Do You Have To Be Registered In Pennsylvania To Have A Home Business

Pennsylvania Registered Agent

APennsylvania registered agent, known as a Registered Office / Commercial Registered Office Provider (CROP) in Pennsylvania, is required past constabulary for every formal business concern in the land of Pennsylvania. A registered agent receives all official paperwork from the Country of Pennsylvania, they likewise receive any service of process a business may exist served in a lawsuit.

In our Pennsylvania Registered Agent guide, we'll go over everything related to what a registered amanuensis is, what they do, and how to option i.

Recommended: Get a complimentary year of registered agent services when you form an LLC with Northwest Registered Agent ($39 plus state fees).

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Last Updated: 2022-05-18

What Is A Pennsylvania Registered Agent?

A Pennsylvania registered agent is an individual or business entity that acts as the bespeak of contact for your business for:

All communication with the State of Pennsylvania, such every bit the Pennsylvania Decennial Report and document of good standing
Receives all service of process for the business organization in any lawsuit

Every formal business in Pennsylvania eg LLC, corporation, etc is required by police force to have a registered amanuensis.

For more information on the office of registered agents, read our What is a Registered Agent guide.

For assistance forming your LLC, use our Pennsylvania LLC guide.

Can I Be My Own Registered Agent In Pennsylvania?

Yes, any possessor or employee of a business can be its registered agent in Pennsylvania as long as they are over the age of 18, and have a street accost in Pennsylvania.

You could likewise choose to elect a fellow member of your LLC, or even a friend you lot trust, as long every bit the person meets these requirements likewise.

Though many businesses prefer to use a professional registered agent service.

Why Businesses Use a Pennsylvania Registered Agent Service

Many businesses cull to use a registered amanuensis service when they form an LLC, here are some of the reasons why:

Compliance

A registered agent service maintains a compliance agenda and volition remind you when annual reports or other filings are due, and help yous file them.

This helps yous to avoid fines and keeps your company in good standing, which is of import to maintain your limited liability protection.

Legal complications, fees, or any other issues can arise if you lot exercise non respond quickly to service of process. A registered amanuensis will browse your documents, share them with you online, and notify you when they are bachelor.

Privacy

If yous piece of work from home, or even a individual office, and act as your own registered agent, your accost volition be published publicly on the Pennsylvania Business Entity Search.

If you value your privacy, a registered amanuensis service will use their own address in place of yours.

Discretion

Receiving service of procedure for a lawsuit at your business concern tin exist a sensitive situation to accept happen in front end of your employees and clients.

To avoid having this issue a registered amanuensis volition receive whatever service of process and other documents at their function, and discreetly deliver them to you online.

Flexibility

If you are your own registered agent, you must be available at all normal business hours, every working day of the twelvemonth.

Registered agent services run physical offices and accept staff to encompass those hours, so they can be available at those times

Hiring a registered amanuensis service allows you lot to be more flexible in the hours and locations you work. Then, accept a vacation, work from habitation or the part, or travel the world, knowing they're effectually to take your paperwork.

Online Storage

A skilful registered agent service volition browse your documents as before long equally they are received, storing a digital copy of all your business documents and any service of process available on a convenient dashboard.

Typically, if you've used an LLC germination service, yous will likewise employ them as a registered agent. This means that a copy of your germination documents will besides be available online.

Having all of this information, bachelor as PDFs, is very helpful when you lot demand to do things for your business, such as opening a concern bank account, applying for a business credit card, applying for small business loans, and many more things that require a copy of your documents.

Recommended: Meet the All-time Pennsylvania Registered Agent

National Coverage

If you plan on expanding your business concern into other states like if y'all're hiring an out-of-state employee or opening a new sales office, a registered amanuensis is necessary for your foreign LLC or other entity.

Most registered agent services operate in all 50 states and Washington D.C. Simply pay a little extra for the new state you operate in, and they will deliver all those documents to the same online dashboard.

How Much Does a Registered Agent Cost?

The toll of hiring a registered agent service is typically effectually $l to $300 per year. This is a modest price when you lot consider how much fourth dimension it will save you — information technology's well worth the price.

Best Pennsylvania Registered Agent Service

Northwest is the best registered agent service based on overall quality and transparent pricing. Northwest offers a seamless user experience and best-in-industry client service and privacy protection.

When you cull Northwest as your registered agent service, you'll get an online account to access essential documents, mail forwarding, and business concern address services.

Northwest's virtual mailbox service will scan your post and forward it to you electronically. This means that you tin can continue rail of your mail service no affair where you lot are in the world.

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How Do I Elect A Registered Agent In Pennsylvania?

Whether you'd like to appoint yourself, another member of the LLC, or a professional service to fill the Registered Office role, you'll be able to do so on the Document of Organization. The Document of Organization is the main LLC formation certificate in Pennsylvania.

In Pennsylvania, you must have a contract to larn the services of a Crop before listing i. Without this contract, yous could face civil and criminal penalties.

You also tin can't use a Crop with Fictitious Name registrations.

Electing a Registered Agent Online

To begin the online formation process, create an business relationship through the PENN File System. In one case subscribed, you'll proceeds access to all the resources yous need to engage a commercial registered role provider (registered amanuensis) and form your LLC online.

Electing a Registered Agent by Postal service

To grade your LLC by mail, simply download the Document of Organization, fill out the required fields and submit a physical re-create with the Section of State (along with a $125 filing fee). You'll be prompted to provide ane) the accost of your registered office, or two) your commercial registered office provider's proper name and county of venue in Section ii.

How Do I Modify My Registered Amanuensis In Pennsylvania?

To change your Pennsylvania registered amanuensis, simply fill out a Change of Registered Office form and submit it to the Pennsylvania Department of State along with the $5 filing fee paid past bank check or credit menu (online).

This can exist done online or by mail service.

Online

Mail:
Pennsylvania Department of State
Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
P.O. Box 8722
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722

Registered Agent FAQ

Do I need a registered amanuensis in Pennsylvania?

Every U.S. country, with the exception of New York, requires all corporations and express liability companies (LLCs) to have a registered agent. A registered agent may exist called different names in different states, such as a resident agent, a statutory agent, or an amanuensis for service of process.

Why practice I demand a registered agent?

Most states require you to designate a registered amanuensis if you lot ain a business. However, even if it isn't required, we strongly recommend appointing a registered agent to accept service of procedure, gain peace of mind, and maintain your privacy.

Are registered agents liable?

A registered agent could potentially exist liable for damages in the event they fail to meet their legal responsibilities every bit a registered agent, such as non informing a company it was being sued.

What does "service of procedure" mean?

Service of process means receiving legal documents, such as a summons. A summons is an social club to appear before a judge due to a pending lawsuit.

What is a commercial registered agent?

Some states refer to registered agent services every bit commercial registered agents.

What is the difference between a commercial registered agent and a noncommercial registered agent?

About states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered amanuensis's name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, you will be asked whether you lot are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. Some states refer to professional registered agents equally commercial agents and individual agents every bit noncommercial.

How to Become a Registered Agent in Pennsylvania

To become a registered amanuensis in Pennsylvania as an individual or business entity, you lot must:

Be over the age of eighteen.
Accept a street address in Pennsylvania.
Have the business you're representing list your name and accost on their germination or change of registered agent documents.

After this, the Country of Pennsylvania will send you official correspondence for annual reports, service of process, and other compliance data for the business you lot represent.

What is a registered amanuensis service?

A registered agent service is a company that agrees to receive service of process for an LLC, corporation, or nonprofit.

Pennsylvania Business Resource

Resources

Pennsylvania Registered Agent Information
Pennsylvania Registered Agent Statutes
Pennsylvania Registered Agent

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