Create an LLC in Pennsylvania
Ready to upgrade your business idea into a Pennsylvania LLC? We can help! We are an LLC filing service and are happy to serve as your Pennsylvania Commercial Registered Office Provider. We help PA business owners protect their address privacy, file state LLC documents, create business websites, and more! Our goal is to provide everything a business needs from start to finish. Fast, affordable, expert services!
How Do I Start My LLC in Pennsylvania?
The best way to start your Pennsylvania LLC is with these 3 steps:
1. Pick a name for your LLC
Sounds simple, right? Well, it is but there’s a few things to keep in mind. Pennsylvania requires you to include the “entity identifier” in your LLC name. For example, you can use LLC, or L.L.C., or Limited Liability Company. Also, it’s a good idea to make sure your LLC name is available in the state. Search for the name you want on the Pennsylvania Business Search site. If you find another business with the same or very similar name, you will need to choose a different LLC name.
2. Choose a Pennsylvania Registered Office
Pennsylvania business law (Title 15 Subchapter A § 8825) requires all businesses to have a registered office listed on state record throughout the life of the business. This address is the physical Pennsylvania location where someone will be regularly available to accept legal notifications. Your physical PA address will be on public record for anyone to see. If you don’t want to be stuck at this address all day to receive important state and legal mail for your business, you can alternatively choose to hire a Pennsylvania Commercial Registered Office Provider, like us! We’ll maintain your address privacy and receive all your state and legal mail safely and securely.
3. Complete the Pennsylvania LLC Certificate of Organization
You can complete and pay for the LLC Certificate of Organization by mail or online. The fee is $125 and can take the state around 30 days to process. Here is the information you’ll need to complete this filing:
- Full LLC name: Including the entity designator: LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Company, etc.
- Registered office: Either a PA address where you’re regularly available or your Commercial Registered Office Provider’s name and county
- Names of each organizer: Each person completing and authorized to submit this filing to the state. Usually just one name is reported here
- Effective date: Choose “upon filing” or a specific date you want your LLC to become active in Pennsylvania
- Professional Company option: Certain professions that require additional licensing must form a PLLC (Professional LLC). If your profession is not listed, skip this step
- Benefit Companies option: If your LLC is “for profit” (you want to make money), skip this step
- Signatures and Date: Each organizer must sign their name, write in the date this application was completed
Next Steps for Your Pennsylvania LLC
When the state approves your Pennsylvania LLC, there are a few things to do for your business: submit a Beneficial Ownership Report (BOI), write an LLC Operating Agreement, get an EIN from the IRS, and open a business bank account.
What is the Beneficial Ownership Report (BOI)?
The BOI is a new federal requirement for all business. The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) states that starting January 1st, 2024 all businesses are required to submit a BOI to FINCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network). FINCEN’s mission is to protect the US financial system from illegal activities done by people taking advantage of the privacy some US state offer. This report gives them a way to know who owns and is responsible for every business registered here. The BOI information is private, it is NOT made available to the public. It can only be accessed by law enforcement or legal offices to use in investigations or lawsuits.
You have 30 days from the start date of your LLC to submit this report (90 days if filing in 2024). There are heavy late fees that accrue each day it is late, so make sure it’s first on your list after you get your LLC articles from the state. It is free to file online or by mail. Or, for $25 you can add this filing to your LLC formation order. One more thing we can take off your plate!
Do I Need an LLC Operating Agreement?
An Operating Agreement is a business legal document that lays out management and financial structure and rules for your company. Many banks want to see your LLC Operating Agreement before they will agree to open a business bank account for you. You can search for a template online, or work with a business lawyer to create one with you.
Or, if you hire us to form your LLC, we upload a free Operating Agreement drafted by our lawyers to your account! It contains all the legal basics you need to get a bank account and get started with your business. Also, you can change it in anyway, anytime you need to (as long as each of your LLC members agrees to the changes).
How Do I Get an EIN from the IRS?
The EIN (Employer Identification Number) is used to pay your LLC income taxes to the IRS. You can apply for one for free directly with the IRS. All information submitted on this filing is kept private by the IRS. Here is the information they ask for:
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Name, address, SSN of the “responsible party”
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Must be one person, can not be another business entity
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This is the person the IRS will communicate with about your LLC taxes
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If you are not a citizen of the United States and do not have an SSN, you will need to apply by mail or over the phone: 267-941-1099 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday
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Principal activity: Brief description of your LLC’s business purpose (50 characters or less)
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Business addresses: Both physical and mailing address
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Number of members in your LLC: Determines how you’ll be taxed
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Start date of your LLC: What’s on file with the state
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Other “yes or no” questions specific to your business: Consult an accountant if you don’t know the answers to these questions
If you receive an error code, fail to download the EIN .pdf, or misplace the .pdf of the EIN document, you will need to call the IRS at 800-829-4933 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and request they mail you a copy. You may only apply once per 24 hours per SSN.
Keep in mind, we can also take care of this filing for you with your LLC formation order! Our filing fee is $50, and it would be uploaded to your secure online portal along with all your other business documents.
Should I Open a Business Bank Account?
Keeping your business income separate from your personal income is always a good idea. It makes tax filing a lot easier! Some have better business account deals than others, so it’s worth it to shop around. Always ask the bank what business documents they need to see in order to open a business account for you LLC. They usually ask to see the following:
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LLC Certificate of Organization
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Operating Agreement
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EIN letter from the IRS
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Other personal identification (Driver’s License, SSN card, etc.)
If the bank asks for any other state documents, give us a call! We can help you get the documents you need.
Our Pennsylvania LLC Formation Services
We can help you get all the documents you need to start your business! We only charge $274—including the state filing fee—to form your Pennsylvania LLC. We fill out and submit your formation paperwork, give you a full year of registered agent service from our local experts, and provide you immediate access to a library of custom, attorney-drafted LLC documents (like the LLC Operating Agreement).
The best part? We can also give your company an entire Pennsylvania Business Presence (domain, website, email, phone and more) to kick off your company the right way as soon as it’s formed! Let our Pennsylvania business experts handle all the paperwork so you can focus on running your business.