Start an Arizona Corporation

Most small businesses in Arizona pick an LLC. A corporation makes sense when you want to bring on investors, issue shares, or follow a structure a bank or partner expects. The setup is similar, with a few extra duties.

What does it cost to incorporate in Arizona?

The state fee is $60 to file Articles of Incorporation. A foreign corporation entering Arizona pays $175. You also need a statutory agent, which runs $9.99 a year with us.

The steps to incorporate

Choose a name, name a statutory agent, file Articles of Incorporation with the Commission, hold an organizational meeting, and issue stock. The publication rule works the same as it does for LLCs.

1. Pick a corporate name that is available in Arizona.
2. Name a statutory agent with a physical Arizona address. Use ours in Gilbert.
3. File Articles of Incorporation at the Arizona Business Center and pay $60.
4. Adopt bylaws and hold a first board meeting.
5. Issue stock to the shareholders.

Do Arizona corporations file an annual report?

Yes. Unlike LLCs, corporations file an annual report with the Arizona Corporation Commission, roughly $45, due on the incorporation anniversary. We can prepare and file it for you.

Does the publication rule apply?

Yes, and the exemption works the same way. A corporation with a statutory agent in Maricopa or Pima County skips the newspaper notice. Our Gilbert office keeps you exempt.

Compare the numbers on our Arizona LLC cost page, or if a simpler structure fits, start an LLC instead. Read more on the publication requirement, or set up your agent below.