Pennsylvania LLCs file a Certificate of Organization and an annual report. The old once-a-decade reporting advice no longer applies.
This guide covers forming a new Pennsylvania LLC. If your LLC already exists in another state or country, use the foreign-registration process instead.
Pennsylvania LLC at a glance
- Official filing website
- Pennsylvania Department of State
- Business name check
- Search business namesA name search does not reserve or approve the name.
- Formation document
- Certificate of Organization
- State filing fee
- $125Formation filing only; other required costs and optional services are separate.
- Processing time
- Online5-7 daysPaper5-7 days; add mail transitPublished guide estimate. Published guide estimate for a complete filing; not a state guarantee. Check the filing office before setting a deadline.
- Ongoing report or tax
- Annual Report
- Report / renewal charge
- $7$7 for for-profit entities; an LLC with a not-for-profit purpose has a $0 annual report fee.
- Frequency / due date
- Annually, January 1 through September 30
- Sales tax base rate
- 6%Local rates may apply. July 1, 2026 snapshot; not an address-specific rate. General rate for ordinary taxable sales; exemptions, special products and local rules can change the result.Official tax agency ↗
- Names in formation records
- No management roster requiredThe certificate identifies the entity, registered office/CROP and organizers rather than a member roster. The annual report now asks for at least one governor. Other filings and private bank/tax records may identify owners.
Before you file in Pennsylvania
Prepare the name, Pennsylvania registered office or Commercial Registered Office Provider (CROP), organizers and the business details for the docketing statement.
File the Certificate of Organization
Pennsylvania Business Filing Services ↗
- Start a domestic LLC Certificate of Organization in Business Filing Services, or use the current certificate and docketing forms.
- Complete the registered-office/CROP, organizer and docketing information.
- Sign, pay and save the accepted certificate and entity number.
What to enter in the form
- Registered office / CROP
- Give an eligible Pennsylvania registered office or use a Commercial Registered Office Provider. A generic out-of-state mail address is not enough.
- Docketing statement
- Enter the business activity, tax-contact and fiscal-year information requested. Do not invent an EIN.
- Organizer
- The organizer signs the certificate; ownership is recorded in the operating agreement.
- Governor
- The annual report asks for at least one governor, such as a member or manager with authority to run the LLC, and any principal officers.
After approval in Pennsylvania
- Set an annual-report reminder for the LLC’s September 30 deadline.
Annual Report
Pennsylvania Business Filing Services ↗
- Find the entity in Business Filing Services and select the annual report year.
- Confirm or update the registered office, principal office, governors and principal officers.
- Sign, pay the annual-report fee and save the accepted report.
Compare the filing cycles in our annual report and recurring-fee table.
Common mistakes
- The filing’s not-for-profit fee exception depends on its actual purpose, not simply on making no profit.
Next steps: operating agreement · get an EIN · starting checklist.
Sources and filing links
Sources checked . Confirm the state’s current fees and instructions before filing.
- Pennsylvania Department of State: Fees and Payments
- Pennsylvania Department of State: Annual Reports
- Pennsylvania Department of State: Commercial Registered Office Providers
Research and walkthrough references
These references provide background and filing walkthroughs. Follow current state instructions if an older walkthrough differs.
See our editorial policy for the research process and contact page for correction information.