LegalCostCalculator.org
Created May 2026 · Reviewed and verified October 2026 Side-by-Side

Arizona vs New York: Legal Cost Comparison (2026)

Full side-by-side breakdown of legal fees in Arizona and New York — LLC formation, divorce filing, small claims limits, and notary fees.

Arizona
Cheaper LLC
New York
Cheaper Divorce
New York
Higher SC Limit

LLC Formation Costs: Arizona vs New York

Arizona
New York

Filing Fee

$50 WIN
$200

Arizona is cheaper here

Annual Report

$0 WIN
$9

Arizona is cheaper here

Publication Cost

$100 WIN
$200

Arizona is cheaper here

Franchise Tax

$0 WIN
$25

Arizona is cheaper here

Est. Year-1 Total

$150 WIN
$425

Arizona is cheaper here

Arizona: Arizona requires three consecutive newspaper publications within 60 days of approval if your statutory agent is outside Maricopa or Pima county (A.R.S. § 29-3201).

New York: New York's publication requirement forces new LLCs to publish in two newspapers for 6 weeks — costing $1,000–$2,000 in NYC, or $40–$150 upstate.

Arizona: No annual report fee — one of the lowest ongoing costs in the US.

New York: NYC access — unmatched for finance, media, fashion, and tech businesses.

Editor's pick

Ready to Form Your LLC?

Let a trusted formation service handle the paperwork for your chosen state — starting at $39 + state fees.

A local attorney bills $300+/hour for this. LegalZoom does it flat-fee, online.

Small Claims Court: Arizona vs New York

Arizona
New York

Max Claim Limit

$5,000
$10,000 WIN

New York is cheaper here

Min Filing Fee

$30
$15 WIN

New York is cheaper here

Contract SOL

6 yrs
6 yrs

It's a tie

Divorce Filing Costs: Arizona vs New York

Arizona
New York

Filing Fee

$349
$335 WIN

New York is cheaper here

Sheriff Service

$25 WIN
$60

Arizona is cheaper here

Children Surcharge

$0
$0

It's a tie

Notary Fees: Arizona vs New York

Arizona
New York

Acknowledgment

$10
$2

Jurat

$10
$2

RON Fee

$10
$25

Which of These Fits Your Situation?

Self-serve templates and guides, instant download, no attorney needed.

Small Claims Demand Letter Template
Small Claims

HTML, Word (.docx), instant download

LLC Operating Agreement Template
LLC Formation

HTML, Word (.docx), instant download

Uncontested Divorce Checklist & Forms Guide
Divorce

HTML, Word (.docx), instant download

Dealing with more than one? Get My Everything Bundle: $109.99 (save vs. buying separately)

All Legal Costs in Arizona
Full breakdown: LLC, divorce, small claims & notary
All Legal Costs in New York
Full breakdown: LLC, divorce, small claims & notary

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Arizona or New York cheaper to form an LLC?
Arizona is cheaper to form an LLC — $50 vs $200. However, consider the full first-year cost including annual report fees and publication requirements: Arizona year-1 total is $150 vs New York at $425.
What is the LLC filing fee in Arizona vs New York?
The LLC filing fee is $50 in Arizona vs $200 in New York. In addition to the one-time filing fee, Arizona has no annual report fee and New York charges a $9 annual report fee.
Which state is better for a small business — Arizona or New York?
For most small businesses operating in one state, form your LLC in the state where you actually do business. If you operate in Arizona, form there — registering in New York and then foreign-qualifying in Arizona means paying fees to both states. The "form in a cheaper state" strategy mainly benefits online businesses with no physical location.
How do divorce filing fees compare between Arizona and New York?
New York has lower divorce filing fees — $335 vs $349. Both states also charge for service of process ($25 in Arizona, $60 in New York). You can only file divorce in a state where you or your spouse meets the residency requirement.
What is the small claims limit in Arizona vs New York?
The small claims limit is $5,000 in Arizona vs $10,000 in New York. New York allows you to sue for more money without going to regular civil court. Filing fees are $30 in Arizona and $15 in New York.

Our mission is to educate. We give everyone the most accurate, complete legal cost information available online, free.

Keeping it accurate takes real work. Fees change across all 50 states and 530+ counties, so we check every official source monthly and review every state each quarter.

If this information helped you, please consider supporting our work. A coffee, a short review, or using our templates and partner links is what keeps this site free.

Buy us a coffee Leave a review Browse templates
Buy us a coffee