All businesses must conduct an Arizona LLC name search before forming an LLC.
Our guide is intended to assist you to check your Arizona LLC name availability. While it is critical to select a business name in accordance with the state’s guidelines, make certain that no other entity in Arizona is using it.
1. Discover the Guidelines for Naming an LLC
Our team recommends that you ensure that your LLC name satisfies the state’s guidelines before finalizing the business name.
In fact, deciding on a business name is the first and most crucial step in establishing an LLC. Make sure to pick an LLC name that complies with Arizona’s state needs and that it is easily searched by your potential clients.
In brief, the naming guidelines go as follows:
- Your business entity name must mention the abbreviations (LLC or L.L.C.) or “limited liability company”.
- Make sure your name doesn’t include words that can raise confusion between your LLC and a government agency, such as the FBI and the State Department.
- Additional paperwork or a licensed individual– like a lawyer or doctor– may be required if your name includes restricted words, such as University and Bank.
For additional information, read the naming policies on Arizona’s Commission Corporation’s website.
2. Conduct an Arizona LLC Name Search
The Arizona Business Entity Search is an efficient source that will help you check the availability of your chosen LLC name. Therefore, this is an important step to complete before filing the name reservation request.
To carry out an effective Arizona entity search, type your chosen name and omit certain identifiers, such as “LLC”, and keep the remaining boxes blank. Thus, you will be able to identify other Arizona businesses with the same or similar names. If you couldn’t find your desired name in the list, it means it is available.
NOTE: Because Arizona does not register DBAs or trade names, you must go to the County Recorder’s office if you need to use it. A trade name can also be registered with the Arizona Secretary of State.
What To Do If Your Preferred Name Is Unavailable
So you went through the Arizona Business Entity Records and conducted your Arizona Secretary of State business search, and there it was: your fictitious name was already in use. So, what should you do now?
If you register your LLC in Arizona, your only choice is to brainstorm and come up with a new legal name. It is important to note that your name should not appear to be particularly close to the one you previously picked. Next, once you’ve found an LLC name that meets the Secretary of State’s standards, reserve it as quickly as possible.
The procedure may grow more difficult for international business organizations.
Although your LLC may be well-known by its name in other states, you may be unable to use it in Arizona due to name availability. As a result, you’ll need to carry out a new Arizona business search and come up with a “fictitious name,” or one that you can only use in the state.
3. Find Web Domain Names
Aside from the Arizona LLC lookup, another important aspect to take into account is whether your chosen business entity name has an available domain name. For instance, it is important to hold a URL that clearly complements your LLC name. This seemingly small detail can majorly impact your potential prospecting clients’ ability to find your LLC online.
In addition, the simplest way to discover whether your desired name is available or not is to search through the domain registry of your choice, such as GoDaddy.
Find a Domain Now
4. Reserve Your LLC Name in Arizona
All business entity questions and requests are managed by the Corporate Commission of Arizona.
They will need all local and foreign LLCs to have their Certification of Name Reservation prior to filing formation-related documents with the purpose of ensuring that the business name is available to use. Moreover, you can request the certificate online or by mail.
A filing fee is required when reserving your name. You may file online or by mail, each with its own set of benefits. While filing online will result in a higher fee, your application will be expedited and given particular consideration. If you want to save money on filing fees, you can consider submitting a printed application by mail instead.
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Additional Considerations
While reserving your business name is seemingly straightforward, there are certain things to keep in mind while choosing the LLC name that best fits your needs. Extensive research is always helpful; therefore, performing a Social Media and Trademark search is a good idea to ensure that you are able to use your desired business name.
Search Through Trademark
Performing a trademark search can help you create not only a business entity name but also a unique slogan and logo. Additionally, it will allow you to avoid expensive and potential litigation. Thus, finding out that another company has trademarked your LLC name doesn’t mean that you are ineligible to use it.
However, discovering the entity that is using your desired name, what industry they work in, and their current location is crucial to be sure that you don’t accidentally violate the property rights of the business owner.
The steps to complete a trademark search goes as follows:
- In order to discover if your chosen business name, slogan, or logo is used by other entities in Arizona, search the trademark records of the state.
- To find officially registered trademarks that are linked to your desired LLC name, search the electronic records of the U.S. Patent and the Trademark Office.
Search Through Social Media
Similar to the availability of a web domain name for your business, having a unique and available LLC name across all social media platforms is equally important. To do that, you can use various online tools, such as Namecheckr, and you will be able to perform an Arizona LLC name check on all social media platforms at once.
Conclusion
Choosing a name is the first and most significant step in founding an LLC in Arizona. You are fine to proceed as long as the name is lawful and distinct from the remaining business entities in the state.
After doing an Arizona Business Entity Search and deciding on an LLC name, you may wish to pick a domain name that compliments it to assist your clients to discover your business online.
Simply by completing the Arizona LLC name reservation form, you may set yourself apart from the competitors. Securing your selected business entity name can assist you in the next steps of establishing your firm in Arizona.
- Come up with a name for your business. Make sure that your legal name complies with Arizona’s Secretary of State’s naming requirements before finalizing your documentation.
- Choose a statutory agent. Every limited liability company is required to have an agent who manages the serving of process in Arizona; this can be a person or a firm who accepts legal papers on behalf of the business.
- Create your LLC’s Articles of Organization. You will be able to apply online, by mail, and even in person. Additionally, you will need: Form L010, the registered agent’s acceptance, a member or management structure attachment, and a cover sheet.
- Carry out an Arizona publication requirement. Arizona requires newly established LLCs to publish a Notice of LLC Formation in an approved newspaper in the county of the LLC’s main office for three consecutive weeks. This must be completed within 60 days of the company’s creation.
- Get an Operating Agreement ready. Although not required in Arizona, this step is strongly recommended. This is a document that specifies how the LLC will function, how it will be administered, and the rights and obligations of each employee.
- Get an EIN. An EIN is a nine-digit number provided by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to businesses to assist them to be identified for taxation purposes. It is fundamentally a company’s Social Security number.
According to Arizona’s Secretary of State standards, your LLC’s name must include:
- Limited Liability Company,
- LLC or
- L.L.C.
Your company’s name must not contain any terms or phrases that imply or indicate that it was formed for a purpose other than that mentioned in its articles of formation.
To effectively update your Arizona LLC’s Articles of Organization, you must submit an Articles of Amendment form to the Arizona Corporation Commission, Corporations Division. A cover sheet and a $25 filing fee are also required.
Note that only names that are different from those currently on file with the Secretary of State and the Arizona Corporation Commission are approved by the Arizona Secretary of State.
Moreover, apart from the Arizona LLC search, it is a good idea to explore other areas, such as the phone directory, industry groups, etc, to rule out the possibility that someone else is using the name. If others are using the name, using the same or extremely similar name may result in legal implications.
- To form an LLC in Arizona, you must first file Articles of Organization. Whether you opt for submitting it online or by mail, the same fee is applicable: $50 for ordinary filing and $85 for expedited filing. The filing cost is non-refundable.
- The publication requirement fee can range from $30-$300 depending on the county.
- The Arizona LLC filing fee costs $50.
Your Arizona LLC’s details may need to be updated as it develops. For instance, you may need to modify the name, statutory agent, or main address of your LLC. In most circumstances, these revisions can be accomplished by submitting Arizona Articles of Amendment.
You must go to the County Recorder’s office if you need to utilize a DBA or trade name because Arizona does not register them. Additionally, the Arizona Secretary of State can register a trade name.
What's Next?
Now that you have your entity name, it's time to take the next steps to establish your Arizona LLC. Check out our full guide on how to form an LLC in Arizona, where we can guide you every step of the way.
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