Pennsylvania Secretary of State – PA SOS Business Search

The Pennsylvania Secretary of State website is the place to go if you want to start a business in Pennsylvania or find information about an existing business.

In this guide, we walk you through the step-by-step process of searching Pennsylvania business entity records and registering your own business entity in Pennsylvania. 

We’re also going to answer some of the most common questions people have about starting a business in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Corporation Division
Address: 401 North Street, Room 206, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Telephone: 1(717)787-1057 Toll Free 1(888) 659-9962
Website: www.dos.pa.gov
E-Mail: dos.pa.gov/contact

The Pennsylvania Secretary of State website can be found at www.dos.pa.gov.

The website allows you to conduct Business Record Searches

We’re going to focus on the Business Services section, as this is where you need to go to find an Pennsylvania business or register a new business in the state. 

How to Find Business Entity Records for Businesses in Pennsylvania

To search for a business in Pennsylvania, you need to go to the Business Entity Records page of the Pennsylvania Secretary of State website.

From there, you can search for a business by its name, its business entity number, the name of a person involved in the business (officer, agency or incorporator) or by the business’s reservation ID number.

In most cases, the easiest way to search for a business is by its name. To do this, you simply enter all or part of the business name in the Business Entity Search Box.

Even if you only know part of the business name, you can enter it into the Name box and the search results will display a list of business that have that word in their name. 

For example, if you are searching for a guitar shop, but you only remember that it has the word guitar in the name, entering ‘guitar’ and hitting search will bring up the following results.

From these results, you can find the business’s entity ID, the city where it is located, the type of business and whether it is currently active. You can also click on an individual business name to find out more.

For example, selecting The Guitar Shop, Inc brings up the table shown below. From this, you can find out the business address, the name of the person who registered the business, the date on which it was registered, whether the business still exists and, if not, the date on which it was dissolved.

Searching for a business in this way can be useful if you want to find out more about a particular business. It can also be helpful if you’re thinking of registering a business in Pennsylvania and you want to see whether a business already exists with the same name or you want to research potential competitors.

If you are starting a business then the next step after searching similar businesses is to register your own business entity. We explain how to do this in the next section.

How to Register a Business Entity in Pennsylvania

To register a business in Pennsylvania, you need to go to the Domestic Formation page of the Pennsylvania Secretary of State website.

Filing Costs

Before you start your application, you should check the fees involved in registering a business entity.

Currently, it costs $208 to register a business in Pennsylvania that will conduct its business in Pennsylvania. This is known as a domestic filing.

If a business is already registered outside of Pennsylvania (in New York, for example), but wants to conduct business in Pennsylvania, then the business owner must complete a foreign filing. This currently costs $156.

It’s important to note that domestic and foreign refers to the state. It does not refer to conducting business in a foreign country. This means that even a US business is considered ‘foreign’ if registered in a state outside Pennsylvania.

Application Process

On the Domestic Formation page of the Pennsylvania Secretary of State website, you can choose to complete your application using a guest account or log in to your Pennsylvania Secretary of State subscriber account if you have one. 

Whichever option you choose, you will be taken to an application form where you will need to enter all of your business details before submitting your application and paying the filing fee.

FAQs

What are the subtypes of business entity in Pennsylvania?

The subtypes of business entities in Pennsylvania are limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships.

What is the difference between a corporation and an LLC in Pennsylvania?

Corporations and LLCs are both types of business entity where the business is a separate legal entity from its owners. The difference is that LLCs offer more flexibility in management and tax arrangements. 

Does LLC have to be in the name of a business entity in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, all LLCs must include the abbreviation ‘LLC’ or the words ‘Limited Liability Company’ as part of their business name.

What are the benefits of an LLC in Pennsylvania?

The main benefit of an LLC is that it legally separates the business from the business owner, which limits the owner’s legal and financial liability. It is also cheaper and easier to register an LLC versus registering a corporation, and LLCs offer more flexible management and tax options.

How much does it cost to register a business in Pennsylvania?

It currently costs $208 to register a business in Pennsylvania. This is called a Domestic Filing and can be completed via the Pennsylvania Secretary of State website.

What is the annual fee for an LLC in Pennsylvania?

An annual fee of $100 must be paid by all LLCs registered in the state of Pennsylvania.

How long does it take to get an LLC in Pennsylvania?

If you apply for your LLC online via the Pennsylvania Secretary of State website then you will get your LLC immediately after completing the application form and paying the registration fee. Alternatively, if you choose to register your LLC by completing a paper form and mailing it to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State then the process usually takes between one and two weeks.