Does a Pennsylvania registration protect my name in other states?

No. It protects the name inside Pennsylvania's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the Pennsylvania lookup.

What does a Pennsylvania LLC name have to end with?

One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Company and Company. The checker searches the name with and without the suffix, because the suffix alone never makes a name distinguishable.

Can I reserve a business name in Pennsylvania before I file?

Yes. The Pennsylvania Department of State charges $70 to reserve a name for 120 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.

How much does it cost to register a business name in Pennsylvania?

The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $125 for an LLC and $125 for a corporation, then annual report, $7, due june 30 (llc) / september 30 (corp) — new since 2025; missing it leads to administrative dissolution.

Are there words I can't use in a Pennsylvania business name?

Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In Pennsylvania that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer and Architect. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.

How many new businesses start in Pennsylvania each year?

The Census Bureau counted 168,110 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +12.4% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.

What if the Pennsylvania registry shows an inactive company with my name?

Only active registrations block a name. Of the 2.36 million entities in our copy of the Pennsylvania registry, 2.36 million are active. A dissolved entity's name is usually available — but check whether Pennsylvania allows reinstatement, which can revive the older claim.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State business search — LLC name check, trademark & domain lookup

Pennsylvania only began requiring an annual report in 2025 — it's just $7, but from 2027 an entity that skips it will be dissolved, which will free up a wave of currently 'taken' names. The Department of State's registry, which we hold a 2.4-million-name copy of, treats 'Company' and 'Co.' as valid LLC designators, unlike most states.

Is it taken in Pennsylvania? — Enter the name exactly as you'd file it; the Pennsylvania registry, USPTO and domain registrars are checked together.

Check this name →

How to check a business name in Pennsylvania

Check the name as you'd file it. With the designator (LLC) attached — Pennsylvania compares the whole string.
Verify at the source. The official Pennsylvania Department of State search is the record that counts; registrations change daily.
Don't stop at the state line. A clear Pennsylvania result says nothing about federal trademarks or the domain; the checker covers both in the same run.

Pennsylvania naming rules: what the Pennsylvania Department of State will and won't accept

Every Pennsylvania filing is screened for a single thing before anything else: the name must be distinguishable upon the records of the Department. Swapping 'Inc.' for 'LLC', adding 'The', or changing a comma does not make a name distinguishable here. For an LLC the accepted endings are LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Company and Company; corporations take Corporation, Corp. and Incorporated.

Some words need permission first. In Pennsylvania that list includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer, Architect, Surveyor and Cooperative and others — using one implies a regulated activity and the filing will be held until the relevant regulator consents.

The fees are straightforward: forming an LLC costs $125, a corporation $125 and a name reservation is $70 and holds the name for 120 days. Online filings 5-10 business days; expedited same-day, 3-hour and 1-hour.

Keeping it: Annual report, $7, due June 30 (LLC) / September 30 (corp) — new since 2025; missing it leads to administrative dissolution. Miss it and the entity slides to an inactive status — at which point the name can be taken by someone else.

Source: the Pennsylvania Department of State, (717) 787-1057 — official website (fee schedule). Fees change; confirm before filing.

How busy is Pennsylvania right now?

In the year to August 2026, Pennsylvania recorded 168,110 new business applications — +12.4% on the year before, the 11th-highest total of any state and 12.9 per 1,000 residents (ranked 43rd per person). April was the busiest month with 18,092 applications, and Pennsylvania accounts for 2.7% of all U.S. filings.

That volume is the reason exact-name checks age quickly here: the registry changes by the hundreds every business day.

Where America starts businesses — all 50 states ranked →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 2019 comparison: 102,750 applications in calendar 2019.

Inside the Pennsylvania registry

There are 2.36 million entities in our copy of the Pennsylvania registry: 50% LLCs, 39% corporations and 8% nonprofits.

The most common words in Pennsylvania business names are Services, Group, Associates, Enterprises, Properties and Construction. A name built from those is competing with thousands of near-neighbours — fine for a search, harder for a filing. 48% of names end in an LLC designator. The average registered name is 24.9 characters long.

What people are checking in Pennsylvania

48 Pennsylvania names were checked on this site in the past 90 days, and 87% of them came back clear at the state level. The words that came up most: Evey, Cleaning, Supply, Studio and Photography. (Aggregate figures only — we don't publish individual searches.)

What makes a name available in Pennsylvania?

It must be distinguishable from names already on the Pennsylvania registry — usually more than a difference in punctuation, spacing, or an entity suffix.
Only active registrations block a name. A dissolved or revoked entity with the same name typically doesn't stop you — though a recently inactive one can carry a reinstatement risk worth knowing about (our checker flags exactly that case).
Entity suffixes are required, not decorative. An LLC's legal name must carry an LLC designator; a corporation needs Inc., Corp., or an equivalent accepted in Pennsylvania.
Registry clearance is not trademark clearance. The Pennsylvania Department of State checks its own records only — it will register a name that infringes a federal trademark. Check both.

Note: naming rules, fees, and reservation windows are set by Pennsylvania statute and change over time — treat the Pennsylvania Department of State's own guidance as final for filing decisions. This page is a practical guide, not legal advice.

About the Pennsylvania Department of State

The Pennsylvania Department of State maintains Pennsylvania's registry of corporations, LLCs, and other registered entities — it is the system of record for Pennsylvania business names. Useful official resources:

Official Pennsylvania business entity search — the state's own lookup.
Pennsylvania Department of State — official website — filings, forms, fees, and contact details.

Before you file in Pennsylvania: a two-minute double check

Run the name through the checker above — registry, USPTO and domain in one pass.
Repeat the search on the official Pennsylvania lookup, spelling the name exactly as it will be filed, with the designator.
For every match returned, note the status. Active blocks; dissolved or revoked usually doesn't; a recent lapse deserves a second look.
Compare spellings, not just exact hits — Pennsylvania treats near-identical names as the same name.
Clear on both? Reserve or file straight away. Names are first-come, first-served.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Pennsylvania registration protect my name in other states?: No. It protects the name inside Pennsylvania's registry only. Nationwide protection comes from a federal trademark, which is why the checker runs the USPTO search alongside the Pennsylvania lookup.
What does a Pennsylvania LLC name have to end with?: One of the state's accepted designators — LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Company and Company. The checker searches the name with and without the suffix, because the suffix alone never makes a name distinguishable.
Can I reserve a business name in Pennsylvania before I file?: Yes. The Pennsylvania Department of State charges $70 to reserve a name for 120 days. A reserved name shows as taken to everyone else's search.
How much does it cost to register a business name in Pennsylvania?: The name itself is free to search. Filing the entity is what costs money: $125 for an LLC and $125 for a corporation, then annual report, $7, due june 30 (llc) / september 30 (corp) — new since 2025; missing it leads to administrative dissolution.
Are there words I can't use in a Pennsylvania business name?: Words that imply a regulated business need consent first. In Pennsylvania that includes Bank, Trust, Insurance, Engineer and Architect. Names that suggest a government agency are refused outright.
How many new businesses start in Pennsylvania each year?: The Census Bureau counted 168,110 business applications in the twelve months to August 2026, +12.4% on the year before. Not every application becomes a registered entity, but each one is a name someone intends to use.
What if the Pennsylvania registry shows an inactive company with my name?: Only active registrations block a name. Of the 2.36 million entities in our copy of the Pennsylvania registry, 2.36 million are active. A dissolved entity's name is usually available — but check whether Pennsylvania allows reinstatement, which can revive the older claim.

Still choosing a name? Try the Pennsylvania business name generator — every idea checked against the same registry.

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