Do I Need A Registered Agent For My Llc In Pa

Here are the steps you need to take to start a limited liability visitor (LLC) in Pennsylvania.

A limited liability company (LLC for short) is a way to legally construction a business. It combines the limited liability of a corporation with the flexibility and lack of formalities provided past a partnership or sole proprietorship. Any business owner who seeks to limit his or her personal liability for business debts and lawsuits should consider forming an LLC.

Hither are the steps you need to take to class an LLC in Pennsylvania. For more data on how to class an LLC in any state, come across Nolo's article How to Form an LLC.

i. Choose a Name for Your LLC

Under Pennsylvania law, your LLC name must contain the words "Company," "Express," or "Limited Liability Company," or an abbreviation of one of these 3 choices. The statute does not provide examples of acceptable abbreviations for these words; yet, it is probable that "Ltd." and "Co." can be used, but non "Liab.'"

Your LLC'south name must be distinguishable from the names of other business concern entities already on file with the Pennsylvania Department of Land. Names may exist checked for availability at the Pennsylvania Department of Land business name database.

You may reserve a proper name for 120 days by filing a Name Reservation (Form DSCB:xv-208) with the Pennsylvania Section of State. The filing fee is $70. The form by be filed online or past postal mail.

two. Appoint a Registered Agent

Every Pennsylvania LLC must have an amanuensis for service of process in the country. In Pennsylvania, this is called a registered office (most other states crave a registered amanuensis).This is an individual or business entity that agrees to take legal papers on the LLC'southward behalf if information technology is sued. The registered office may exist an Pennsylvania resident or a business organisation entity authorized to do concern in Pennsylvania. The registered office must have a physical street address in Pennsylvania. You lot can discover data on Pennsylvania commercial registered office providers here.

3. File a Document of System

A Pennsylvania LLC is created by filing a Certificate of Arrangement Domestic Limited Liability Company (Class DSCB:15-8821) with the Department of Land. The certificate must include:

the LLC's name
the name and accost of the LLC'southward registered agent
the proper name of each organizer of the LLC
the effective date of the Certificate--upon filing or a later date
whether the LLC will provide professional services (applicable to certain restricted professional companies
whether the LLC is a public benefit visitor--that is, organized to benefit the general public, and
signatures of all the LLC'south organizers.

The certificate must be accompanied past a completed New Entity Docketing Argument (Form DSCB:15-134A). This form must include:

the LLC's name
the name and accost of person responsible for initial tax reports
a description of the LLC's business action
it's federal employer identification number (EIN), and
its fiscal year end.

The certificate and docketing statement may be filed online or by post. The filing fee is $125.

All of the paperwork and procedural steps to start a express liability company tin be done online using Nolo's Online LLC Germination service.

iv. Prepare an Operating Agreement

An LLC operating agreement is not required in Pennsylvania, but is highly appropriate. The Operating Understanding is the primary document that establishes the rights, powers, duties, liabilities, and obligations of the members among themselves and to the LLC. The Operating Agreement is purely an internal document and is not filed with the Secretary of State. If an existing or newly created LLC does not prefer an operating agreement, its existing articles of organisation, bylaws or operating agreement, and/or its member command or limited liability company understanding volition collectively become its operating agreement.

For assistance creating an LLC operating understanding, come across Form Your Own Express Liability Company, by Anthony Mancuso (Nolo). If an operating agreement is created, it need non be filed with the document of Organisation.

5. Obtain an EIN

If your LLC has more than 1 member, it must obtain its ain IRS Employer Identification Number (EIN), even if it has no employees. If yous grade a one-fellow member LLC, yous must obtain an EIN for it only if it will accept employees or you elect to have information technology taxed as a corporation instead of a sole proprietorship (disregarded entity). You may obtain an EIN past completing an online EIN application on the IRS website. In that location is no filing fee.

6. File Annual Registration (Restricted Professional LLCs Only)

Only strange LLCs and Pennsylvania LLCs engaged in certain specified restricted professional services must file a Certificate of Annual Registration (Form DSCB:fifteen-8221/8998) with the Department of Country. (See Nolo's commodity, How to Form a Professional LLC in Pennsylvania for more information.) These must exist filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Land Corporation Bureau by Apr 15th of every yr. The registration may be filed online or by postal mail. An annual fee of $560 times the number of members of the LLC must be paid.