Pennsylvania LLC cost at a glance
| Cost | Pennsylvania amount |
|---|---|
| Cost to form | $125 |
| Annual report | $7 |
| When it is due | 1 January to 30 September, every year after formation |
| State tax on the LLC | No franchise tax or capital stock tax |
| First-year state fees (minimum) | $125 |
| Yearly state fees after that (minimum) | $7 |
| Registered agent | Required. Free if you act as your own; commercial services charge a yearly fee |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
Fees verified October 2026 against the Pennsylvania Department of State and other official Pennsylvania sources listed at the end of this page.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Department of State charges $125 to file a Certificate of Organization (Form DSCB:15-8821) for an LLC. Department fees are paid by check or money order, and cards are accepted only for expedited service on paper submissions.
Expedited service costs $100 for same-day handling, $300 for three-hour handling and $1,000 for one-hour handling. A name reservation costs $70, and a fictitious name registration also costs $70.
Our walkthrough on how to file articles of organization in Pennsylvania covers the form field by field.
How much does a Pennsylvania LLC cost every year?
Every Pennsylvania LLC files an annual report between 1 January and 30 September, and the fee is $7. The annual report replaced the old decennial report in 2025, and the first one is due in the year after formation.
At $7 a year, the Pennsylvania annual report is one of the lowest recurring state fees in the country, a tenth of New Jersey’s $75 report.
What does a Pennsylvania LLC cost over the first three years?
The table below adds up the state fees a Pennsylvania LLC pays in its first three years, using the minimum amounts Pennsylvania charges. The second column adds the BusinessAnywhere registered agent service, which is free for the first year and $147 a year after that.
| Year | State fees only | With a registered agent service |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $125 | $125 |
| Year 2 | $7 | $154 |
| Year 3 | $7 | $154 |
| Three-year total | $139 | $433 |
Does Pennsylvania charge a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs?
Pennsylvania charges no franchise tax on LLCs. The Capital Stock and Foreign Franchise Tax ended for tax years beginning on or after 1 January 2016, including for single-member LLCs and LLCs taxed as partnerships or S corporations.
Members pay Pennsylvania personal income tax on their share of profit at a flat 3.07%.
How much does a registered agent cost in Pennsylvania?
Every Pennsylvania LLC must name a registered agent with a physical street address in Pennsylvania. Acting as your own agent costs nothing, but your address goes on the public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee for the same role.
The BusinessAnywhere registered agent service is free for the first year and $147 a year after that, with every document scanned to your online dashboard the day it arrives.
Our Pennsylvania registered agent guide explains the state rules in full.
If you are weighing the free option, read can I be my own registered agent first.
Does a Pennsylvania LLC need an EIN, and what does it cost?
An EIN costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. A Pennsylvania LLC needs one to hire employees, to open a business bank account and whenever it has more than one member. US residents with an SSN or ITIN apply through the IRS online EIN application and receive the number at the end of the session.
Founders outside the United States cannot use the online tool. They apply by phone, fax or post with IRS Form SS-4, and do not need an SSN to do it. The BusinessAnywhere EIN application service handles that process for $97. Our guide on how to obtain an EIN for your LLC covers both routes.
What other Pennsylvania LLC fees should you budget for?
These fees apply only when you need the service. They are the Pennsylvania state charges as of October 2026.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | $70 | Name reservation/registration. A name availability check of 3 names is $15. |
| Expedited filing | $100 same day / $300 3 hour / $1,000 1 hour | Charged in addition to the filing fee. Same day requires receipt before 10:00 a.m., 3 hour before 2:00 p.m., 1 hour before 4:00 p.m. |
| Certificate of good standing | $40 | Subsistence certificate for domestic entities; certificate of registration for foreign entities is also $40. |
| Certified copy | $55 plus $3 per page | Certified copies of filed records. |
| Amending the articles | $70 | Domestic LLC ancillary transaction fee (covers amendments). Foreign registration amendment is $250. |
| DBA (assumed or trade name) | $70 | Fictitious name registration. |
| Changing registered agent | $5 | Change of registered office, or change of registered office by agent. |
| Foreign LLC registration | $250 | Foreign Registration Statement for a foreign LLC. |
| Reinstatement after dissolution | $35 online / $40 paper plus $15 per unpaid annual report | Domestic reinstatement has no time limit and keeps the original entity number. A terminated foreign registration cannot be reinstated; it must file a new Foreign Registration Statement. |
An operating agreement carries no state fee in Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania does not collect it, but every LLC should have one to set out ownership and decision rights. BusinessAnywhere sells an operating agreement template for $97.
What happens if you miss a Pennsylvania LLC deadline?
Pennsylvania enforces the annual report from the reports due in 2027. A domestic LLC that misses its 2027 report is administratively dissolved six months after the due date and loses the exclusive right to its name. A foreign LLC’s registration is terminated.
A dissolved domestic LLC can reinstate at any time for $35 online or $40 on paper, plus $15 for each unpaid annual report, and keeps its original entity number.
If you intend to close the business, file formally instead of letting it lapse. Our guide on how to dissolve an LLC in Pennsylvania sets out the steps.
How does Pennsylvania compare with other states?
Pennsylvania is mid-priced to form and cheap to keep. Its $125 formation fee sits $25 above the national median, but its $7 annual report costs less each year than New Jersey’s $75 report or Maryland’s $300 report.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state fees (minimum) | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $125 | $7 | $125 to form, $7 annual report |
| New Jersey LLC cost | $100 | $75 | $100 to form, $75 annual report |
| Ohio LLC cost | $99 | $0 | $99 to form, no annual report |
| Maryland LLC cost | $100 | $300 | $100 to form, $300 annual report |
| West Virginia LLC cost | $100 | $25 | $100 to form, $25 annual report |
| Delaware LLC cost | $110 | $400 | $400 flat annual tax due 1 June |
For all 51 jurisdictions side by side, see our full table of LLC cost by state.
How to form a Pennsylvania LLC for $0 plus state fees
BusinessAnywhere files your Pennsylvania LLC for $0 plus the $125 state fee. The filing comes with a free first year of registered agent service, so your first-year cost is the state fee and nothing else.
- Formation: $0 service fee plus the Pennsylvania filing fee.
- Registered agent: free for the first year, then $147 a year.
- EIN application: $97, with no SSN required for non-US founders.
- Compliance reminders: every Pennsylvania deadline on this page tracked in your dashboard.
- Virtual mailbox: a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month.
Start with our LLC formation service, or read the full guide on how to start an LLC in Pennsylvania first.
Pennsylvania LLC cost FAQs
How much does an LLC cost in Pennsylvania?
A Pennsylvania LLC costs $125 to form and $7 a year for the annual report.
When is the Pennsylvania LLC annual report due?
Between 1 January and 30 September each year, starting the year after formation.
What happens if I miss the Pennsylvania annual report?
From the reports due in 2027, a domestic LLC that misses the report is administratively dissolved six months after the due date. Reinstatement costs $35 online plus $15 per unpaid report.
Does Pennsylvania charge franchise tax on LLCs?
No. The Capital Stock and Foreign Franchise Tax ended for tax years beginning on or after 1 January 2016. Members pay a flat 3.07% state income tax.
How much does a fictitious name cost in Pennsylvania?
$70 to register a fictitious name with the Department of State.
How much does a Pennsylvania LLC cost over three years?
At the minimum, $139 in state fees: $125 to form and two $7 annual reports. With a commercial registered agent from year two at $147 a year, the total is $433.
Sources
- Pennsylvania Department of State, fees and payments
- Pennsylvania Department of State, annual reports
- Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, capital stock and foreign franchise taxes
Fees change. Every figure on this page was checked against the official source in October 2026. Confirm the current amount with the Pennsylvania Department of State before you file.
