Arizona Business Entity Searches & Naming Your LLC

We’re here to help you find the right business name for your Arizona LLC. From searching for a business entity name with the AZ Corporation Commission to understanding naming rules or creating a “Doing Business As” name to register your entity, you’re in the right place.

Arizona Corporation Commission Search

It’s the Arizona Corporation Commission that administers businesses in AZ, rather than the secretary of state. They’ll help you check whether there’s already another Arizona LLC registered with your desired business name. That means searching the Arizona Corporation Commission website using their business search tool. You can easily look up AZ LLCs and corporations by name and other details. 

If the business name is already used, that means it’s not available and you won’t be able to register it. Try searching for a different business name instead.

Arizona Corporation Commission LLC name search tool

Business Name Registration Rules for Arizona LLCs

Once you’ve decided on a name for your LLC and checked business name availability, you’ll need to meet Arizona Corporation Commission naming rules. Naming rules do vary from state to state — we’ve got general naming rules below, as well as naming rules specific to LLC businesses formed in AZ.

Standard LLC Naming Rules

These rules typically apply to all LLCs, no matter what state they are formed in. You will need to pay attention to these rules, as they will influence the name you choose for your Arizona LLC.

Your LLC Business Name Must Be Unique

The business name you have chosen cannot be used by any other LLC or corporation in the state of Arizona. This is why you should check business name availability on the AZ CC website.

Your LLC Business Name Must Not Be Confusable With Another Business Name

It’s not enough for your AZ LLC name to be unique; it also cannot be similar to the name of another corporation or LLC in Arizona. For example, you cannot use the following factors to say your name is different from the name of another business:

• Suffixes, such as Corporation, Company, Incorporated, Incorporation, Limited, Corp., Co., Inc., Ltd., LLC, etc.
• Definite articles like “A,” “And,” “An,” “&,” “The,” etc.
• The singular, plural or possessive forms of a word
• Abbreviations, punctuation, symbols, fonts, typefaces, etc.

Your LLC Business Name Must Contain Certain Words

All LLCs must have the words “Limited Liability Company,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC” in their name. These words should normally come at the end of the name.

Your LLC Business Name May Have Other General Restrictions

Most states will not allow you to form LLCs with names that:

• Are very similar to the name of a federal or AZ agency or organization (e.g., FBI, FDA, Arizona Department of Revenue, Arizona Police, Treasury, etc.)
• Suggest affiliation with a federal or state agency or organization
• Use the term “Olympic” or any terms that are trademarks of the Olympic organization
• Imply a purpose that it would be illegal for your business to carry out

Specific Business Naming Rules in Arizona

In addition to the general rules listed above, the Arizona Corporation Commission has some specific business naming rules for your LLC. You will need to follow these rules if you want to name your AZ business appropriately:

• If the LLC name contains any of the following words, prior written approval must be obtained from the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions before registration is allowed: Bank; Banker; Banking; Banc; Banco; Banque; Credit Union; Deposit; Savings Association; Building Association; Savings and Loan Association; Building and Loan Association; Savings Bank; Thrift; Trust; or Trust Company
• Non-professional LLCs shall contain the words “limited liability company” or “limited company” or the abbreviations “L.L.C.”, “L.C.”, “LLC”, or “LC”. If the existing limited liability company name or the fictitious name adopted for use in Arizona does not contain one of those words or an abbreviation of one of those words, then one of those words or an abbreviation of one of those words must be added to it. 
• Non-professional LLCs shall not contain the words “association”, “corporation”, “incorporated”, or an abbreviation of those words

More on Arizona Corporation Commission business naming rules

Ariona LLC Trade Names/“DBA” Names

You might choose to do business under a different name from your legal LLC name. In Arizona, a “DBA” or “Doing Business As” name is referred to as a “Trade Name.” You might choose to use a different name from your AZ formal LLC name for a variety of reasons.

For example, your LLC might be called Phoenix Property Development Holding Company LLC, and you have a chain called Gila Riverside Apartments. You should file a Trade Name to let the Arizona Corporation Commission know. In Arizona, you can do that online, or you can have Incfile do it on your behalf through our Assumed Business Name service.

Incfile’s Trade Name Service

Register an LLC Business Name in Arizona

Once you’ve searched for your Arizona business name, checked availability, followed the naming rules and decided whether you need a fictitious name, you can register your AZ LLC name. There are a couple of ways to do this.

1. If you don’t want to form your Arizona LLC right now, you can reserve the business name with the Arizona Corporation Commission online. You will need to complete an application and file it with the AZ CC. You do not need to reserve a name if you are forming your business right away.

Arizona CC LLC name reservation form

2. If you’re ready to start your Arizona LLC, you can formally file your Articles of Organization with the Arizona CC, or let Incfile take care of it for you.

FAQs on Naming Your Arizona LLC

You might find the following answers useful.

How Do I Search for My Arizona LLC Business Name?

Just go to the Arizona business search tool and enter your proposed business name. You can search the register of the Arizona Corporation Commission, which will tell you if there are any AZ corporations or LLCs with that name.

Are There Any Rules on Naming My Arizona LLC?

Yes. Most LLCs will be bound by general rules (applicable to all LLCs) and specific rules (applicable in the state of Arizona). We’ve detailed these rules above.

Can I Do Business Under a Different Name Than My LLC Name in Arizona?

Yes. Known as “assumed names,” “fictitious names,” “doing business as names” or “trade names,” you can choose to conduct business under a different name. Details are above. 

Can I Reserve a Name for My Arizona LLC?

Yes. The Arizona Corporation Commission allows you to reserve a name if you don’t want to start your business immediately. Details are above. If you are ready to start your business now, you do not need to reserve a name.

Useful Resources for Naming Your Arizona LLC

You might find these resources helpful.

Trademarks and Service Marks

You must be careful that your Arizona LLC name does not infringe on the trademark or service mark of another business. The easiest way to make sure your proposed business name does not infringe is to carry out a trademark search through Incfile. If it doesn’t infringe, you can even register the name you want as a trademark yourself.

Incfile Trademark Search and Registration Service

Find the Perfect Name for Your Arizona LLC

The perfect business name can be elusive. We have a complete guide to choosing the right business name, but basically, you'll want to choose a name that will:

• Appeal to your customers
• Be memorable enough to stand out
• Best represent your product or services
• Not be used by another business

Incfile guide to choosing a business name