Pennsylvania LLC Cost: $125 Certificate of Organization (2026)

By StartBusinessByStatePublisher: Robert Smith Research process

Make your Pennsylvania business official. Have your LLC paperwork prepared and filed so you can focus on getting your business off the ground.

Your business name checked before filing.
Your formation paperwork prepared and submitted.
Your formation documents together in an online account.

$0 service fee + $125 state filing fee

Start my Pennsylvania LLC

Filing service by ZenBusiness. Choose Starter for the $0 service fee. State follow-up charges and optional services and renewals are separate.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Get the paperwork handled and your company underway

With ZenBusiness, you provide the details and its team handles the Pennsylvania formation filing. You get electronic documents and customer support by phone, chat and email.

Use your approved LLC records to open a company bank account, organize your ownership agreement and do business under the company name. The state-specific costs and next steps below help you plan what comes after approval.

What it costs to start a Pennsylvania LLC

A Pennsylvania LLC costs $125 to file with Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.

Start with the official filing office: Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. Government charges are separate from anything a formation company bills you.

Expense	Amount	When it applies
Formation filing (Articles / Certificate)	$125	Required when forming the LLC
Typical formation base	$125	Excludes optional purchases
New Entity Docketing Statement (DSCB:15-134A)	$0 extra	Required companion filing
Annual Report (DSCB:15-146) — for-profit LLC	$7	Due by September 30 each year (began 2025); first report due the year after formation
Annual Report — LLC with not-for-profit purpose	$0	Same September 30 window; fee waived for nonprofit-purpose LLCs
Certificate of Annual Registration (restricted professional / PLLC)	$700 per qualifying member (2026 filing)	Restricted professional companies only; separate from the ordinary $7 LLC Annual Report; due April 15 for the preceding reporting year

Budget example: $125 Certificate of Organization with the docketing statement—before insurance, permits, or professional help.

Beginning in 2025, for-profit Pennsylvania LLCs must file an Annual Report with DOS (official PA annual-report rules): $7, due by September 30; the first report is due the year after formation. Nonprofit-purpose LLCs pay $0. Restricted professional companies still have a separate Certificate of Annual Registration ($700 per qualifying member for the 2026 filing, separate from the ordinary $7 Annual Report). PA Department of Revenue obligations are separate.

Restricted professional companies: a separate annual registration. The Pennsylvania Department of State’s current Certificate of Annual Registration instructions list $700 per qualifying member for the 2026 filing, which reports the 2025 year and was due April 15, 2026. Count members who, on December 31 of the reporting year, were licensed to practice the professional service the company renders and had their principal residence in Pennsylvania. This professional-company charge is in addition to, not a replacement for, the ordinary LLC Annual Report. It does not apply to an ordinary LLC that does not render restricted professional services. For another reporting year, use DOS’s fee-history table and current instructions.

Document every fee you actually paid at checkout (state fee, access fee, card surcharge) so bookkeeping and reimbursements stay accurate.

Choose the services you want with your filing

Starter’s base formation service does not renew. Registered-agent service, an EIN service, an operating agreement and faster preparation are optional purchases.

The preselected website-builder trial renews at $15/month after 30 days; you can remove it at checkout. Optional Worry-Free Compliance is free for the first year and renews at $199/year. Registered-agent service is listed separately at $199/year; first-year promotions may differ.

Review the services and renewal terms in your order. Provider details checked October 14, 2026 against ZenBusiness’s formation plans.

How to start your Pennsylvania LLC

Use your company details to get the formation paperwork prepared and submitted. Here is how the filing service works:

Enter your business details. Choose Pennsylvania, your company name and the information requested for the filing.
Review your services and order. Select Starter for the $0 base service fee. ZenBusiness prepares and submits the formation document from your answers.
Save your approved company records. Once the filing office accepts the paperwork, use the documents to finish your banking and business setup.

Your Pennsylvania filing checklist and required next steps

Check the name. Search the state business database and include a required LLC designator. Filing acceptance is not a trademark clearance.
Gather addresses and agent consent. Have registered-agent details and principal-office information ready.
Decide who manages the company. Confirm member-managed vs manager-managed as required on the formation form.
File the formation document. Prefer PA Business Filing Services and pay $125 (plus any listed extras).
Confirm acceptance. Save the filed document and receipt, then calendar recurring compliance.

Check your proposed name in the Pennsylvania business search.

How long does approval take?

Prefer online Business Filing Services. A service’s preparation time is separate from Pennsylvania’s review. ZenBusiness lists standard preparation at 7–10 business days before state processing; state review follows the service’s preparation.

Can I file directly with Pennsylvania?

Yes. You can prepare and submit the filing yourself through the Pennsylvania official LLC filing service. A formation service handles preparation and submission from the information you provide. The government charges and required follow-up steps above still apply.

Choose your Pennsylvania registered agent

Maintain a registered office in Pennsylvania. A member or commercial registered office provider may serve if they meet statutory requirements.

Plan your address use before filing. State records are public. Ask which address fields the agent service covers. Supply accurate information in every field.

Pennsylvania LLC ongoing filings: what happens after formation?

Beginning in 2025, Pennsylvania requires an Annual Report (DSCB:15-146 / PA DOS) for domestic and foreign LLCs. For-profit LLCs pay $7 and must file between January 1 and September 30; the first report is due the calendar year after formation or foreign registration—not the formation year. Nonprofit-purpose LLCs file on the same schedule with a $0 fee. Keep the registered office current and file amendments when facts change. Restricted professional companies still file a separate Certificate of Annual Registration; benefit-company rules may differ—check DOS if those labels apply.

File the Certificate of Organization (DSCB:15-8821) together with the New Entity Docketing Statement (DSCB:15-134A). The docketing statement does not add a separate fee on the DOS fee table, but omitting it delays filing.

If you are forming a restricted professional company or benefit company, also read those special Certificate of Annual Registration / benefit rules—they are in addition to (not a substitute for) the standard LLC Annual Report.

Get your Pennsylvania LLC filing underway

Put the formation paperwork in ZenBusiness’s hands. Starter has a $0 service fee plus the applicable Pennsylvania charges detailed above.

Start my Pennsylvania LLC

Continue to ZenBusiness to enter your details and review your order. Optional services and renewal details.

We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no additional cost to you.

Put your approved LLC to work

Document how the LLC works. An operating agreement can set ownership, contributions, decision-making, distributions, and exit arrangements. Pennsylvania’s filing office generally does not require you to file the agreement with the formation paperwork—keep it with your company records. For multiple owners, resolve disagreements before money or contracts are committed.Use the basic LLC operating agreement tool as a starting point.
Get an EIN when needed. Form the entity first, then use the free IRS application if eligible. A paid EIN service handles the application for you. Save the confirmation for banking and tax records.
Open your business bank account. Ask the bank for its document checklist and establish a bookkeeping process. Use the correct legal business name on applications and contracts; keep any trade-name registrations consistent.
Complete taxes and operating approvals. LLC formation does not itself select S-corporation taxation or issue a professional license. The IRS explains LLC tax classifications. Identify the state and local requirements for your actual work before opening.
Check the current BOI rule. As of this review, FinCEN exempts entities created in the United States from beneficial-ownership reporting. A newly created domestic LLC generally falls within that exemption. Consult FinCEN directly for the current rule.

Insurance guidance for your Pennsylvania business

Match coverage to your services, employees, equipment and client contracts. Start with the relevant guide:

Continue with the Pennsylvania business guide for the broader startup process. To see what kinds of businesses are opening there, read which industries Pennsylvania startups are in.

Pennsylvania LLC questions before you start

What is the cheapest way to form a Pennsylvania LLC?

The state filing fee is $125 (Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations). You can file directly or use ZenBusiness Starter, which offers a $0 formation service fee plus the same $125 state fee.

Does Pennsylvania require an LLC annual report?

Yes. Beginning in 2025, for-profit Pennsylvania LLCs must file an Annual Report (DSCB:15-146) with the Department of State: $7, due by September 30 each year, with the first report due the calendar year after formation. Nonprofit-purpose LLCs pay $0. Restricted professional companies also have a separate Certificate of Annual Registration ($700 per qualifying member for the 2026 filing, separate from the ordinary $7 Annual Report). See PA DOS Annual Reports.

Can I be my own Pennsylvania registered agent?

Yes. Maintain a registered office in Pennsylvania. A member or commercial registered office provider may serve if they meet statutory requirements.

Does forming an LLC give me a Pennsylvania business license?

Formation creates the entity with Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. Industry licenses and tax registrations are separate.

Can I get an EIN without buying a service?

Yes. The IRS issues EINs free. Form the LLC first, then use the IRS application if eligible.

This guide is for creating a new Pennsylvania LLC. If you already have an LLC formed in another state, check Pennsylvania’s foreign-entity registration requirements before creating a second company.

Re-check official fee pages immediately before you pay: statutes and portal convenience fees can change, and third-party blogs often lag behind the Secretary of State. Prefer the links in this guide’s cost table and the state’s own checkout total over marketing estimates.

Page updated October 14, 2026. State-source review: September 19, 2026. ZenBusiness package terms checked October 14, 2026.