Arizona LLC Update: You (Probably) Don't Need to Publish
New trainers in Phoenix often waste $200 on 'LLC Publication' because of a scam letter. Here is the exemption rule that saves you money.
If you just filed your LLC in Arizona, you are about to get a very official-looking letter in the mail.
It will say “Compliance Notice: Publication Required.” It will demand a check for $150-$300 to publish your Articles of Organization in a newspaper.
Throw it in the trash.
The New Rule (Maricopa & Pima Exemption)
For decades, Arizona law required every new LLC to publish a notice in a local newspaper for three consecutive weeks. It was an archaic rule that cost new business owners time and money.
However, the law changed.
If your LLC’s statutory agent address is in Maricopa County (Phoenix, Ahwatukee, Paradise Valley) or Pima County (Tucson), you are EXEMPT.
The Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) now automatically uploads your notice to their public database for free. This fulfills the legal requirement.
The Mailbox Scam
Why do you still get the letters? Because predatory “compliance services” scrape the public filing data. They know you just filed. They know you are nervous about “doing it right.” So they send a letter that looks like a government invoice, hoping you’ll pay out of fear.
How to Check Your Status:
- Go to the Arizona Corporation Commission (eCorp) website.
- Search for your entity name.
- Look at your statutory agent address.
- If it says “Maricopa” or “Pima,” you are done.
The Bottom Line
Don’t pay a “compliance tax” you don’t owe. That $200 belongs in your marketing budget, not in the pocket of a scammer.