The Secretary of State’s Arizona Business Name Search allows you to search information on any Arizona-registered corporation or business entity. It is completely free and can be used as the first step toward forming an LLC.
Are You Looking for an Arizona LLC Name?
Your name must include either the abbreviation LLC/L.L.C. At the end, your name must have the abbreviation LLC/L.L.C. It can’t use Incorporated, Corporation or any of their abbreviations. The name must be distinctive. This means that it must be different from any existing.
- Arizona incorporates businesses, limited partners, LLCs, as well as nonprofits.
- Reserved names
- Fictitious names
- Trade names
- Foreign corporations, LLCs or limited partnerships, as well as non-profits, that do business in the State.
These differences cannot be considered distinguishable in most instances, except in cases where there are significant variations.
- Designators like L.L.C. L.L.C.
- Words such a, an, the and the
- Hyphens
- Slashes
- Commas
- Periods
- Singular vs. singular or possessive words
This is what you should do:
1. Use the Arizona Corporation Commission business entity search.
2. You can choose “Starts From” as your search option.
3. Your desired name can be entered in the EntityName field without the LLC at its end or any punctuation. Also, check just the first and second words to see if there are any similar names.
4. You can choose any entity type.
5. Click on Search/Name Availability Check
If the name you desire or a similar name does not appear, it may be available. Do you not know if your LLC name can be distinguished? If so, file your paperwork. If it is not, the state will inform you. Arizona’s Corporation Commission stated that names can sometimes be distinguished when they are:
- The meaning of the name is altered by conjunctions and prepositions. For example: Into the Deep LLC is different from To the Deep LLC. Of Mice and Men LLC can be distinguished from Mice and Men LLC.
- The same words appear in a different sequence. House Party LLC and Party House LLC are not the same thing
- Words are written differently or creatively than Crispy Cream, such as Krispy Cream.
- Abbreviations may be used. Computer Solution Technology may not be the same as Computer Solution Tech.
- Single letters and symbols can be present. For example: Dollar Cleaners is not the same as $ Cleaners.
- Arizona now has a new name
- Roman numerals appear in the name. They can be distinguished from words or numbers for numbers but legal words and numbers are the same.
- The name contains words in a different language. Rio Verde can be distinguished from Green River
DBAs or Trade Names
Sometimes, you may be able to use a DBA without having it registered. However, an unregistered name cannot be listed on certain official documents. A trade name can be illegal if it is used by another business. A search for Arizona business registrations should be done to confirm that the name you desire is not in use. Next, file a DBA form with Arizona to use a different name for your company. A trade name is registered for your company. You can use it to open bank account accounts, sign contracts and for other purposes.
To register to become an Arizona DBA you will need the Arizona Trade Name Application. Arizona’s Trade Name and Trademark Handbook has more information. There are different requirements for Arizona DBAs and trade names. For filing DBAs, the most common location is the County Clerk. Registration is required in most cases:
- The name of the company
- Its business address
- The possible new DBA Name
- The overall mission and purpose of the company
- Arizona, on the date that the DBA was originally used.
- LLCs and corporations need to show proof of incorporation
- The signature of either the applicant or the officers or members of the entity
- Notarization
- A fee
- An envelope stamped with self-addressed address for those who prefer to file by mail rather than electronically.
- Every five years, renewals are required
