Cheapest LLC formation in Pennsylvania

Which Pennsylvania fees can't be avoided?

The Department of State sets these charges, and they are the same whether you file online yourself or a service files for you. No provider can discount them; package prices are quoted before they are added.

Only one fee applies to every new domestic LLC: the $125 charge for the certificate, filed together with the Docketing Statement (DSCB:15-134A). Pennsylvania also has no newspaper notice for LLCs. The Department's wording is plain: "No advertising is required when forming a domestic limited liability company."²

The yearly report is the second fixed cost. Annual reports began in 2025. The fee is $7 and it is due September 30 each year; LLCs with a not-for-profit purpose pay $0. No franchise tax sits on top; the Department of Revenue says the Capital Stock/Foreign Franchise tax has been eliminated for tax years beginning January 1, 2016.^{3, 5}

Two charges apply only in some cases. Holding a name before filing costs $70, more than half the certificate fee, so it pays only when a real delay stands between you and filing. An LLC formed in another state that registers to do business here pays $250 for a Foreign Registration Statement instead of the formation fee.¹

What pushes the cost of a Pennsylvania LLC higher?

Four things move the bill above the state fees: a registered office provider, paid expedite, compliance subscriptions, and the cost of falling behind on the report.

A registered office provider, if you need one

State law reads: "Every limited liability company shall have and continuously maintain in this Commonwealth a registered office." You meet that rule with your own Pennsylvania street address at no cost, or by naming a commercial registered office provider and county of venue on the certificate. Every provider renewal on this page costs more than the state's $7 report, so for owners who use one, the provider is the larger recurring cost. Moving from one provider to another, or to your own address, costs $5 in state fees. File that change before you cancel the old service. The registered office guide for Pennsylvania covers both options.^{1, 6, 7}

Faster processing

Standard processing has no surcharge; the Department asks you to allow 15 business days. The paid options are Same-day $100 (received before 10 a.m.), 3-hour $300 (before 2 p.m.) and 1-hour $1,000 (before 4 p.m.), each on top of the filing fee. If no lease, loan or contract is waiting on the LLC, the standard queue is the cheapest choice by a wide margin. When a package advertises fast handling, ask whether that includes the state's fee or only the provider's own queue.^{1, 8}

Compliance subscriptions and trials

The state report costs $7, and it asks for the LLC's name, its registered and principal office addresses and at least one governor (manager or member), among other details an owner already holds. Providers charge many times the state fee to file it for you: LegalZoom's one-time filing is $99 + state filing fees, bills once and Northwest's is $100 + state fees, charged at filing. Some plans start a trial that turns into a charge, such as Swyft Filings' ComplianceGuard $199/year, sold on these terms: 14-day free trial then auto-charged. Others bundle a free year: ZenBusiness's Starter includes Worry-Free Compliance free for 1 year (then $199/yr). Put a reminder on the renewal date of any trial you accept.^{3, 9, 10, 11, 12}

The price of a missed annual report

The penalty entry reads "No late fee"; the cost arrives later, when the state applies administrative dissolution six months after the due date, enforced starting with 2027 reports. Reinstatement then costs $35 online or $40 on paper, plus $15 for each missing annual report. The Pennsylvania compliance page covers the deadline and the reinstatement filing.³

Which providers cost the least for a Pennsylvania LLC?

Rows below follow our score, highest first, with tied scores in editorial order; they are not sorted by price.

The second table separates what each provider's lowest-priced route adds to the $125 state fee in year one from what it charges in year two, before the $7 report.

A few terms change how these rows add up.

Bizee's route has the lowest published year-one add-on for an owner who needs a provider, since the package ($0 + state fee) and the first year of service (free first year with any Bizee formation package) carry no charge beyond the state fee. Its second year is the renewal plus the report.^{18, 19}

doola's Starter is a yearly plan, so its whole price recurs, not just the agent part.

Northwest's included year comes from its corporation page; its LLC page doesn't repeat it, so confirm before ordering. Northwest also says RA customers auto-enrolled in Compliance Services billed in annual auto-pay, which can add a charge when the Pennsylvania report comes due.³³

Rocket Lawyer's provider service needs Plus ($249/year) or Pro ($349/year); Standard ($149/year) doesn't include it.²⁶

InCorp's renewal is described as a flat rate, while its terms say service is billed at then-current fee unless a cancellation condition is met. Harbor Compliance requires notice at least 90 days before the end of the current term to stop renewal.^{34, 35}

Tailor Brands' Essential plan ($199/yr plus state fees) is a yearly charge that adds report filing; on the Lite route the report is yours to file. For agent prices across every state, see the cheapest registered agent services, and for package details, Pennsylvania formation services compared.¹³