- Pennsylvania LLC fees at a glance
- How fast it goes, and what faster costs
- The annual report, in plain terms
- The 2027 change most owners haven't clocked
- Watch out for the $100 to $200 letters
- Foreign LLCs and restricted professional companies pay more
- How to form a Pennsylvania LLC, step by step
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To form a Pennsylvania LLC, you file a Certificate of Organization with the Pennsylvania Department of State and pay $125, as of October 2026. After that, every LLC files an annual report between January 1 and September 30 each year, which costs $7 for a for-profit LLC and nothing for one with a not-for-profit purpose.
Pennsylvania used to be one of the few states with no yearly filing for most businesses. Act 122 of 2022 changed that, and the annual report requirement began on January 1, 2025. The grace period ends soon, so the timing below matters more than the fee.
Pennsylvania LLC fees at a glance
All figures are from the Department of State's fee schedule, as of October 2026:
| Filing or service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Organization (domestic LLC) | $125 |
| Each ancillary transaction (for example, an amendment) | $70 |
| Annual report, for-profit LLC | $7 |
| Annual report, LLC with a not-for-profit purpose | $0 |
| Name reservation or registration | $70 |
| Reinstatement filed electronically | $35 |
| Reinstatement not filed electronically | $40 |
| Each annual report not previously paid (on reinstatement) | $15 |
| Change of registered office | $5 |
How fast it goes, and what faster costs
Expedited service is paid on top of the filing fee, can't be requested by mail, and is nonrefundable. As of October 2026:
| Speed | Extra fee | Deadline to submit |
|---|---|---|
| Same-day service | $100 | Received before 10:00 a.m. |
| 3 hour service | $300 | Received before 2:00 p.m. |
| 1 hour service | $1,000 | Received before 4:00 p.m. |
The annual report, in plain terms
Every domestic LLC and every registered foreign LLC files one. LLCs have their own window, January 1 to September 30, which is different from corporations (by June 30) and most other entities (by December 31). The report asks for:
- Business name and jurisdiction of formation
- Registered office address and principal office address
- The name of at least one governor, which for an LLC means a manager or a member with material management responsibility
- Names and titles of any principal officers
- Your entity number from the Department of State
There's no financial information on it. The Department will mail a reminder to your registered office at least two months before the deadline, so an out-of-date registered office means a missed reminder. My guide to LLC annual reports compares how other states handle this.
The 2027 change most owners haven't clocked
Act 122 gave businesses a transition period. Beginning with annual reports due in 2027, an LLC that fails to file in that calendar year will be administratively dissolved six months after its due date. For an LLC, that's six months after September 30.
Here's the part that stings. While you're dissolved, your business name becomes available to any other filing entity. If someone else takes it, they can keep it, and you'll have to reinstate under a different name. Reinstatement itself has no time limit, but it costs the reinstatement fee plus $15 for each unpaid annual report, as of October 2026.
Watch out for the $100 to $200 letters
The Department of State warns that many third parties charge $100 to $200 to file an annual report that costs $7 directly and takes about 5 to 10 minutes. If a letter about your annual report asks for more than that, check who sent it before you pay.
Foreign LLCs and restricted professional companies pay more
If your LLC was formed in another state, you don't file a Certificate of Organization. You file a foreign registration statement instead, which costs $250, as of October 2026, and the registered foreign LLC then files the same $7 annual report by September 30. One difference: a foreign registration that's terminated for not filing can't be reinstated retroactively. It has to register again from scratch.
Restricted professional companies, the LLC form some licensed professions use, also carry an annual registration of at least $500, as of October 2026, on the Department's fee schedule. Check which category you're in before you file, because the cheaper annual report is the norm for ordinary trading LLCs, not every LLC.
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How to form a Pennsylvania LLC, step by step
- Check the name is free, and reserve it for $70 if you need to hold it, as of October 2026.
- Decide on a registered office address in Pennsylvania. My guide to choosing a registered agent covers the options.
- File the Certificate of Organization and pay $125.
- Sign an operating agreement with your members.
- Diary the annual report: January 1 to September 30, every year from the year after you form.
- If you'll have staff, check the Pennsylvania minimum wage before you set pay.
My verdict
Pennsylvania is a fair place to form: $125 once and $7 a year, as of October 2026. The risk isn't the cost, it's forgetting a filing that didn't exist a few years ago. From 2027, a missed report can cost you your name, so put September 30 in the calendar now and keep your registered office current.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Pennsylvania?
The Certificate of Organization costs $125, as of October 2026, under the Department of State's fee schedule.
Does a Pennsylvania LLC have to file an annual report?
Yes. Since January 1, 2025, domestic and registered foreign LLCs file an annual report each year between January 1 and September 30.
How much is the Pennsylvania annual report?
It's $7 for a for-profit LLC and $0 for an LLC with a not-for-profit purpose, as of October 2026.
What happens if I don't file the Pennsylvania annual report?
Beginning with reports due in 2027, an LLC that fails to file will be administratively dissolved six months after the due date, and its name becomes available to others.
Can I reinstate a dissolved Pennsylvania LLC?
Yes, with no time limit. You pay $35 online or $40 otherwise, plus $15 for each annual report not previously paid, as of October 2026.
When is the Pennsylvania LLC annual report due?
Between January 1 and September 30 each year. Corporations have an earlier deadline of June 30, and most other entities file by December 31.
How much does a foreign LLC pay to register in Pennsylvania?
A foreign registration statement costs $250, as of October 2026, and the LLC then files the annual report each year.
Does the Pennsylvania annual report ask for financial information?
No. It asks for names, addresses, at least one governor, any principal officers and your entity number.
