Arizona Trade Name Application: Filing, Costs, and Renewal

An Arizona trade name application is filed online through the Secretary of State, costs $10, and registers the “doing business as” name you want to operate under for five years. The office no longer accepts paper or PDF applications; anything mailed in is returned with instructions to file online.¹

Before you start the form, there is one thing to be clear about. A trade name registration puts your DBA on public record, which is usually enough to open a business bank account, but it does not give you exclusive rights to the name.¹ The Secretary of State does not check the federal trademark database and does not resolve disputes over who owns a name.² If brand protection matters, a state or federal trademark is a separate filing.

Check the Name Is Available

Arizona law requires the Secretary of State to reject any application where the proposed name is not distinguishable from an existing trade name on file or from a corporate name registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission.³ When you submit the form, you are certifying that you did the search yourself.⁴

Use the free search tool on the Secretary of State’s trade name page, then run the same name through the ACC’s corporate database to catch registered entities.² The distinguishability standard is strict. Swapping an ampersand for “and” or adding “the” in front of an existing name will not make it distinguishable.

A few content rules also apply:

Corporate designators like “Inc.,” “Corp.,” “LLC,” or “Ltd.” cannot appear in a trade name unless your business is actually organized as that entity type.
Words suggesting government affiliation, such as “Agency,” “Commission,” “Department,” or “Bureau,” are restricted.
Financial terms like “Bank,” “Trust,” and “Credit Union” require proper licensing or authorization.

Passing the state’s check only tells you the name is clear against Arizona records. It does not tell you whether a federal trademark holder could challenge your use. The USPTO database at uspto.gov is a separate search worth running.

What You Need to File

The statute lists exactly what the application has to include.⁴ Gather all of this before opening the online form:

The exact trade name you want to register.
Your full legal name, email, and business address. If the applicant is a corporation, you also disclose the state of incorporation.
A brief description of the goods or services the business provides.
How long you have been using the name in Arizona, or an indication that you have not yet started using it.
A certification that the name is distinguishable from existing records at the Secretary of State and the Arizona Corporation Commission.

The application must be signed by the applicant personally, or by a member or officer of the business entity. One application covers one name. Registering several names means a separate filing and separate fee for each.⁴

How to File and What It Costs

Open the Secretary of State’s trade name page and follow the “Online Trade Name & Trademark Forms” link into the filing system. The fee for a new registration is $10, paid by credit or debit card during the online process. If you do not have a card, the office accepts a check or money order payable to “Arizona Secretary of State,” mailed with a copy of the completed application.¹

Standard processing generally takes a few weeks, depending on the office’s current workload. Expedited processing is available for an additional $25. Check the Secretary of State’s website for current turnaround estimates if timing matters.

Keeping the Registration Active

A trade name registration lasts five years from the date the Secretary of State receives it.¹ Renew within the six-month window before expiration. The renewal fee is $10.² There is no grace period. If the window closes, the registration is canceled and the name becomes available for anyone else to register.

A detail worth planning around: the owner name on a renewal has to match what is currently on file. You cannot update ownership through the renewal form.¹ If anything about the owner or business changed during the five years, file an amendment first, then renew.

Amendments

Changes to the business address, owner name, or other registration details go through a trade name amendment in the online system. The amendment fee is $3.

Cancellations and Assignments

If you stop using the name, file a cancellation. If you need to transfer the name to a new owner, that is a separate assignment form. Neither can be filed online. Both must be printed, signed, dated, notarized, and mailed to the Secretary of State’s office.¹

1
Arizona Secretary of State. Trade Names and Trademarks
2
Arizona Secretary of State. Trade Name and Trademark Handbook
3
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 44-1460.01 – Issuance of Certificate; Restrictions
4
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 44-1460 – Registration of Trade Name, Title or Designation