Arizona DBA (Doing Business As) Guide (2026)
Arizona gives you two routes. Registering a trade name with the Arizona Secretary of State is voluntary under A.R.S. § 44-1460 — A.R.S. § 41-126(A)(4) caps the fee at $10 (plus up to $3 for the certificate), valid 5 years, renewable. If you trade under a name that does not show the owner's name and have not filed with the Secretary of State, A.R.S. § 44-1236(A) requires you to record a certificate with the County Recorder for the county your place of business is in, and § 44-1236(D) bars suing on a contract made in that name until you do. Partnerships are outside § 44-1236.
The one thing to knowThe Secretary of State filing is optional; skipping it does not mean filing nothing. Without it, A.R.S. § 44-1236(A) requires a certificate recorded with the County Recorder, and § 44-1236(D) bars suing on a contract made in the name until it is recorded.
The process
- Choose a route
Either register the name with the Arizona Secretary of State (A.R.S. § 44-1460) or record a certificate with your County Recorder (§ 44-1236(A)). The two are alternatives: § 44-1236(E) exempts anyone who has filed a trade name certificate with the Secretary of State.
- Secretary of State: register for up to $10
Voluntary registration costs no more than $10 under A.R.S. § 41-126(A)(4), plus up to $3 to issue the certificate (§ 41-126(A)(5)). It is valid 5 years (§ 44-1460.02(A)) and renewable.
- County Recorder: record the certificate
The certificate states the owner's name and place of residence, or a corporation's name and address, signed and acknowledged (§ 44-1236(A)). Recording fees are set by the County Recorder; call before you go.
DBA filing by county — all 15 Arizona counties
| County | Fee |
|---|---|
| Apache County | $10.00 |
| Cochise County | $10.00 |
| Coconino County | $10.00 |
| Gila County | $10.00 |
| Graham County | $10.00 |
| Greenlee County | $10.00 |
| La Paz County | $10.00 |
| Maricopa County | $10.00 |
| Mohave County | $10.00 |
| Navajo County | $10.00 |
| Pima County | $10.00 |
| Pinal County | $10.00 |
| Santa Cruz County | $10.00 |
| Yavapai County | $10.00 |
| Yuma County | $10.00 |
Arizona-specific details
Registering with the Secretary of State does not create exclusive rights to the name — it adds public notice. Recording with the County Recorder is what § 44-1236(A) requires of a business trading under a name that does not show its owner, unless it has filed with the Secretary of State. A business trading contrary to the section cannot maintain an action on a contract made in that name until the certificate is recorded (§ 44-1236(D)). Partnerships are outside § 44-1236.
What to bring
- Your trade name
- For the County Recorder: a certificate of the owner's name and place of residence (a corporation: its name and address, signed by its statutory agent), signed and acknowledged
- The Secretary of State's fee (no more than $10, plus up to $3 for the certificate), or the County Recorder's recording fee
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to register a DBA in Arizona?
Not with the state — Secretary of State registration is voluntary. But if you trade under a name that does not show the owner's name and have not filed with the Secretary of State, A.R.S. § 44-1236(A) requires a certificate recorded with the County Recorder.
Is there a county DBA filing?
Yes. The certificate § 44-1236(A) requires is recorded with the County Recorder for the county your place of business is in, unless you have filed a trade name certificate with the Secretary of State (§ 44-1236(E)).
How much does it cost?
Up to $10 with the Secretary of State under A.R.S. § 41-126(A)(4), plus up to $3 for the certificate; valid 5 years and renewable. County Recorders set their own recording fees; call before you go.
Does registering protect my name?
No. It does not create exclusive rights to the name -- it only adds public notice.
Can I use a trade name without filing anything?
Only if the name shows the owner's name, or you are a partnership. Otherwise § 44-1236(D) applies: a business trading contrary to the section cannot maintain an action on a contract made in that name until it records the certificate.