Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if you file a name registration for your business in Pennsylvania?

Filing a name registration for your business in Pennsylvania involves several steps and rules. Firstly, you must choose a unique name that hasn't been used by another business entity in Pennsylvania. The name should be written using the English alphabet, Roman numerals, or regular numerals, and must end with "LLC," 'L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company." Certain words and phrases cannot be used to claim your business name is unique, such as definite articles, suffixes, punctuation and symbols, singular, plural, or possessive forms of a word, abbreviations, and different fonts. Your business name also cannot suggest links to any federal or state government entity or agency. Certain words are specifically prohibited unless you have additional documentation, including words affiliated with institutions like a credit union or bank, and words linked to specialized professions such as architects, engineers, lawyers, or doctors. You can operate your business under a different "doing business as" name, but this must be registered with the Department of State. While you don't need to reserve a name for your new Pennsylvania LLC, you can reserve a business name if you intend to start the business in the future.