How to search Pennsylvania business entities online

What the search covers

The database covers domestic and foreign LLCs, business corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited partnerships, LLPs, limited liability limited partnerships (LLLPs), professional corporations, benefit corporations, and cooperative corporations. Charitable organization registrations are handled by the same bureau and are searchable through a separate tool.

Search options

A single search box accepts either an entity name or an entity (file) number, matched as 'Contains' or 'Starts with'. Results can be narrowed further:

• Entity Name or Entity Number — same search box; case-insensitive
• Filing Type filter — narrows results to a specific entity type (LLC, business corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited partnership, fictitious name, and more)
• Status filter — Active or one of several inactive statuses (dissolved, withdrawn, revoked, terminated, etc.)
• Filing Date Range — restricts results to filings within a chosen date window

Records cannot be searched by officer, director, or owner name — the Bureau indexes filings only by entity name and entity number. Results show the entity name, type, status, filing date, registered office address, and links to filed documents. The search page also posts a rolling notice of the date through which filings have been processed, so you can gauge how current the index is.

Pennsylvania's "Subsistence Certificate" — not "Good Standing"

Pennsylvania uses different terminology for what most states call a Certificate of Good Standing. For domestic entities, the correct term is a Subsistence Certificate. For foreign (out-of-state) entities registered in Pennsylvania, it is a Certificate of Registration. When a contracting party, lender, or foreign government asks for a "good standing certificate," request a Subsistence Certificate from the Bureau of Corporations. The fee is $40.

Payment — no cash accepted

The Bureau of Corporations does not accept cash for any filing, standard or expedited. Checks and money orders must be made payable to the Pennsylvania Department of State. Credit cards are accepted for expedited filing services only. Plan payment method accordingly before filing in person.