Arizona LLC Name Search

Nailing down a great name for your Arizona LLC can be challenging.

You want the name to be unique and easy to remember while conveying what your business does. You also want it to be SEO-friendly so that it can easily be found on Google. That’s a lot of boxes to check. 

And even if you’ve already found the perfect business name, you need to make sure it’s available. That takes several steps, as detailed in this handy guide.

Arizona LLC Entity Search 

The most important consideration when choosing an LLC name in Arizona is to make sure it’s available and legally acceptable. Here’s how to confirm you can use your preferred business name. 

1. Check for availability in Arizona

Go to the Arizona Corporation Commission website and enter your business name. You should also search for similar business names, as you don’t want a name that can be easily confused with other businesses in Arizona.

2. Check Arizona LLC name regulations

In Arizona, your LLC name must include “limited liability company” or an abbreviation (LLC or L.L.C.). In addition, it cannot have words that could cause your Arizona LLC to be confused with any government agency.

Additionally, your LLC name cannot contain the words corporation, incorporated, association, or any abbreviations of those words. Your name must also be distinguishable from all other business names in Arizona.

3. Check Trademarks

It’s important to make sure the name has not been trademarked. Check with the US Patent and Trademark Office to ensure the name is available nationally. 

4. Check domain name availability

You’ll want to make sure the domain name is available. You can check at a site like GoDaddy.com and use .com or .org, as those give your business more credibility.

5. Google it

Do a Google search to ensure the name is not being used in the U.S. or internationally. This is particularly important if you plan to have a strong online presence for your business.  

Once you’ve confirmed these, it’s a good idea to reserve the name with the state. 

How to file an Arizona LLC Name Reservation

To reserve an LLC name in Arizona, start by visiting the Arizona Corporation Commission’s eCorp website. If you don’t already have an online account, you must register. Once your account has been created, log in and choose Reserve a Name from the dashboard.

Next, click on Reserve an Entity Name.

Complete the online form by filling out all of the required information. Once you are finished, you’ll have the opportunity to review your entries and make any necessary changes before confirmation and payment.

Alternatively, you can complete and submit a paper form.

Due to the name reservation being immediate, the expedited cost is automatically applied. Once your application is processed, your LLC name will be reserved for 120 days. Online applications are prioritized over paper applications and granted immediately, hence the higher cost.

Doing Business As (DBA)

You may want to do business under a name other than your LLC name. You’ll need to register a “doing business as” or DBA name. There are two main reasons you might want to use a DBA.

• Suppose you want to add new product lines. For example, if your business name is “JJ’s Waffles,” you want to expand and offer “JJ’s Muffins.”  You can have multiple DBAs under the umbrella of your one LLC. 
• When you have a DBA, you can have a business bank account under that name. So if you add “JJ’s Muffins,” customers can pay “JJ’s Muffins,” and you can deposit those payments into the bank account with that name.

In Arizona, a DBA is known as a trade name. To register a trade name in Arizona, go to the Secretary of State website to complete the Trade Name Application. There is a $10 filing fee.

Arizona requires all trade names to be filed online. The turnaround time for trade name processing is two to three weeks from receipt of your application. Trade names are good for five years.

In Closing

Choosing a business name is crucial to entrepreneurial success, so if you’ve found a good one, don’t let somebody else get it! Instead, just take the steps detailed above to ensure it’s available and legally acceptable before nailing it down. 

You don’t want to run into an issue later that could threaten the success of your business.