Pennsylvania · Department of State records · checked 18 Sep 2026
Pennsylvania business name search: look up an entity or check your LLC name
Pennsylvania’s business records are kept by the Department of State’s Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. Its free search covers LLCs, corporations and fictitious names. It gives a first answer on availability; the Bureau makes the final call when you file.
- Straight to the official Pennsylvania search
- Facts checked 18 Sep 2026, with sources
- Name check before you file
- Live check of Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations records
Picking a new name? Also check the domain and federal trademarks. The state search answers neither.
Checked 18 Sep 2026 against official Pennsylvania sources. See every source.
Using Pennsylvania’s business records
What a clean search means in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s online search gives a first answer, not the final one. When your filing arrives, the Bureau runs its own detailed search, and the state’s advice is clear: no signs, business cards, bank accounts or contracts in the name until the filing is approved. If you’d like the Bureau to check up to three names for you, it charges $15.
Reserve or file?
A reservation costs $70 and holds a name for 120 days, one time only. When it ends, anyone, you included, can reserve that name. Filing the Certificate of Organization costs $125, and approval protects the name for as long as the LLC stays in good standing. If you’re ready within a few weeks, filing is the better use of the money.
Fictitious names (DBAs)
Fictitious names show up in the same Department of State search. Registering one costs $70 and gives you no exclusive right to the name. It only makes it legal to trade under that name. The newspaper rule is narrower than most guides say: you advertise only if an individual is a party to the registration. An LLC registering a DBA by itself does not advertise.
The new annual report, and why 2027 matters
Since 2025, every Pennsylvania LLC files a $7 annual report by September 30. For 2025 and 2026 there’s no penalty. From reports due in 2027, an LLC that misses the deadline is administratively dissolved six months later. At that point another business can take its name. If that happens, reinstating the LLC means choosing a new name.
Pennsylvania facts, with sources
| Fact | What the official source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Office | Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations | pa.gov |
| Search tool | Business Filing Services search: entity name or number. Covers fictitious names too. | pa.gov |
| Official search link | file.dos.pa.gov/search/business | file.dos.pa.gov |
| What the search means | A preliminary availability check only. The Bureau runs a detailed search on filing. The state advises: no signs, cards, bank accounts or contracts in the name until approval. | pa.gov |
| Bureau name check | $15 for 3 names | pa.gov |
| Name reservation fee | $70 (Form DSCB:15-208, online or mail) | pa.gov |
| Reservation duration | 120 days, one time; the name then reopens to anyone, including you. Bank names: 6 months. Fictitious names cannot be reserved. (15 Pa.C.S. § 208) | palegis.us |
| LLC filing fee | $125 Certificate of Organization (DSCB:15-8821). A veteran or reservist-owned small business can qualify for an exemption. | pa.gov |
| Expedite | Same day +$100 (by 10am) · 3-hour +$300 (by 2pm) · 1-hour +$1,000 (by 4pm). Not accepted by mail. | pa.gov |
| Processing time | The FAQ says "allow 15 business days". A Jan 2025 DOS release reports a 2–4 day average through 2024. Publish both, with their dates. | pa.gov |
| Required designators | "company", "limited" or "limited liability company", or an abbreviation (Co., Ltd., LLC, L.L.C.). May not imply a corporation ("corporation", "incorporated"). (15 Pa.C.S. § 204(c)) | palegis.us |
| Restricted words | Can’t imply a government agency, bank, insurer, utility or credit union. "College/university/seminary" needs a Dept. of Education certificate; "engineer/surveyor" and "architect" need their board’s certificate; "cooperative" is for cooperatives only (15 Pa.C.S. § 202(c)). | palegis.us |
| Name standard | Distinguishable on the Department’s records from other entities and from reserved or registered names (§ 202(b)) | palegis.us |
| Annual report | $7 for LLCs, due Sept 30; started in 2025. 2025–26 are penalty-free. From 2027 reports, an LLC is administratively dissolved 6 months after a missed due date and loses name protection. Reinstatement: $35 online + $15 per missed report, and if someone took the name, you pick a new one. | pa.gov |
| Fictitious name (DBA) | $70 (DSCB:54-311). No exclusive right. Newspaper notice is required only if an individual is a party (twice in the county: once in a general paper, once in the legal journal). Keep the proof yourself. | palegis.us |
| PA trademark | $50, 5-year term, renew within 6 months of expiry | pa.gov |
| Address rule | A PA registered office street address (no P.O. box) or a Commercial Registered Office Provider | pa.gov |
Each fact checked 18 Sep 2026. Fees and processing times change; the linked source is the final word.
After the name: what Pennsylvania asks for next
Three checks the state search does not make
A name that is free in Pennsylvania may be taken online. Check the .com and the alternatives.
State registration is not a trademark. Search the USPTO database.
Registering elsewhere later means passing that state's name check too. Search any other state.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a business name is available in PA?
Search the Department of State’s free business search. The result is preliminary: the Bureau makes the final decision when your filing arrives. The Bureau will also check up to three names for $15. Source: pa.gov
How long can I reserve a business name in Pennsylvania?
120 days, for $70, one time. When it expires, anyone, including you, can reserve it again. Bank names are held for six months. Source: palegis.us
How do I search fictitious names in Pennsylvania?
Fictitious names are in the same Department of State business search as LLCs and corporations. A fictitious name registration gives no exclusive right to the name. Source: pa.gov
Does a PA fictitious name have to be advertised?
Only if an individual is a party to the registration. The notice then runs twice in your county, once in a general newspaper and once in the legal journal. Keep the proof with your records; the state doesn’t want it. Source: palegis.us
Do Pennsylvania LLCs file an annual report?
Yes, since 2025: $7, due September 30. From 2027 reports, an LLC that misses it is dissolved six months after the due date and its name becomes available to others. Source: pa.gov
How long does PA take to approve an LLC?
The Department’s FAQ says to allow 15 business days. Its January 2025 report put the 2024 average at 2–4 days. Same-day, 3-hour and 1-hour service cost $100, $300 and $1,000 extra. Source: pa.gov
Nearby states
Each state keeps its own records and its own name rules. Forming or registering next door? Search there too.
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, a missed $7 report can cost you the name.
From 2027, a PA LLC that skips its September 30 report is dissolved six months later, and another business can take the name. Get free reminders at 60, 30 and 7 days, or let us form the LLC and track it for you.
Or call (954) 470-8356 — we pick up.