role. The catch most pages skip: that address goes on Arizona's public record (scraped by data brokers if it's your home), and you must be available during business hours or risk missing a lawsuit — so home-based and remote owners usually use a service. Here's the full DIY trade-off.
thumb_upBeing your own agent — pros
- addNo annual agent fee — and Arizona has no annual report either, so upkeep is minimal
- addDirect receipt of service of process
- addEasy if you're an Arizona resident with a street address
infoCons & risks
- removeYour name and Arizona address go on the public ACC record
- removeYou must handle the statutory-agent acceptance (Form M002) and stay available in business hours
- removeIf your address isn't in Maricopa or Pima County, you also handle newspaper publication within 60 days
Using your Arizona home as the statutory-agent address puts it on the public ACC record and invites service of process at your door — and if it's outside Maricopa or Pima County, it also lands you the publication requirement.
Registered agent cost in Arizona
Forming an LLC in Arizona costs $50 up front, and a registered agent runs about $100–$150 a year on top — Northwest includes the first year free, then about $125. Full breakdown, including the DIY $0 route, in cheapest registered agent. To see Arizona's filing and annual fees beside all 50 states, use our LLC cost calculator.
Privacy & the public record in Arizona
Arizona calls the registered agent a statutory agent, and its name and Arizona address are public on the ACC's Arizona Business Connect database (Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 29-3115 requires a physical Arizona address). There's a second exposure unique to Arizona: if your agent's address isn't in Maricopa or Pima County, you must publish your formation in a newspaper. A commercial agent with a Phoenix or Tucson address keeps your address private and sidesteps publication entirely.
Out-of-state & non-resident founders: Out-of-state owners can form an Arizona LLC but need an Arizona statutory agent with a physical address; choosing an agent in Maricopa or Pima County also exempts you from the newspaper-publication step, since the ACC posts the notice online for those counties.
Comparing options? See our Northwest review, Northwest vs LegalZoom, or the budget pick in Northwest vs Bizee.
Best Registered Agent Services in Arizona
We weigh providers on real first-year and renewal cost, privacy, upsell pressure, and support — the same way for every state. Here are the three we point Arizona founders to.
Northwest
First year free when you form, then a flat ~$125/year. Strong privacy and no upsell funnel.
- doneRegistered agent free for year one
- donePrivacy by Default® — their address, not yours
- doneUS-based support, no upsells
Bizee
Lowest upfront cost — $0 service fee, first RA year free. Best if you'll decline the checkout add-ons.
- done$0 formation service fee
- done1st year registered agent free
- doneLifetime compliance alerts
ZenBusiness
$99 intro first year
All-in-one platform with a compliance guarantee. We don't earn a commission from ZenBusiness — here's our honest comparison.
- doneWorry-Free compliance guarantee
- doneAll-in-one formation suite
- doneHigher renewal than our top picks
Pricing reflects each provider's advertised rates as of July 2026 and can change — confirm the current price on the provider's own site before you buy.
Compare your options in Arizona
Every realistic way to meet the Arizona registered-agent requirement — including doing it yourself.
| Option | Best for | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Be your own statutory agent | Arizona residents (especially in Maricopa/Pima) who want $0 cost |
|
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| Northwest Registered Agent | Privacy-focused or out-of-state Arizona owners |
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| Bizee or another formation service | Owners who want the lowest upfront formation cost |
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| Arizona attorney or CPA as agent | Complex entities already paying an Arizona professional |
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Arizona's Corporation Commission, no annual report, and the publication exemption
Arizona is unusual in three ways at once. First, business filings go through the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), not the Secretary of State — only a handful of states work this way, so guides that say 'file with the Secretary of State' are wrong for Arizona. Second, Arizona LLCs file no annual report whatsoever (that requirement applies only to corporations), so upkeep is genuinely minimal. Third, Arizona has a publication requirement — within 60 days you must publish a notice three times in an ACC-approved newspaper — but if your statutory agent's address is in Maricopa County (Phoenix) or Pima County (Tucson), you're exempt under HB 2447, because the ACC posts the notice online for you. Since the large majority of Arizonans live in those two counties, most Arizona LLCs never publish at all; outside them it runs about $80–$120.
Arizona is genuinely a good fit for:
- doneBusinesses operating in the Phoenix (Maricopa) or Tucson (Pima) areas — exempt from publication
- doneOwners who want minimal upkeep (no annual report)
- doneArizona residents forming where they live
Do you have to publish your Arizona LLC? It's all about the county
Arizona's one real quirk is newspaper publication — but most founders skip it entirely. Whether you publish comes down to a single question: which county is your statutory agent in?
Arizona-specific things to know
Arizona's quirk starts with where you file: the Arizona Corporation Commission runs business entities through its Arizona Business Connect portal, while the Arizona Secretary of State handles unrelated things like trade names. Arizona uses the term statutory agent for what other states call a registered agent, and that agent must file an acceptance (Form M002) — you can't simply list someone.
On the publication rule: the county of your statutory agent decides everything. List an address in Maricopa or Pima County and you skip publication entirely (the ACC posts the notice). List one anywhere else and you must publish three times within 60 days in an ACC-approved paper, typically $80–$120. This is exactly why many Arizona LLCs use a registered-agent service with a Phoenix or Tucson address — it legally removes the publication step. Combine that with no annual report, and an Arizona LLC can be one of the lowest-maintenance in the country.
Looking up an existing registered agent in Arizona
Every Arizona company's registered agent is public record — you can find any LLC's or corporation's agent, with the registered office address, free through the state's official business search. Search by company name and the record shows the current agent on file.
The usual reasons to look one up: serving legal papers on a company, due diligence on a business you're about to deal with, or confirming your own record updated correctly after a change of agent (in Arizona, that filing is $5).
"Registered agent near me" in Arizona — explained
Searched "registered agent near me"? In Arizona it's not about being near you — your agent just needs a physical Arizona street address, staffed during business hours, on file with the Arizona filing office. That's why a national service like Northwest works no matter where in Arizona — or which state — you personally live.
How to change your registered agent in Arizona
To switch in Arizona, file the state's change-of-agent form ($5) and put the new agent on record before cancelling the old one — many services handle it. Full steps in how to change your registered agent.
How to start an LLC in Arizona
In short: choose your name, appoint a registered agent (the step above), file your formation document with Arizona ($50), and get a free EIN from the IRS. Then keep it compliant: None — Arizona LLCs file no annual report (only corporations do). For the full walkthrough see our cheapest way to start an LLC guide.
Which path is right for you in Arizona?
verifiedUse Northwest if
- doneYou want your address off the public ACC record
- doneYou're out of state, or want a Maricopa/Pima address to skip publication
- doneYou'd like the statutory-agent acceptance handled for you
personBe your own agent if
- checkYou're an Arizona resident with a street address staffed during business hours
- checkYour address is in Maricopa or Pima County (so no publication)
- checkYou're comfortable with that address being public
compare_arrowsConsider other options if
- checkYour only priority is the lowest upfront cost (a budget service like Bizee)
- checkYou already pay an Arizona attorney or CPA who can serve as agent
- checkYou want to compare on price first — see our Northwest vs Bizee and Northwest vs ZenBusiness guides
Arizona Registered Agent FAQ
How much does a registered agent (statutory agent) cost in Arizona?expand_more
Does an Arizona LLC have to file an annual report?expand_more
Do I have to publish my Arizona LLC in a newspaper?expand_more
Why does Arizona use the Corporation Commission instead of the Secretary of State?expand_more
What is a statutory agent in Arizona?expand_more
Can I be my own statutory agent in Arizona?expand_more
Does Arizona have a state income tax or franchise tax on LLCs?expand_more
How do I change my Arizona statutory agent?expand_more
Official Arizona sources
Comparing states?
Founders weighing Arizona usually shortlist these too — or see every state's fees side by side.
Keep reading
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This page is for general informational purposes and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Arizona fees and rules can change — confirm current details with the official Arizona source before filing.