What is different about forming an LLC in Pennsylvania.
Every state runs its own filing office, its own fee schedule and its own ongoing obligations. These are the ones that apply in Pennsylvania.
| Item | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| LLC filing fee | $125 | Paid to the state, at cost. File.Business charges $0 to prepare and file it. |
| Corporation, for comparison | $125 | |
| Nonprofit | $125 | |
| Professional LLC (PLLC) | $125 | |
| Series LLC | Not offered | Pennsylvania has no Series LLC filing. |
| Ongoing state report for an LLC | $7 | Annual Report, annual, due corporations file January 1 to June 30, LLCs file January 1 to September 30, and LPs, LLPs, business trusts and professional associations file January 1 to December 31 |
| Registering an out-of-state LLC here | $250 | No certificate of good standing required. Filed on the Foreign Registration Statement (DSCB:15-412). |
What the Pennsylvania fee schedule actually says
Act 122 of 2022 replaced the decennial report with an annual report beginning in 2025. For profit filers pay 7 dollars and nonprofit corporations, and LPs or LLCs with a not for profit purpose, pay nothing. Separately, LLPs, LLLPs and restricted professional companies must file a Certificate of Annual Registration by April 15, and for 2026 that fee is 470 dollars per general partner for LLPs and LLLPs and 700 dollars per member for restricted professional companies.
Verified 2026-08-17 · against the Pennsylvania Department of State fee schedule, annual report page and form DSCB:15-412
What forming an LLC in Pennsylvania actually involves.
Articles of Organization
The Articles of Organization is the founding Pennsylvania document. We prepare and file with the SOS using your entity name, organizer info, RA, and member structure.
~10 day Pennsylvania processing
Pennsylvania SOS typically processes standard LLC filings in 10 business days. Expedited options available for an extra state fee (varies $25-$200).
Registered Agent included
Pennsylvania requires every LLC to maintain a Registered Agent. RA service is included year one in every formation bundle.
EIN from the IRS
Your Pennsylvania LLC needs a federal EIN for banking, taxes, and payroll. We file Form SS-4 with the IRS, typically 1-2 business days, faster than DIY filings.
Operating Agreement
Pennsylvania doesn't require filing an Operating Agreement with the SOS, but every Pennsylvania LLC needs one to define member rights, voting, profit splits, and dissolution rules. Included in Domestic Complete.
Year-one compliance
Forming the LLC is step one. Pennsylvania requires ongoing compliance: Annual Report (corporations by June 30, LLCs by September 30), state tax registrations, license renewals. Domestic Complete includes year-one AR AutoFile.
A clean handoff, in 6 steps.
Pick your Pennsylvania LLC name
We check Pennsylvania SOS name availability live. Your chosen name must include "LLC" or variant and not conflict with existing Pennsylvania registrations.
Designate Registered Agent
Every Pennsylvania LLC needs a RA with a physical Pennsylvania address. We provide one (included year one) or you can designate your own.
Prepare Articles of Organization
Member info, RA, principal office, management structure (member-managed vs manager-managed), effective date. We draft and review with you.
File with Pennsylvania SOS
Submitted electronically with $125 state fee. 10-day standard processing. State-stamped Articles return to your BOS vault.
EIN + Operating Agreement
After SOS acceptance: IRS EIN application (1-2 days), Operating Agreement drafted, S-Corp election if requested (Form 2553).
Year-one compliance setup
Pennsylvania Annual Report added to your calendar (corporations by June 30, LLCs by September 30). RA active. Compliance Score baseline established.
Formation is free. Everything else is optional.
We do not charge a service fee to form your LLC or Corporation. State filing fees still apply and pass through at cost. Add the Compliance Bundle to handle the year-one filings everyone needs.
- LLC or Corporation formation (any state)
- EIN application with the IRS
- Articles of Organization or Incorporation drafted and filed
- Free BOS dashboard for ongoing visibility
- Filing receipts to your document vault
- Everything in Free Formation (no add-on fee)
- Registered Agent service in your state (1 entity)
- Annual Report AutoFile, filed every year on time
- Certificate of Good Standing (1 included per year)
- 1 Amendment included per year (address, member, name)
- Operating Agreement (LLC) or Bylaws (Corp)
- Deadline monitoring across all your filings
Common questions.
Do I need to live in Pennsylvania to form an LLC there?
No. You do not need to live in Pennsylvania or be a resident to form an LLC there. What Pennsylvania requires is a registered agent with a physical in-state address to receive legal mail, which we provide, or you can act as your own if you have a Pennsylvania address and are available in business hours. Where you live does not limit where you can form.
What is the difference between an LLC and a corporation in Pennsylvania?
An LLC is simpler and pass-through: profit lands on your personal return and there is little required formality, which suits most owners in Pennsylvania. A corporation is built to raise venture capital and issue stock, but it adds bylaws, a board, and annual meetings. If you plan to raise money, look at forming a corporation; otherwise the LLC-versus-corporation comparison lays out the tradeoffs.
Does Pennsylvania require an Operating Agreement?
Pennsylvania may not require you to file one, but you should have one. The Operating Agreement sets who owns what, who can sign, and what happens if an owner leaves, and it is the document that shows the LLC is a genuine separate entity, which protects your liability shield. Banks and lenders also ask for it. Generate one that fits your ownership with our Operating Agreement tool.
What about the EIN for my Pennsylvania LLC?
The EIN is your business's federal tax ID, and you need it to open a bank account, hire, or file taxes. It is free from the IRS, and we obtain it for you the same day, including for founders without a Social Security Number. Keeping the EIN separate from your SSN also keeps your personal number off vendor and client paperwork. Start with our EIN guide.
Can a foreign person form a Pennsylvania LLC?
Yes. You do not need to be a US citizen or resident to own or form a Pennsylvania LLC, and you never have to set foot in the state. The one extra step is the EIN, which we obtain from the IRS for you when you have no Social Security Number, and that unlocks US banking and payment processing. Our EIN guide is the right starting point for international founders.
What ongoing compliance does a Pennsylvania LLC require?
Forming is the start, not the finish. A Pennsylvania LLC generally files a periodic annual report, keeps a registered agent on record, and pays any state franchise tax. Miss the report and Pennsylvania can administratively dissolve the LLC, ending the protection you formed it for. A compliance calendar keeps every date in view, and our subscription can file them for you.
Can I change my Pennsylvania LLC name later?
Yes. If you outgrow the name or rebrand, you change it by filing Articles of Amendment with Pennsylvania, which updates the official record; your EIN and entity stay the same. If you would rather keep the legal name and operate under a different public name, a DBA does that without a full amendment. We handle either the amendment or the DBA for you.
Where to next?
Every filing connects into your File.Business operating system. Pick where to go from here: we keep the rest tracked. Or start by looking up any Pennsylvania company on the state record.
Up a level, or across to the neighbors.
Form an LLC by state
The national explainer above this page: what changes between jurisdictions, and why.
Open the hub → SectionForm a business
Every formation route, each with a page per state.
Open the section → StatePennsylvania business filings
Every filing a business makes in Pennsylvania, gathered on one page.
Open Pennsylvania → In PennsylvaniaFamily LLC in Pennsylvania
The family LLC, state by state
Read the guide → In PennsylvaniaHow to form a corporation in Pennsylvania
How to form a corporation, state by state
Read the guide → In PennsylvaniaOperating Agreement in Pennsylvania
The Operating Agreement, state by state
Read the guide → In PennsylvaniaStart a business in Pennsylvania
Starting a business, state by state
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