A trade name is an Arizona DBA (doing business as). A business in Arizona can register a trade name to operate under a name other than its legal name.
Your personal assets will not be protected by Arizona DBA registration. Forming a formal business structure, such as an LLC or corporation, will provide you with liability protection as well as a business name.
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Register a Trade Name in Arizona
It is simple to register an Arizona trade name, also known as a DBA.
A DBA is only used for branding purposes. A DBA does not protect your personal assets in the event that your company is sued. As a result, we strongly advise that a DBA be used only by a formal business structure such as an LLC or corporation to add new brands to an existing business.
If you run an informal business (sole proprietorship or partnership), we strongly advise you to form an LLC to keep your business and personal assets separate. The name of the LLC can be chosen to serve as the business’s brand name.
Learn How to File a DBA in Arizona in Two Easy Steps:
Begin by conducting a trade name search in Arizona.
Create an Arizona DBA.
A DBA is only used for branding purposes. To keep your business and personal assets separate, we recommend forming an LLC.
Step 1: Conduct an Arizona Trade Name Search.
Your Arizona trade name must be distinct and meet the state’s business name requirements.
To begin, go to the Arizona Secretary of State’s website and look up your new DBA name to ensure it isn’t already in use.
Review the Arizona naming requirements next. Without the approval of the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions, your trade name in Arizona should NOT include the following words or phrases:
Bank; banker; banking; banco; banque; credit union; deposit; savings association; building association; savings and loan association; savings bank; thrift; trust; and trust company
We recommend that you check to see if your name is available as a web domain (URL). You may not intend to launch a business website right now, but you may want to prevent others from acquiring your URL.
Step 2: Create an Arizona DBA.
Your Arizona trade name can be registered with the Secretary of State online.
You will need to provide the following information:
Name and classification of the entity registering the trade name
The nature of the company
A DBA does not provide legal protection for your personal assets if your company is sued. Visit our How to Form an LLC page and select your state for more information on forming a limited liability company.
Take Charge of Your Arizona Trade Name
General Concerns
The Arizona Secretary of State’s office can be reached at (602) 542-6187 or (800) 458-5842.
Renewal of Your Business Name with the State
Trade name registrations in Arizona are valid for five years. They can only be renewed online. The fee for renewal is $10.
Arizona advises owners to renew their registration six months before the expiration date. A trade name can only be renewed by the current owner. If the applicant’s ownership has changed, an Assignment of Trade Name application must also be submitted. If the applicant’s trade name registration has expired, he or she must create a new online registration.
Change Your Company Name
To change your trade name, you must complete a new registration. To update your trade name registration with new addresses, ownership, and so on, you must file online. There is a $3 filing fee.
Remove Your Trade Name
You can cancel your trade name with the Secretary of State online.