My plan

Starting a business in Scottsdale, Arizona

In Scottsdale, the city license most businesses need is a privilege (sales) tax license, obtained through the Arizona Department of Revenue. Home businesses must follow the city's home occupation rules, some activities such as short-term rentals need a special city license, 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

    • Scottsdale's city license for most businesses is its transaction privilege (sales) tax license. The city tells businesses to apply through the Arizona Department of Revenue and file state, county and city tax on one consolidated return. You need it if you do taxable business in Scottsdale — including having an office, an agent working in the city, or soliciting sales from city customers. ADOR's Scottsdale profile lists a $50 license fee, no application fee (effective January 1, 2015) and a $50 annual renewal, delinquent if not received by the last business day of January. Residential rental licenses are $2 per unit, up to $50. A separate license is needed for each location. Scottsdale's retail rate is 1.70% (effective July 1, 2025), for a combined 8.0% with state and county tax. [source] [source] [source]

      • Scottsdale privilege tax license (via ADOR): $50 per year [source]

      Agency: Arizona Department of Revenue / City of Scottsdale Tax & License

  • 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 in the county's Permit Center; have construction plans ready for new construction or remodels, and schedule an inspection. Annual permit fees apply to all operating permits. The Board of Supervisors approved new fees (ES-2025-004) on August 19, 2026; they apply right away to new applications, and existing permits move to them at their next renewal. New fees include plan review of $728 for an eating & drinking establishment with 0–9 seats, $885 for 10+ seats and $919 for other food establishments. Annual eating & drinking permits depend on seating and class: for example, Class 4 is $539 (0–9 seats) or $1,015 (10+ seats). [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

    • Apply for a Mobile Food permit in the county Permit Center. Initial permitting happens in the county where your commissary is, and a commissary agreement may be required. Annual fees approved August 19, 2026: Type I $290, Type II $341, Type III $610. Plan review is $306 for Type II and $300 for Type III. In 2021 Scottsdale proposed a city mobile food vendor license (Ordinance No. 4525: $350 initial, $50 renewal, $10 fingerprint fee, with parking and location limits), but we could not confirm that it was adopted. Ask Scottsdale Tax & License (480-312-2400) before operating in the city. [source] [source] [source] [source] [source]

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

      Agency: Maricopa County Environmental Services and City of Scottsdale

  • City licenses

    • Scottsdale's Tax and License section (Business Services Division) administers business license fees, special licenses and liquor license fees: 7447 E. Indian School Road, Suite 110, 480-312-2400. Short-term rentals have their own city license rules — check with the Tax and License section. [source] [source]

      Agency: City of Scottsdale Tax & License

  • Zoning and home businesses

    • Home occupations are allowed in single-family zoning districts only, as a use ancillary to the home. Only people who live in the home may be employed. The garage, carport and accessory buildings may not be used. No exterior display, storage or signs, and no goods sold or exchanged on the premises. The business may not generate inordinate pedestrian or vehicle traffic or change the home's residential character, and equipment is limited to normal domestic, hobby or office use. The city page lists no separate permit or fee and refers licensing questions to Tax & License (480-312-2400). [source]

      Agency: City of Scottsdale

Not yet verified for Scottsdale: Whether Scottsdale requires any general business license beyond the privilege tax license (the city's Business & Regulatory Licenses page could not be read); The full list of Scottsdale special/regulatory licenses (for example massage, secondhand/pawn, adult uses, peddlers) and their fees; Whether Scottsdale's proposed mobile food vendor ordinance (No. 4525) and its fees were adopted, and current city rules for food trucks; Liquor licenses (Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control) and Scottsdale liquor license fees; Building permits, certificate of occupancy and sign permits for a commercial space; Fire inspections; Late-license penalties (the city's tax-code excerpt cites a 50% penalty and a $12 application fee, but ADOR's profile says there has been no application fee since 2015); Short-term rental license fee and requirements.
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