My plan

Starting a business in Peoria, Arizona

Peoria requires a city business license for anyone doing business in the city, including home businesses, with review by several departments taking up to 30 days. Taxable businesses also add Peoria (code PE) to their ADOR TPT license. Food trucks follow Peoria's siting rules, and all 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

    • Apply through AZTaxes.gov. ADOR's Peoria profile lists a $50 city license fee and a $50 renewal fee. Peoria rates: 1.8% retail and most classifications (since January 1, 2006), 1.6% food for home consumption (since July 1, 2014), 2.8% restaurants and bars, 2.8% amusements, 3.3% utilities, and an additional 3.8% hotel/motel tax. [source] [source]

      • Peoria city tax license (via ADOR): $50 per year [source]

      Agency: Arizona Department of Revenue / City of Peoria

  • 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

    • Mobile vendors regularly operating on private property need a Peoria business license, plus a county health permit and fire inspection where applicable. Vending on city property or right-of-way needs a special event license; vendors in a special event on private property fall under that event's temporary use permit. Allowed on commercial or industrial property with the owner's authorization, on a dustproof surface, in surplus parking, and at least 250 feet from single-family residential lots; not on single-family residential property (except residents-only HOA events, on-site school events and private events at religious facilities) and not blocking drive aisles, fire lanes, loading zones or sidewalks. Maximum 8 consecutive hours in 24 hours including setup; standard hours 7 a.m.–10 p.m. No mobile restrooms; lighting must be shielded and downward. Keep on hand: business license, property owner authorization, fire inspection and state/county permit. Separate permits are needed for generators of 20 kW or more, tents of 200 sq ft or more and canopies of 400 sq ft or more. Contacts: Planning 623-773-7200; business license 623-773-7160; fire inspection 623-773-7279. 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]

      • Maricopa mobile food Type III annual permit: $610 per year [source]
      • Maricopa mobile food establishment plan review: $300 [source]

      Agency: City of Peoria and Maricopa County Environmental Services

  • City licenses

    • Peoria requires a business license for anyone conducting business in the city, including home-based businesses. Approval can take up to 30 days because several city departments review the application, and they may require additional permits. Businesses subject to transaction privilege (sales) tax also need an ADOR TPT license, which is separate. Questions: 623-773-7160 (option 5) or [email protected]. [source] [source]

      Agency: City of Peoria Finance (Sales Tax & License)

  • Zoning and home businesses

    • A home occupation is allowed by right if it leaves the home's residential character unchanged: no signs; no outdoor display or storage; emissions no greater than a normal residence; no more than one business caller at a time and two visitors per hour; only residents conduct the business, no outside employees at the site and no more than one employee reporting there for off-site work; no unusual utility load; outside activity only 7 a.m.–10 p.m.; no commercial vehicles stored on site (up to two dual-use vehicles may be parked). City approval and a valid city sales tax and/or business license are required before you start. A conditional use permit is needed for accessory or outdoor storage, added parking, more callers or deliveries (more than one commercial delivery per business day), extra traffic or utility load, or one non-resident employee. Not allowed as home occupations: physicians, dentists, massage therapists, barber and beauty shops; stables, dog grooming, veterinary offices and kennels; permanent real estate offices; restaurants; vehicle repair, painting, storage, washing or sales; consumer fireworks sales; and marijuana businesses (except as A.R.S. § 36-2852 allows). [source] [source]

      Agency: City of Peoria Planning & Zoning

    • Not every business type is permitted everywhere; confirm zoning with Planning (623-773-7200). Before signing a lease, verify the building's use is allowed for your business (623-773-7225 option 1, [email protected]). A Fire operational permit is required for businesses that sell fireworks or combustible or hazardous materials, or operate repair garages or paint booths. Establishments selling alcohol need a liquor license from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. [source]

      Agency: City of Peoria Planning, Building and Fire

Not yet verified for Peoria: Peoria business license fee and renewal terms (the city's Business Licenses page and FAQ could not be loaded; call 623-773-7160 option 5); Whether the Peoria business license is the same as, or separate from, the Peoria city TPT license handled through ADOR; Peoria regulatory licenses for specific activities (liquor, peddlers, secondhand dealers, etc.) and their fees; Home occupation conditional use permit fee; Fire operational permit, building permit and special event/temporary use permit fees; Fire inspection requirements and fees for food trucks; ADOR's Peoria profile lists collection as both 'Self' and 'Department of Revenue', and shows an expired (Dec 31, 2014) renewal amendment; the $50 figures are the currently listed fees.
See progress in My plan

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