Arizona DBA Filing: Trade Name Cost (2026)
In Arizona a DBA is called a trade name, and you register it with the Arizona Secretary of State for a $10 filing fee. Registration is voluntary, not legally required. A trade name lasts five years, can be renewed, and gives no liability protection - you form an LLC or corporation with the Arizona Corporation Commission for that.
Quick Answer
- Arizona term
- Trade name - the DBA equivalent
- Filed with
- Arizona Secretary of State (not the Corporation Commission)
- Filing fee
- $10 (2026)
- Required?
- No - registration is voluntary in Arizona
- Term
- Five years, renewable
- Liability protection
- None - a trade name is only a name
What an Arizona DBA (Trade Name) Is
A DBA ("doing business as") is a trade name a business uses that differs from the owner's legal name. Arizona's statutory term for it is a trade name, governed by the trade name and trademark provisions of the Arizona Revised Statutes and administered by the Arizona Secretary of State. A sole proprietor named Daniel Ortiz who operates as "Sonoran Yard Care," or an LLC that markets a brand different from its exact registered name, commonly registers a trade name so the public can connect the brand to the true owner. For the national concept, see what is a DBA.
Importantly, a trade name is not a business entity. It provides no liability protection and does not change how you are taxed. If you want a liability shield, you form an Arizona LLC or a corporation with the Arizona Corporation Commission - a separate filing from the Secretary of State's trade name program.
Registration Is Voluntary in Arizona
Arizona is unusual among the states: registering a trade name is not legally required. The Secretary of State describes trade name registration as an accepted business practice rather than a mandate, so a business may lawfully use a trade name without filing anything. What registration does is give public notice that you are using the name and help establish priority if someone else later tries to register the same or a confusingly similar name. Because Arizona does not require the filing, no penalty attaches to skipping it - but many owners still register because banks, vendors, and county licensing offices often ask to see a filed trade name certificate before opening an account or issuing a local license in the trade name.
Who Registers a Trade Name
Any business structure can register an Arizona trade name:
- A sole proprietor or general partnership that operates under a name other than the owners' personal names.
- An LLC or corporation that wants to market a brand different from the exact name on its formation documents filed with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
A single owner can register more than one trade name, and each name is a separate filing with its own $10 fee. Before you register, it is worth checking whether the name is already in use so the Secretary of State does not reject it as too similar to an existing registration. See the distinction between a trade name and a formal entity at sole proprietorship vs LLC and single-member LLC.
How to Register an Arizona Trade Name Step by Step
The Secretary of State runs the process through its trade name and trademark program:
- Check name availability. Search the Secretary of State's trade name and trademark records to confirm your name is not already registered by someone else.
- Complete the application. Provide the trade name, a description of the business, and the owner's name and address. The easiest route is the online trade name/trademark application system.
- Pay the $10 filing fee. Paper filings must pay by check or cash - the Secretary of State's office does not accept credit-card payment for trade name filings.
- Receive your registration. Once accepted, the trade name is registered for a five-year term.
Registering the trade name does not, by itself, get you a local business license or a state tax license. If you sell taxable goods you also register for transaction privilege tax with the Arizona Department of Revenue, and many cities require their own license. See business license in Arizona.
Arizona DBA Fees and Term (2026)
Trade name fees are set by the Arizona Secretary of State. The table shows the amounts a typical filer encounters; confirm current figures on the Secretary of State's trade name page before you file.
| Item | Fee (2026) | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Trade name registration (per name) | $10 | Secretary of State |
| Trade name renewal (every 5 years) | $10 | Secretary of State |
| Trademark registration (10-year term) | Separate fee | Secretary of State |
| Federal EIN | $0 (free) | IRS |
A trade name registration is valid for five years and may be renewed for additional five-year terms. A registered trademark - a different filing that protects a brand used on goods or services - lasts ten years in Arizona. If your registration lapses, you can re-register, but you may lose priority to anyone who registered the name in the meantime.
Two Different Agencies: Secretary of State vs Corporation Commission
Arizona splits business filings between two offices, which is a frequent point of confusion. Trade names and trademarks are handled by the Arizona Secretary of State. Entity formation - filing Articles of Organization for an LLC or Articles of Incorporation for a corporation - is handled by the Arizona Corporation Commission. So if you are registering a DBA, you go to the Secretary of State; if you are creating the LLC itself, you go to the Corporation Commission. The two records are independent: an LLC registered with the Corporation Commission can also register a trade name with the Secretary of State, and the trade name does not appear in the Corporation Commission's entity database. For the full formation process, see how to form an LLC in Arizona and keep your Arizona statutory agent current.
Trade Name vs LLC, EIN, and Trademark
A DBA is often confused with three other things. It is not an Arizona LLC, which is a liability-protected entity filed with the Corporation Commission. It does not by itself require a new EIN - a sole proprietor can use an existing EIN or Social Security number, and an LLC keeps its own EIN, because a trade name is just a name. And it is not a trademark: a state trade name registration gives no exclusive nationwide rights, which come only from a registered trademark. See how to trademark a business name for brand protection, and remember a trade name does not replace an Arizona annual report or a local business license.
How Arizona Compares to Other States
DBA rules vary widely, so a process that works in one state does not transfer. Arizona files trade names at the state level with the Secretary of State and makes registration optional. California, by contrast, files DBAs at the county level and requires newspaper publication - see California DBA filing. Texas allows both state and county assumed-name filings - see Texas DBA filing - and Tennessee registers assumed names for entities through its Secretary of State, covered in Tennessee DBA filing. When you move a business across state lines, re-check the local DBA rule rather than assuming Arizona's voluntary, state-level model applies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a DBA in Arizona?
In Arizona a DBA is a trade name - a name different from the owner's legal name. You register it with the Arizona Secretary of State, and registration is voluntary rather than required.
How much does an Arizona trade name cost?
The Secretary of State charges a $10 filing fee. Trade names are valid for five years and can be renewed for another five-year term.
Is registering a DBA required in Arizona?
No. Registration is an accepted business practice but not legally required. It gives public notice of who uses the name and helps establish priority.
Where do I file an Arizona DBA?
With the Arizona Secretary of State, not the Corporation Commission. The Corporation Commission handles LLC and corporation formation instead.
Does an Arizona trade name give me exclusive rights or liability protection?
No. A trade name is only a registered name. For a liability shield, form an LLC or corporation; for exclusive brand rights, register a trademark.
Related
- What is a DBA? (cluster hub)
- How to form an LLC in Arizona
- Arizona statutory (registered) agent
- How much does an Arizona LLC cost?
- Arizona annual report
- Business license in Arizona
- How to dissolve an LLC in Arizona
- How to get an EIN
- How to trademark a business name
- California DBA filing (sibling)
- Tennessee DBA filing (sibling)
Sources
- Arizona Secretary of State - Trade Names & Trademarks (TNTM) (trade name program; $10 fee; five-year term).
- Arizona Secretary of State - How Do I File My Business Name? (filing instructions; check or cash payment).
- Arizona Secretary of State - Trade Name Registration Guidelines (name availability).
- Arizona Secretary of State - Online Trade Name/Trademark Program (online application system).
- Arizona Secretary of State - Trade Name & Trademark Handbook (registration not required; renewal and term).
- Arizona Secretary of State - Business Services (overview of trade name and trademark filings).
- Arizona Revised Statutes - A.R.S. § 44-1460 (trade name definition).
- Arizona Revised Statutes - A.R.S. § 44-1460.01 (registration of trade names).
- Arizona Corporation Commission - Corporations Division (LLC and corporation formation, filed separately from trade names).
- Arizona Department of Revenue - Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) (state tax license for sellers).
- IRS - Doing Business As (a DBA does not by itself require a new EIN).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and deadlines change; verify current requirements with the Arizona Secretary of State before acting.