Lesson 3 · Pennsylvania
Foreign LLC Registration in Pennsylvania (2026): a 4-Step Lesson and the 3 Best Services
The short version
By the end you will know
- When registration is required
- The official form and fee
- What comes after registering
- Which services we would use and why
Who we would hire in Pennsylvania
1. Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co: best for one extra state
Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co gets our top grade for Pennsylvania: it files the Pennsylvania registration for $199 and includes a year of agent service, then renews at $99.
Mainstay Filing costs more over three years, and that hands this service the top spot.
What the price covers
- Your Pennsylvania registration is prepared and filed
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- $199 plus the state fee
- Agent covered for year one
- $99 yearly from year two
Where it loses points
- Pennsylvania only; your home state needs its own agent
2. PA Registered Agent.org: best for a local filer
Next on the report card comes PA Registered Agent.org, graded second: it files the Pennsylvania registration for $199 and includes a year of agent service, then renews at $99.
On price it is level with Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co.
What the price covers
- Your Pennsylvania registration is prepared and filed
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- Agent covered for year one
- $99 yearly from year two
- $199 plus the state fee
Where it loses points
- Pennsylvania only; your home state needs its own agent
3. Mainstay Filing: best for one provider for both states
For number 3 we picked Mainstay Filing: $199 beyond the state fee, with the registered agent free in year one and $149 a year afterward.
Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co is $100 lower across three years, which keeps this one out of first.
When the free first year ends, the agent costs $149 a year in any state.
What the price covers
- The filing is done for you
- Any state at one price
Marks in its favor
- $199 on top of Pennsylvania's fee
- One price anywhere
Where it loses points
- Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co's agent costs $50 less each renewal
Prices in one table
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Pennsylvania Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | PA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit PA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The Pennsylvania registration, in order
-
Step
1Check whether registration applies
Doing business in Pennsylvania through an LLC from another state calls for a foreign registration. If the LLC works there without registering: If the LLC might ever need to sue, registering first matters (15 Pa.C.S. 411(b)). Contracts it already signed are still good (15 Pa.C.S. 411(c)).
Where this comes from: pa.gov confirms it, as of October 2026
-
Step
2Name your Pennsylvania registered agent
Pennsylvania requires a registered office (a Pennsylvania street address or a Commercial Registered Office Provider), not an agent. The address has to be an actual street address or rural route box number in Pennsylvania. A P.O. box alone is not accepted.
The services in our list provide this.
Where this comes from: legis.state.pa.us confirms it, as of October 2026
-
Step
3Turn in the Foreign Registration Statement
What the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations needs from you is the filing named above and a $250 fee.
Where this comes from: pa.gov confirms it, as of October 2026
-
Step
4Keep up with Pennsylvania's recurring filing
A registered foreign LLC files the annual report ($7), September 30.
The cost of this lesson
| Cost item | Paid to | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | State office | $250 |
| Annual report | State office | $7 |
| Filing service (optional) | The service | $199 up front |
| Three years of state fees | State office | $264 |
Why Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co comes first
Tuition over three years carries 32% of the report card, and that is where pulled ahead in Pennsylvania.
Count the first three years and Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co comes out at $397, $100 cheaper than Mainstay Filing.
Common questions
Which fees come with a foreign LLC registration in Pennsylvania?
$250 for the filing. Our picks add $199.
Which form do I file to register?
Look for the Foreign Registration Statement (DSCB:15-412); you deliver it to the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
If the LLC might ever need to sue, registering first matters (15 Pa.C.S. 411(b)). Contracts it already signed are still good (15 Pa.C.S. 411(c)).
What is due after registering?
Your next filing is the annual report at $7.
Which services are in this lesson?
The picks are Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co, PA Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing; the prices are in the table above.
Which service should handle the registration?
We would pick Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co, because a $199 service fee, then $99 a year for the agent in Pennsylvania. After that, PA Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing.
Class references
- Source for Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and: pa.gov, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and: pa.gov, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for 15 Pa.C.S. § 8821: pa.gov, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Pennsylvania formation fee: Filing fee, official source: pa.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Pennsylvania registered agent statute: legis.state.pa.us, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Pennsylvania DOS, foreign associations: pa.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Foreign Registration Statement, DSCB:15-412: pa.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Commercial registered office providers: pa.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for 15 Pa.C.S. 411, registration to do business in: legis.state.pa.us, confirmed in November 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Pennsylvania Department of State, general rule and exclusions: pa.gov, confirmed in November 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co, pricing page, as it appeared on November 13, 2026
- PA Registered Agent.org, pricing page, as it appeared on November 13, 2026
- Mainstay Filing, Pennsylvania service page, as it appeared on November 13, 2026