Pennsylvania has a new annual report for businesses. Here’s what you need to know.
Next Door
Practical notes from a retired CPA who’s spent sixty years paying attention to all kinds of little details that matter.
If you own a business in Pennsylvania, whether it’s an LLC, a corporation, a nonprofit, or a limited partnership, there’s a new annual filing you should know about. Starting in 2025, the Commonwealth requires most registered business entities to file an Annual Report with the Pennsylvania Department of State.
The filing is simple and the fee is small. But it is required, and if you haven’t done it yet, now’s the time.
What Is the Annual Report?
In November 2022, Governor Wolf signed Act No. 122 of 2022 into law, creating a new annual reporting requirement for Pennsylvania businesses. Before this, Pennsylvania only asked for-profit entities to update their registration information once every ten years, through what was called a decennial report. The new Annual Report replaces that system and brings Pennsylvania in line with what most other states have been doing for years.
You’re confirming basic information about your business. No financials. The state wants to know:
- Your business name and entity number
- Your registered office address in Pennsylvania
- Your principal office address
- The name of at least one governor (that’s the legal term, and depending on your entity type it means a director, managing member, or general partner)
- Names and titles of your principal officers, if any
No revenue figures, no balance sheets, no tax documents.
Who Needs to File?
If your business is registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State, you almost certainly need to file. This includes:
- Business corporations (C-corps, S-corps)
- Nonprofit corporations
- Limited liability companies (LLCs)
- Limited partnerships (LPs)
Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) - Business trusts
- Professional associations
This applies to both domestic entities and foreign entities registered to do business in Pennsylvania.
Who’s off the hook? Sole proprietorships and general partnerships are not required to file.
When Is It Due?
The deadline depends on your entity type:
- Corporations (for-profit and nonprofit): June 30
- LLCs: September 30
- LPs, LLPs, business trusts, professional associations, and foreign associations: December 31
Same dates every year going forward. If you registered a brand-new entity this year, your first report will be due next year.
How Do You File?
The state strongly recommends filing online at file.dos.pa.gov. Here’s what the process looks like:
- Go to file.dos.pa.gov and log in, or create a new account through the PA Business One-Stop Hub
- Search for your business under “Business Search“
- Click “File Annual Report.” The form pre-populates with your current information on file.
- Review everything, make any necessary updates, and submit.
- Pay the $7 filing fee by credit card ($0 for nonprofits).
- Download your confirmation.
It takes just a few minutes. Online reports are processed and approved automatically. Paper filing is still an option, but online is faster and there’s a lower chance of errors.
What Happens If You Don’t File?
If you’re running a little behind, there’s a grace period. For the 2025 and 2026 filing years, the state will presumably not dissolve or terminate any business for failing to file.
Starting in 2027, that changes. Entities that miss their deadline will have six months to catch up. After that, the Department of State can administratively dissolve your business. That means your entity would lose its good standing and could lose exclusive rights to its registered name.
Nobody wants that, especially over a $7 filing fee and ten minutes.
One More Thing
This report is completely separate from the federal Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report under the Corporate Transparency Act, which has its own set of rules and has seen several changes at the federal level. The Pennsylvania Annual Report is a state requirement, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of State, and it applies regardless of what happens with the federal filing.
The Short Version
If you run a registered business in Pennsylvania, this is something to add to your annual to-do list, right alongside your tax filings and license renewals. The process is simple, the fee is minimal, and the state has made the online process about as painless as state filings get.
Don’t wait for a postcard reminder. Head to file.dos.pa.gov, look up your business, and as they say at Nike: Just do it.
The Guide Next Door is a retired certified public accountant based in Easton, PA. This column is for informational purposes and does not constitute professional tax or legal advice. Consult your own accountant or attorney for guidance specific to your situation.
