Find and Verify the Correct Arizona Entity
Search an Arizona LLC or corporation by legal name, Entity ID, statutory agent or principal, then use the record to verify identity, status, addresses, people and filing history.
This guide also explains the 2026 eCorp replacement, the LLC-versus-corporation annual-report rule, trade names, certificates, account verification and the safest next action after a lookup.
Arizona SOS or Corporation Commission: Which Record Do You Need?
Arizona divides business records between agencies. Choose the record type before searching; otherwise a valid business may look missing.
Use the Arizona Corporation Commission
Search Arizona Business Center by entity name or Entity ID. Open the profile and review status, Reason for Status, statutory agent, principals and document history.
Arizona Corporation Commission
- Domestic Arizona LLCs and corporations
- Foreign LLCs and corporations registered in Arizona
- Entity status and Reason for Status
- Statutory agents and principal information
- Corporate annual reports and Years Due
- Good Standing certificates and filing copies
Arizona Secretary of State
- Trade names and state trademarks
- Limited partnerships, LLPs and LLLPs
- UCC financing statements and searches
- Trade-name and partnership public-record copies
- Apostille and authentication services
How to Search an Arizona LLC or Corporation
Use a broad search to find possible matches, then verify the complete entity profile. The Entity ID is the most precise key when several records have similar names.
Open the current Business Search
Confirm that the page belongs to Arizona Business Center at an azcc.gov address. Basic public research does not require paying a formation company or registered-agent vendor.
Choose the strongest identifier
Use the Entity ID when available. Otherwise begin with the entity name. A statutory-agent or principal search is useful when you know a person or agent but not the legal company name.
Enter only distinctive name words
For “Sonoran Desert Property Management Solutions, L.L.C.,” start with “Sonoran Desert Property.” Remove punctuation and endings such as LLC, L.L.C., Inc. or Corporation if the first search fails.
Use filters only after you have results
Narrow by entity type, status, name type or county only when the unfiltered search produces too many plausible matches. Too many filters are a common cause of false no-result screens.
Compare the result row
Match the legal name, Entity ID, entity type, status, domicile and formation or approval date. Do not select the first result merely because the wording looks similar.
Open the complete profile
Read both Entity Status and Reason for Status. Then compare statutory-agent, address and principal information with the contract, invoice, website or government notice you are checking.
Open Document History
Review the newest annual report, amendment, statement of change, merger, conversion, dissolution, termination or reinstatement document. The newest filing can explain why an older document differs from the profile.
Save the evidence you relied on
Record the Entity ID, search date, exact status and relevant document dates. For an important transaction, save or order the necessary filing rather than relying on a screenshot of the result list.
After preparing the name or Entity ID and understanding the verification steps, use the current official search.
Better Search Wording for Difficult Arizona Names
The safest search begins with the wording least likely to change. These examples show how to recover from punctuation, legal-ending and DBA problems.
| You have | Start with | If no result appears | Final verification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cactus Canyon Builders, L.L.C. | Cactus Canyon Builders | Try Cactus Canyon and remove punctuation. | Match Entity ID, LLC type, agent and principal address. |
| An invoice from “Valley Pool Rescue” | Valley Pool Rescue in ACC | Search the Secretary of State trade-name database. | Identify the trade-name owner, then search that legal entity in ACC. |
| A statutory-agent name | The agent’s full recorded name | Try organisation name variations or surname only. | Open each entity separately; one agent may represent hundreds of businesses. |
| Entity ID from a letter | Copy the Entity ID exactly | Check for transcription mistakes and confirm the issuing agency. | Match legal name and document history before responding to the letter. |
| A Delaware company doing business in Arizona | Arizona registered name or Entity ID | Try the domicile-state legal name or alternate Arizona name. | Compare Arizona registration with the Delaware home-jurisdiction record. |
Worked example: the advertised name is not an ACC entity
“Phoenix Mobile Notary Center”
No matching LLC or corporation appears.
The SOS record identifies “Copper Mesa Services LLC” as owner.
Search Copper Mesa Services LLC through ACC and verify its current record.
What the Arizona Entity Database Shows—and What It Does Not
The ACC database is an entity and filing registry. It is not a complete business licence, tax, credit or ownership-report system.
Commonly available
- Current and former entity names
- Entity ID and entity type
- Status and Reason for Status
- Formation, approval and domicile details
- Statutory-agent name and address
- Reported officers, directors, members or managers
- Known place of business or principal address
- Corporate annual-report due information
- Filed-document history and available copies
Not supplied as a complete public field
- Federal EIN
- Arizona Department of Revenue account number
- Business phone number or email address
- Banking, revenue or financial data
- Complete beneficial ownership
- Professional or occupational licence
- Insurance coverage
- All court cases, judgments or liens
- UCC financing statements
How to Read an Arizona Entity Profile
Read identity first, compliance second, people third and filings last. This prevents one ambiguous field from becoming your entire conclusion.
| Profile field | What it tells you | What it does not prove | Useful next check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entity Name | The current legal name recorded by the ACC. | That every storefront, website or invoice uses that exact name. | Review former names and SOS trade-name records. |
| Entity ID | The ACC’s unique identifier for the entity record. | It is not an EIN, state tax number or licence number. | Use it for exact searches, support calls and document orders. |
| Entity Type | LLC, corporation, nonprofit, professional entity or another registered structure. | That the business holds every required occupational licence. | Apply the correct LLC or corporation compliance rules. |
| Entity Status | The entity’s current state in the ACC registry. | Good reputation, insurance, solvency or transaction authority. | Read Reason for Status and the newest status-related document. |
| Reason for Status | Why the entity has the displayed status, including Good Standing or a delinquency problem. | That every tax, licence or private obligation is current. | Review annual-report, notice, dissolution or reinstatement records. |
| Domicile State | The jurisdiction in which a foreign entity was originally formed. | “Foreign” means outside the United States. | Compare the home-state registry when the business was originally formed outside Arizona. |
| Formation or Approval Date | When a domestic entity formed or a foreign entity received Arizona approval. | Continuous operation since that date. | Look for termination, merger, conversion or reinstatement history. |
| Statutory Agent | Who accepts service of process and official legal documents. | Ownership, management or state endorsement. | Review agent acceptance, address and principal information. |
| Principal Information | Reported members, managers, officers or directors and their titles. | Complete current beneficial ownership or ownership percentages. | Open the newest amendment or corporate annual report. |
| Known Place of Business / Principal Address | The business address reported under the entity’s filing rules. | That customers can visit or that the company operates only there. | Compare the newest filing and the transaction documents. |
| Annual Report Due Date | The entity-specific corporate annual-report deadline. | That LLCs have an Arizona annual report. | Check the entity type and Years Due field. |
| Years Due | Corporate report years that may remain outstanding. | Paying one report will cure every status problem. | Review notices, penalties and reinstatement requirements. |
| Document History | Chronological filings received by the ACC. | Every private agreement, shareholder record or operating agreement is public. | Open the newest relevant filing or order a certified copy when required. |
What Changed in Arizona Business Center in 2026?
The new portal is not merely a renamed eCorp page. Its account, security and document features affect how owners file and how search users verify evidence.
File Tracker
Account users can follow a filing’s progress instead of relying only on an email or paper receipt.
Corporate reminders
Corporations can opt into annual-report reminders from the account dashboard. LLCs still do not file Arizona annual reports.
Certified-copy ordering
The portal supports online requests for certified filing documents, reducing the need for a separate paper request for many records.
QR certificate check
Certificates of Good Standing can carry a QR code that helps the recipient verify authenticity.
Address verification
Portal address checks and newer security measures are intended to reduce fraudulent or inaccurate filings.
Online identity verification
Beginning July 20, 2026, new users and existing account holders must verify with a government-issued ID the first time required.
What to prepare for online account verification
- A state-issued driver’s licence or photo ID, passport or passport card, Permanent Resident Card or visa.
- The name and account details should be entered consistently enough for the verification service to match them.
- Verification generally occurs once for the account; the ACC says most users complete it within a few minutes.
- Public business searching is different from logging in to file or modify a record. Do not upload personal ID to an unofficial search or filing site.
Verify an Arizona Business Before You Pay or Sign
The registry helps confirm the legal party behind a proposal, lease, donation request, invoice or contract. It does not verify the transaction itself.
Match these details
- Legal entity name on the contract
- Entity ID and entity type
- Entity Status and Reason for Status
- Formation or Arizona approval date
- Domicile state for a foreign entity
- Principal or known-place-of-business address
- Statutory-agent information
- Newest document and relevant trade name
Verify separately
- Professional or contractor licence
- Insurance coverage
- Bank-account ownership
- Salesperson’s authority
- Tax-account status
- Creditworthiness or solvency
- UCC records and other liens
- Consumer complaints and court cases
Understand Arizona Entity Status and Good Standing
Read both status fields and then the filing history. “In Good Standing” means compliance with applicable ACC filing requirements; it is not a rating, accreditation or state endorsement.
Current ACC filing compliance
Continue with licence, identity, insurance, tax and transaction checks. Good Standing is not a promise that the business will perform.
A compliance process is underway
Open the notices and determine whether the issue is a corporate annual report, agent/address problem or another statutory ground.
The state process completed
Look for a later reinstatement. Eligible entities may have a six-year reinstatement period, but outstanding reports, fees and penalties still matter.
The entity voluntarily ended
Read the termination or dissolution document. An approved Arizona LLC Articles of Termination filing cannot simply be revoked or reinstated through the ordinary process.
Follow the resulting entity
The original record may no longer be the operating legal form. Open the transaction document and identify the surviving or converted entity.
Verify two jurisdictions
Check the Arizona registration and the home-state record. Good Standing in one jurisdiction does not automatically prove current standing in the other.
Arizona Annual Reports: LLC and Corporation Rules
Arizona is unusual enough that generic state guides often get this wrong: LLCs do not file ACC annual reports; corporations do.
Arizona LLC
No annual report is filed with the ACC.
The LLC must still maintain current statutory-agent, principal-address and required articles information. Do not pay a private service for an “Arizona LLC annual report” without confirming what filing it is actually selling.
Arizona corporation
An annual report and Certificate of Disclosure are due each year.
The corporation’s individual due date appears in its ACC record. Current filing fees are $45 for a for-profit corporation and $10 for a nonprofit corporation.
Corporate annual-report filing workflow
- Search the corporation and confirm the exact Entity ID.
- Read the Annual Report Due Date and Years Due fields.
- Begin the report through Arizona Business Center up to 90 days before the due date.
- Review the known place of business, statutory agent, officers and directors.
- Complete the Certificate of Disclosure information required with the report.
- Pay the correct for-profit or nonprofit filing fee.
- Save the portal receipt and verify that the filing later appears in Document History.
Six-month extension: what the official form actually requires
The ACC’s C002 Annual Report Extension Request must be submitted on or before the original due date. An approved request adds six months for that report year only; it does not permanently change future annual-report dates.
| Extension requirement | Practical meaning | Common rejection or mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Exact corporation name | Use the name and corporate ending exactly as shown in ACC records. | Using a brand name, old name or missing Inc./Corporation ending. |
| Original due date | Enter the corporation’s existing report due date, not an estimated date. | Submitting after the due date or using the requested extended date. |
| Annual-report fee | The report fee must accompany the extension even though the extension form itself has no separate regular filing fee. | Sending only the extension form without $45 for-profit or $10 nonprofit report payment. |
| Authorised signer | The form is signed by the board chair, an authorised officer or an authorised bankruptcy trustee, receiver or court-appointed fiduciary. | An unrelated employee or vendor signs without authority. |
| Power of attorney | Attach a copy when the signer relies on a power of attorney. | Referring to a power of attorney without including it. |
| Paper submission package | Cover sheet, extension request and annual-report payment are submitted together. | Mailing an incomplete package or using an obsolete eCorp address instruction. |
What happens after a missed deadline?
A for-profit corporation begins accruing a $9 monthly penalty.
Review Years Due and submit the missing report, fee and applicable penalty.
Use the actual notice dates in the live profile rather than relying on a generic calendar.
Reinstatement or requalification becomes a separate process.
Search a Statutory Agent or Principal Correctly
Arizona calls the registered agent a statutory agent. The agent accepts service of process and official legal documents; the role does not automatically identify an owner.
| Role | What the role does | Ownership meaning | Search caution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory agent | Accepts service of process and official notices at an Arizona address. | No automatic ownership. | Professional agents may appear on hundreds of unrelated records. |
| LLC member | May hold an ownership interest and management rights. | Can indicate ownership, but the profile may not show every beneficial owner or percentage. | Check the filing date and management structure. |
| LLC manager | Manages a manager-managed LLC. | A manager does not have to be a member. | Do not label every manager an owner. |
| Corporate officer or director | Holds a reported management or governance role. | Officers and directors need not be shareholders. | Compare the newest annual report and amendments. |
| Organizer or incorporator | Executes or submits the creation document. | No automatic ownership. | The person may be a lawyer or commercial filing service. |
Statutory-agent address and acceptance rules
- An Arizona statutory agent must provide an Arizona street address; a P.O. Box alone is not the street address.
- When a new statutory agent is appointed on a paper filing, the agent signs the common M002 Statutory Agent Acceptance.
- An LLC generally uses the L020 Statement of Change for principal-address or statutory-agent changes.
- A corporation generally uses the C016 Statement of Change for known-place-of-business, principal-office or statutory-agent changes.
- For accelerated service, the examination clock does not begin until the statutory agent has accepted the appointment when acceptance is required.
Why member or manager information can require an amendment
ACC instructions explain that an LLC can be required to amend its Articles of Organization within 30 days when a filed statement becomes inaccurate, a member changes in a member-managed LLC, or a manager—or a member owning 20% or more of profits or capital—changes in a manager-managed LLC. A simple statutory-agent or principal-address change uses the appropriate change process instead of an unrelated amendment.
No Arizona Business Result? Use This Recovery Order
Work from name simplification to the correct alternate database before concluding that no record exists.
Find an Arizona DBA or Trade Name
A trade name is Arizona’s public-record version of a DBA. It can connect a storefront, website or invoice name to the individual or entity using it.
| Trade-name action | Current filing fee | Use it when | Important rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial registration | $10 | Placing a business name on the Arizona public record. | Valid for five years and does not create an LLC or corporation. |
| Renewal | $10 | Extending the same owner’s trade name for another five years. | The recorded owner must match; ownership cannot be changed through renewal. |
| Amendment | $3 | Updating an address, phone number or the current owner’s legal-name change. | Use an assignment—not an amendment—to transfer the name to another owner. |
| Assignment | $10 | Transferring ownership to another person or entity. | Assignment paperwork must follow the current signing and notarisation instructions. |
| Cancellation | No filing fee | Ending the trade-name registration before expiration. | Cancellation and assignment documents are handled differently from online initial filings. |
Current online filing and processing rules
- Initial trade-name and renewal applications are completed through the online filing process; obsolete PDF applications are returned.
- Online filings requiring staff review are currently estimated at two to three weeks.
- An additional $25 expedite fee is available, with an estimated two-to-three-day turnaround.
- After review, the filer receives an email asking for payment or explaining the rejection.
- The certificate is delivered to the email address supplied after payment is completed.
- Assignments and cancellations must be printed, signed, dated, notarized and mailed under the current SOS instructions.
What the public search does not provide
The SOS trade-name search does not provide electronic images of every processed application. Plain copies cost 10 cents per page through a public-record request; certified copies add $3 per request, and a duplicate certificate is $3.
Certificate of Good Standing or Filing Copy: Which One Do You Need?
Ask the receiving organisation what evidence it requires. A free profile, plain filing copy, certified copy and Certificate of Good Standing answer different questions.
Free entity profile
Use for preliminary identity, status, agent, principal and filing-history research.
Plain filing copy
Use when you need to read a formation document, amendment, annual report or other filing but certification is not required.
Certified filing copy
Use when the recipient needs the ACC to certify a particular filed document.
Certificate of Good Standing
Use when a bank, lender, another state or transaction partner requires formal evidence of ACC standing.
Trade-name certified record
Use the Secretary of State public-record process when the evidence concerns a DBA rather than the LLC or corporation itself.
Partnership Certificate of Existence
Use the Secretary of State process for an Arizona limited-partnership record; the current processing fee is $5.
Good Standing certificate details
- The ACC’s published fee for a Certificate of Good Standing is $10.
- The certificate is issued only when requested; it is not a required final step in forming every Arizona entity.
- Arizona Business Center allows the authenticity of newer certificates to be checked using a QR code.
- Order the certificate close enough to the transaction date to satisfy the recipient’s freshness requirement.
When the certificate will be used outside the United States
Ask the foreign recipient whether it requires an apostille or authentication and whether an electronic certificate is acceptable. Arizona’s authentication service requires an original notarized or certified recorded document, so confirm the required format before ordering and printing an electronic certificate.
Correct, Update or Restore an Arizona Business Record
Choose the filing based on what changed. An annual report, statement of change, amendment, correction and reinstatement are not interchangeable.
Statement of Correction
Use for a non-substantive error in a previously filed document, such as a typographical mistake. Do not use it to make a new substantive business decision.
L020 LLC Statement of Change
Use for an LLC principal-address or statutory-agent change. Include M002 when a new statutory agent is appointed on paper.
C016 Corporation Statement of Change
Use for a corporation’s known place of business, principal office or statutory-agent change.
L015 LLC Articles of Amendment
Use for substantive Articles changes such as name, management structure or required member/manager information changes.
Reinstatement
Use after eligible administrative dissolution. The published reinstatement application fee is $100, plus outstanding reports, fees and penalties.
Records Request
Use for old entity files or documents not available through the online profile. Do not use a bulk database-extraction form for one entity’s ordinary filing copy.
Accelerated service: fees, cut-offs and limits
| Service | Additional fee | Receipt cut-off | What is guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard expedite | $35 | Use the current filing instructions | Faster examination than regular processing, not approval. |
| Next Day | $100 | 5:00 p.m. | Examination by 5:00 p.m. the next business day; later receipt shifts the deadline. |
| Same Day | $200 | 10:00 a.m. | Examination by 5:00 p.m. that business day; later receipt shifts to the next business day. |
| Two Hour | $400 | 3:00 p.m. | Examination within two hours; after-cut-off receipt moves to the next business morning. |
A Business Appears in Your Name Without Permission: What to Do
An ACC record is public evidence that a filing was accepted; it does not prove that every name or address was submitted with permission. Act quickly when an unfamiliar entity uses your identity or address.
Preserve the public evidence
Save the entity profile, Entity ID, statutory-agent information and every available filing image. Record the date you discovered it.
Do not submit a random online amendment
An amendment can create another public filing without solving the identity problem. Contact the ACC and ask which fraud, correction or records process applies.
Secure your financial and online accounts
Change compromised passwords and contact affected banks or card issuers. Use a trusted contact method rather than a phone number in a suspicious letter.
Report identity theft when personal information was used
Create a recovery plan through the Federal Trade Commission and follow its guidance for credit reports, fraud alerts or freezes when appropriate.
Monitor the entity and your address
Use Arizona Business Center alerts when available and continue checking the entity’s document history for additional filings.
Use the Correct Arizona Business Tool
Move to another database only when the information is outside the ACC entity profile.
Useful Secretary of State partnership and UCC costs
- Partnership filing fees vary by form; current partnership processing is generally two to three weeks, with a $25 expedite option estimated at three to five business days.
- A partnership Certificate of Existence currently has a $5 processing fee; regular processing is listed at five to ten days.
- UCC search pricing depends on the request. Current SOS guidance lists $6 for an uncertified copy, $9 for a certified copy and 10 cents per page when copies are requested.
Contact the Correct Arizona Office With a Useful Question
Prepare the entity, search method and desired outcome before contacting support. Staff can explain records and procedures but cannot decide private ownership disputes or give legal advice.
Prepare before calling
- Exact legal or advertised name
- Entity ID, when available
- Entity type and domicile state
- Entity Status and Reason for Status
- Name, agent and principal searches already tried
- Document, order, barcode or tracker number
- Date and method of submission
- Error screenshot with payment and ID data removed
- The specific result you need from support
Secretary of State Business Services
Use this office for trade names, trademarks, partnerships or UCC matters—not an LLC or corporation profile.
Prepare for an SOS request
- Trade-name or partnership registration number
- Exact owner or partnership name
- Filing type and date
- Barcode for an expedited trade-name application
- Whether you need a plain copy, certified copy or Certificate of Existence
- Mailing address and payment method
Final Arizona Business Verification Checklist
Complete this pass before signing, paying, ordering a certificate, serving papers or filing on behalf of an entity.
Arizona SOS Business Search FAQs
Does the Arizona Secretary of State search LLCs and corporations?
No. Arizona LLC and corporation records are maintained by the Arizona Corporation Commission. The Secretary of State maintains separate trade-name, partnership and UCC records.
What replaced Arizona eCorp?
Arizona Business Center replaced eCorp on January 12, 2026. Use the current ACC Business Search and portal rather than an old eCorp bookmark or tutorial.
Is the Arizona business entity search free?
Yes. Basic public ACC entity searching is free. Filing, certified-copy and certificate orders can require fees, and an account is required for many filing actions.
What is an Arizona Entity ID?
It is the unique identifier assigned to an ACC entity record. It is separate from a federal EIN, Arizona tax-account number, trade-name registration number and professional licence number.
Can I search by registered agent in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona uses the term statutory agent. Search the agent name as an identity clue, but remember that a professional agent can represent many unrelated businesses and is not automatically an owner.
What does In Good Standing mean?
It generally means the entity is current with applicable ACC filing requirements. It does not prove licensing, insurance, tax clearance, financial strength, expertise, accreditation or authority of the person contacting you.
How much is an Arizona Certificate of Good Standing?
The ACC’s published certificate fee is $10. Order it only when a bank, agency, lender or transaction partner specifically requires formal standing evidence.
Do Arizona LLCs file annual reports?
No. Arizona LLCs do not file ACC annual reports. Domestic and foreign corporations file an annual report and Certificate of Disclosure by the entity-specific due date shown in the ACC record.
How do I find an Arizona DBA?
Search the Secretary of State trade-name database. A trade name lasts five years when registered, does not create an LLC or corporation and does not provide automatic exclusive name rights.
Why can’t I find an Arizona business?
Remove punctuation and legal endings, search fewer distinctive words, remove filters, try the Entity ID, statutory-agent or principal search, and check Secretary of State trade-name and partnership records. A sole proprietor may not have an ACC entity profile.
Verified August 3, 2026: portal screens, processing estimates, payment methods, fees and security procedures can change. This guide brings the operative details into the article; use the linked official action page to confirm the final screen, amount and filing option immediately before submitting or paying.