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Search for Business Records in Arizona
Arizona Business Records
In the State of Arizona, the Secretary of State
keeps and maintains certain business records that are matters of public
record. This means that even if you do not own or work for a business,
you can obtain information concerning that business from the Secretary
of State. Here are a few tips on obtaining access to these important
records.
What Records Are Maintained by the Arizona
Secretary of State?
In Arizona, a business may take a number of forms,
the most well-known of which are corporations and partnerships. When
these entities are formed, documentation of their formation is filed
with the Secretary of State.
Additionally, Uniform Commercial Code, or UCC,
forms may be filed by a business. These documents are filed to
demonstrate that someone has a security interest in collateral of a
debtor, in exchange for value, such as a loan.
Sometimes corporations and partnerships do not do
business under their name, but may use a tradename to identify the
company to the public. When a tradename is used, documentation of the
tradename may be filed with the Secretary of State to give notice of the
use of the name.
Finally, businesses may also register trademarks in
the State of Arizona. This should not be confused with national
trademark registration, which is maintained by the United States Patent
and Trademark Office. However, on a smaller scale some states such as
Arizona maintain records of trademarks that are claimed by businesses
within the state.
Why Would a Business Not Have Documents On File?
No all businesses are incorporated. Sometimes an
individual may do business as a sole proprietorship, and sometimes
businesses choose not to incorporate or form a partnership.
However, just because an entity is not registered
with the Arizona Secretary of State, it should not be immediately
presumed that the business is not incorporated. In the United States,
businesses often elect to become incorporated in a different state than
where the business�s offices are located. This is sometimes done when a
business believes that the laws of one state are more advantageous than
another for the formation of their corporation. Therefore, if a
business that conducts affairs or maintains offices in Arizona is not
registered in the State of Arizona, it might be incorporated elsewhere.
Many businesses are formed in Delaware, based upon the belief that
Delaware�s laws are advantageous to businesses, so the State of Delaware
would be a good place to try next.
How Can I Search for Records Maintained by the
Arizona Secretary of State?
If you know that a business was incorporated in the
State of Arizona, the documentation of the formation of that business is
available for viewing online and in person. The physical address for
business related filings in Arizona is 14 North 18th Avenue,
Phoenix, Arizona 85007.
To view business records over the internet,
including UCC filings, trademarks, tradenames and partnership
information, first go to the Arizona Secretary of State�s website,
located at www.azsos.gov. Then select �Business Services.� On the next
page, choose �Business Registrations and Filings.�
From the Business Registrations and Filings page,
you can search for partnership information by selecting �Partnerships,�
then �Search Partnerships.� You will be taken to a page where you can
input the file number or the name of the applicant or agent. When the
results are returned, each item in the list will begin with an ID number
in blue. These ID numbers are clickable links that will allow you to
view the full information about each partnership.
To view trademark and tradename information, from
the Business Registrations and Filings page click on �Trademarks and
Tradenames,� then click on �Search for Registered Name.� From this
page, you will be able to input search information such as a name or
file number. After the list of results is displayed, click on the blue
ID number of the item you wish to view in greater detail.
For UCC information, from the Business
Registrations and Filings page click on UCC, then select the link
�Search UCCs.� From this page, you can input search information such as
a file number, debtor or secured party. A list will be returned with
boxes next to each item. Click the box beside each of the items you
wish to view more fully, then click the button marked �Report.� You
will then be given additional information including the identities of
the debtors, secured parties, file numbers, and date of filing. A
button marked �Images� will appear on the screen, which can be clicked
to display a scanned copy of the document.
In Arizona, documentation about corporations is
maintained on a separate website, the Arizona Corporations Commission: www.cc.state.az.us.
From the home page, look for the word �Records.� Under this is a link
entitled �Information on Active Corporations.� When you click on this
link, you will be taken to a page where you will see selections
including �Corporations,� �History Corporations,� and �Old Corporation
Names.� Click the word �Corporations� to search for current
businesses. The links �History Corporations� and �Old Corporation
Names� will help you to search for defunct businesses and business
names.
If you click on �Corporations,� you will
immediately be taken to a list of current corporations. However, you
will also have the opportunity, at the top of the page, to narrow the
search by inputting search terms.
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