State hub · Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania LLC true cost (2026)
Pennsylvania state side: $125 formation filing, $7 for Annual Report (for-profit associations) in the 3-year model, ~$146 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #15 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Pennsylvania state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Pennsylvania Department of State — Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. Filings go through www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $125 | Pennsylvania Department of State fee schedule: Certificate of Organization for a domestic LLC is $125 (Form DSCB:15-8821), filed with New Entity Docketing Statement DSCB:15-134A (no separate fee). Same-day expedite +$100 when available; veteran/reservist small-business fee exemption may apply under Act 135 of 2016. |
| Annual Report (for-profit associations) | $7 | DOS fee schedule lists $7 for all other annual reports (for-profit entities). Nonprofit-purpose LPs/LLCs and nonprofit corporations: $0. Restricted professional companies have a separate Certificate of Annual Registration with much higher fees (at least $500) — not the ordinary LLC annual report. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $146 | Certificate of Organization $125 + three ordinary annual reports at $7 each ($21) = $146. Excludes expedites, restricted-professional annual registration, fictitious-name fees, and commercial RA costs. |
When Pennsylvania actually bills you
Pennsylvania's recurring filing is due LLCs: by September 30 each year (first report typically in the calendar year after formation/registration) — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Pennsylvania charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $125 | $125 |
| Year 1 cycle | Annual Report (for-profit associations) | $7 | $132 |
| Year 2 cycle | Annual Report (for-profit associations) | $7 | $139 |
| Year 3 cycle | Annual Report (for-profit associations) | $7 | $146 |
Provider + Pennsylvania state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Pennsylvania state subtotal of $146.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $435 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $643 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $444 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $893 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Pennsylvania ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Pennsylvania sits at #15 — the 15th cheapest three-year state charter — at $146 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $111 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $134 below the $280 median, and $2,364 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Pennsylvania lands in the cheaper half of the table.
- Just cheaper: Indiana ($127), Michigan ($125).
- Just pricier: Nebraska ($150), Minnesota ($155).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Pennsylvania)
- Pennsylvania requires a registered office address in the Commonwealth. Commercial registered agent services are commonly used when the organizer lacks a PA street address.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Pennsylvania state fees is $146, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Pennsylvania, is about 66% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Do not confuse the $7 general annual report with restricted professional company annual registration (at least $500).
- Administrative dissolution for missed annual reports phases in for reports due on/after early 2027 — still file on time.
- DOS fee page notes checks for paper filings; online filing via file.dos.pa.gov / Business Filing Services.
Who Pennsylvania is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Pennsylvania-nexus businesses wanting low recurring SOS cost after a $125 formation.
Often a poor fit when…
- Restricted professional practices that will owe the separate high annual registration — budget that path separately.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Pennsylvania LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Pennsylvania?
$125 to Pennsylvania Department of State — Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations for the formation filing. Pennsylvania Department of State fee schedule: Certificate of Organization for a domestic LLC is $125 (Form DSCB:15-8821), filed with New Entity Docketing Statement DSCB:15-134A (no separate fee). Same-day expedite +$100 when available; veteran/reservist small-business fee exemption may apply under Act 135 of 2016. That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Pennsylvania LLC fees after year one?
$7 for the Annual Report (for-profit associations), due LLCs: by September 30 each year (first report typically in the calendar year after formation/registration). DOS fee schedule lists $7 for all other annual reports (for-profit entities). Nonprofit-purpose LPs/LLCs and nonprofit corporations: $0. Restricted professional companies have a separate Certificate of Annual Registration with much higher fees (at least $500) — not the ordinary LLC annual report. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Pennsylvania LLC really cost over three years?
$146 in Pennsylvania state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $435 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $893 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Pennsylvania.
Do I need a registered agent in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Pennsylvania requires a registered office address in the Commonwealth. Commercial registered agent services are commonly used when the organizer lacks a PA street address. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Pennsylvania figure above.
Is Pennsylvania a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Pennsylvania ranks #15 of 51 at $146 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Pennsylvania three-year number is built
Certificate of Organization $125 + three ordinary annual reports at $7 each ($21) = $146. Excludes expedites, restricted-professional annual registration, fictitious-name fees, and commercial RA costs. Figures are re-derived from the cited Pennsylvania sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Pennsylvania state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live Pennsylvania Department of State — Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- PA Department of State — Fees and Payments (Certificate of Organization $125; annual report $7)
- PA Department of State — Pennsylvania Limited Liability Company overview
- PA DOS — Certificate of Organization form DSCB:15-8821 (fee $125)
- PA Business Filing Services portal
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Pennsylvania's $146 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Pennsylvania math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.