The $50 state fee, the paperwork, the registered agent requirement — here's exactly what it costs, how long it takes, and the fastest legitimate path to an approved LLC.
Arizona's process has one twist most states skip — a newspaper publication requirement — but the order below keeps it simple.
Must include "LLC" or "L.L.C." — search the Arizona Corporation Commission's entity database first, since a taken name is the #1 reason filings bounce.
Non-negotiable under Arizona law. Needs a real street address, staffed during business hours — no P.O. boxes.
Filed online or by mail with the $50 state fee, submitted to the Arizona Corporation Commission — not the Secretary of State. This is the step that makes it official.
Free straight from the IRS — you'll need it before a bank will let you open a business account.
Arizona skips the annual report, but most LLCs must run a formation notice for 3 consecutive weeks in an approved newspaper in the county of the registered office. Maricopa and Pima County LLCs are exempt — the Commission publishes automatically.
Northwest handles all five steps above and includes your Arizona registered agent free for year one.
Wrong entity designator, missing registered agent info, and skipping the required newspaper publication account for most bounced or incomplete filings. Here's what changes with a formation service handling it.
| What matters | Filing it yourself | Using a formation service |
|---|---|---|
| Time spent | 3–5 hours of research + filing | ~10 minutes |
| Total cost | $50 state fee only | $50 state fee + service fee |
| Registered agent | Separate purchase, $100–$300/yr | Often included year one |
| Compliance reminders | You track manually | Automated deadline alerts |
| Rejection risk | Common on first attempt | Reviewed before submission |
Northwest handles the filing with the Arizona Corporation Commission, includes your registered agent for the first year, and can walk you through the newspaper publication requirement your county may still have — no add-ons to track down separately.
Files your Articles of Organization directly with the Arizona Corporation Commission, includes an Arizona-address registered agent for the first year at no extra cost, and flags whether your county requires newspaper publication before you submit.
"Filed online and had my Articles of Organization approved in about two and a half weeks. Didn't expect the registered agent to already be set up when the confirmation came through."
"I tried filing myself and almost sent it to the wrong agency — didn't realize it goes to the Corporation Commission, not the Secretary of State. A service caught it before I wasted more time."
"Didn't realize I'd need to run a newspaper notice for three weeks until the reminder email walked me through it. Would've missed it otherwise."
Northwest Registered Agent, $39 plus your $50 state fee, no long-term contract.