My plan

Starting a business in Buckeye, Arizona

Buckeye requires a city business license for most businesses in its incorporated area — typically a $25 one-time application fee plus $40 a year (contractors $100 a year). Taxable businesses add Buckeye (code BE) to their ADOR TPT license at a 3.0% general rate. Buckeye also licenses mobile food vendors, peddlers and other regulated activities, and food businesses are permitted by Maricopa County.

Every item checked November 5, 2026 against the linked official source. Fees are shown only where an official source documents them, and they’re paid directly to the agency listed — FirstBizGuide isn’t a government agency and doesn’t charge fees or file applications. Not legal advice.

About your business (choose all that apply)

  • Register your business

    • Articles of Organization for an LLC: $50 regular or $85 expedited. Reserving a name first is optional ($10, or $45 expedited). Unless your statutory agent's street address is in Maricopa or Pima County, a notice of the filing must be published in a newspaper after approval. [source]

      • LLC Articles of Organization (regular): $50 [source]

      Agency: Arizona Corporation Commission

    • Optional. It records a business name publicly but does not give exclusive rights to it. Lasts 5 years; renew within the 6 months before it expires. [source]

      Agency: Arizona Secretary of State

    • The IRS issues EINs free. Sites that charge for this are third parties. [source]

      Agency: Internal Revenue Service

  • State and city tax licenses

    • Apply on AZTaxes.gov; the license number is issued the same day and the certificate is mailed in about 7–10 business days. Your city's tax license is handled through the same ADOR application. Exempt handymen generally don't need one. [source]

      Agency: Arizona Department of Revenue

    • Buckeye's TPT is in addition to state and county tax; taxable businesses must register with the City of Buckeye and be licensed by the State, filing through ADOR. ADOR's Buckeye profile lists a $2.00 city license fee and a $0.00 renewal fee, collected by the Department of Revenue. Rates: 3.00% general rate (effective October 1, 2010) for retail, restaurants and bars, contracting, hotels, food for home consumption and most classifications; 1.10% on a single retail item over $5,000; an additional 3.00% hotel/motel tax; 2.00% commercial rental (real property); 4.00% communications; 3.00% use tax (1.10% single item over $5,000) effective April 1, 2023. [source] [source]

      • Buckeye city tax license via ADOR ($0 renewal listed): $2 [source]

      Agency: Arizona Department of Revenue / City of Buckeye

  • If you hire employees

    • Also required: workers' compensation insurance (paid entirely by the employer), reporting each new or rehired employee within 20 days, and E-Verify for all new employees. [source]

      Agency: ADOR and Arizona DES

  • Industry licenses

    • Generally required for construction work of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, or whenever a building permit is needed. Work under the exemption must be advertised as "not a licensed contractor." Lawn, garden, shrub and tree maintenance only is exempt. [source]

      Agency: Arizona Registrar of Contractors

  • Food businesses

    • Created by HB 2371 (2018): valid statewide, a separate license for each unit, renewed yearly; employees need food handler cards. Confirm current statute text, which may have been amended. [source]

      Agency: County health department

    • Apply through the county's online Permit Center; new construction or remodels need plan review (layout, equipment, plumbing) and a construction/remodel inspection scheduled through the Permit Center. Maricopa County adopted new environmental health fees (case ES-2025-004, approved by the Board of Supervisors August 19, 2026; new-application fees apply immediately, renewals at next renewal). Under the adopted Chapter 1 schedule (Rev 08/19/2026): plan review $728 for an eating & drinking establishment with 0–9 seats, $885 for 10+ seats, $919 for all other food establishments. Annual operating permits depend on seating and risk class: 0–9 seats $373 (Class 2), $393 (Class 3), $539 (Class 4), $514 (Class 5); 10+ seats $400, $556, $1,015 and $808. [source] [source] [source]

      • Maricopa plan review — eating & drinking, 0–9 seats: $728 [source]
      • Maricopa annual permit — eating & drinking, 0–9 seats, Class 4: $539 per year [source]

      Agency: Maricopa County Environmental Services

    • Buckeye's fee schedule lists Mobile Food Vendors (fingerprinting fee applicable) at "$150/Year or $50 Monthly, $25 Application Fee"; background and fingerprinting is $50 per applicant. Buckeye's Development Code lists "Food Trucks; Mobile Food Vendor" as a permitted temporary use in the AG district and all mixed-use and nonresidential districts, but not residential districts (use standard 3.4.2.D), and a Food Truck Court as a conditional use in two districts; Ordinance 36-22 (December 20, 2022) amended the food truck standards. Maricopa County annual mobile food permits (adopted Chapter 1 schedule, Rev 08/19/2026; ES-2025-004 approved August 19, 2026): Type I $290, Type II $341, Type III $610. Plan review: $306 for Type II; $300 listed for mobile food establishments. Apply through the county Permit Center. Units that already hold a State of Arizona mobile food permit apply in the county where their commissary is located with a menu, commissary agreement, toilet use agreement, unit photos, a route sheet or operating location and the permit fee, and need no county plan review. [source] [source] [source] [source] [source] [source]

      • Buckeye Mobile Food Vendor license (or $50 monthly): $150 per year [source]
      • Buckeye Mobile Food Vendor application fee: $25 [source]
      • Maricopa mobile food Type III annual permit: $610 per year [source]
      • Maricopa mobile food establishment plan review: $300 [source]

      Agency: City of Buckeye Business Licensing and Maricopa County Environmental Services

  • City licenses

    • Most people or companies doing business within Buckeye's incorporated areas must get a city business license. Register for an account in the city's Self Service Portal, choose the license type and apply online; incomplete applications are held 30 days, then a new application is needed. Review can take up to five business days; you then get an emailed invoice. The fee notice describes a one-time application fee plus an annual fee based on business type. Common categories: Mercantile Business (wholesale & retail), Professional & Personal Services, Restaurants & Bars, and Care Facilities — $40/Year plus a $25 Application Fee; Contractors and Builders — $100/Year plus $25; Solid Waste Hauler — $410/Year plus $40. Late fee $25 (charged on renewals paid more than 15 days after expiration); reinstatement or replacement $25; background and fingerprinting $50 per applicant where applicable. Sole proprietors and partnerships must show proof of lawful presence in the U.S. (for example a post-1996 Arizona driver license, birth certificate or U.S. passport) under HB 2745. Renewal notices go out 30–45 days before expiration; keep an active email on file. Pay online, by mail (530 E. Monroe Ave.) or in person at City Hall or Sundance Utility Billing. Questions: [email protected] or 623-349-6061. [source] [source] [source] [source]

      • Buckeye business license application fee: $25 [source]
      • Buckeye business license — mercantile, professional & personal services, or restaurants & bars: $40 per year [source]

      Agency: City of Buckeye Business Licensing

    • Buckeye's fee schedule lists Contractors and Builders at "$100/Year, $25 Application Fee." This is in addition to any Arizona Registrar of Contractors license. [source] [source]

      • Buckeye Contractors and Builders license: $100 per year [source]

      Agency: City of Buckeye Business Licensing

    • Buckeye's fee schedule lists separate licenses (fingerprinting may apply) for: alarm agents ($100 application, $100 agent fee) and alarm businesses ($100 application, $100/year); care facilities ($25 application, $40/year); carnivals, circuses and road shows ($25 application, $100/day); massage parlors ($100 application, $100 annual license, $100 employee application); mobile food vendors and mobile vendors ($25 application, $150/year or $50 monthly); sexually oriented businesses ($1,000 application, $1,000 investigation, $100 annual license, $200 employee application); solicitors and peddlers ($25 application plus $100/year with a fixed base in Buckeye or $250/year without); solid waste haulers ($40 application, $410/year); special event sponsors ($100/event); and tattoo/body piercing establishments ($100 application, $100 annual license, $100 employee application). City liquor license fees by state series: $500 application plus an annual fee from $100 to $1,000 (for example $400/year for a Series 12 restaurant, $500/year for a Series 6 bar); Series 15 special event $0; Series 16 and 17 $100 annual fee. [source]

      Agency: City of Buckeye Business Licensing

Not yet verified for Buckeye: Buckeye home occupation rules and whether a home occupation permit is needed (the Development Code text could not be read past Article 3 Table 3.1-1); Buckeye business license exemptions, non-profit treatment and the City Code chapter (listed as FAQ topics but answers not shown); Whether businesses located outside Buckeye that work in the city need a Buckeye license; Text of Buckeye food truck use standards (Development Code 3.4.2 / PLZM-22-00180), including setbacks, hours and property-owner permission; Whether the $2 ADOR Buckeye license fee recurs (ADOR lists $0 renewal); Whether the 'fingerprinting may apply' $50 fee is charged to every mobile food applicant; Building permit, certificate of occupancy and fire inspection requirements for commercial spaces.
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Sources