PA LLC Certificate of Good Standing/Subsistence Certificate

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Certificate of Good Standing, aka Subsistence Certificate

A Pennsylvania LLC Certificate of Good Standing (“Subsistence Certificate”) is an official letter from the Bureau of Corporations (division of Pennsylvania Department of State) that states your LLC is in good standing.

Although this Subsistence Certificate is not required when forming a Pennsylvania LLC, it may be needed if you need to register your Pennsylvania LLC as a Foreign LLC in another state.

There are two ways you can order a Pennsylvania LLC Certificate of Good Standing (“Subsistence Certificate”):

  1. Order online via Business Filing Services
  2. Send in a request letter by mail

If you order online, you’ll be able to download your Subsistence Certificate in 1-2 business days.

If you order by mail, the state will mail your Subsistence Certificate in 7-10 business days.

$40 fee for Subsistence Certificate

The fee for a PA Subsistence Certificate is $40. The fee is the same for both the online request and the mail-in request.

LLC University® recommendation

We recommend ordering your Subsistence Certificate online. The process is easier to complete and the approval time is much quicker.

Certificate of Good Standing (Subsistence Certificate) via Business Filing Services

Update: Prior to Keystone Login, the old method of online filing was to just have a PENN File account. Since May 29, 2020, Pennsylvania now requires everyone to create a new Keystone Login.

  1. Login or create an account at PA Business One-Stop Hub (Keystone Login required).
  2. Click on “Search Business Entities” at the top, search your LLC name, and click on your LLC name in the results.
  3. Click the button “Request Certificate
  4. Select “Subsistence Certificate” from the dropdown menu for Request Type.
  5. Pay for your order and Submit the request.

Certificate of Good Standing (Subsistence Certificate) via Mail-in Request Letter

  • While the video below is still accurate, it’s is a bit older and only shows how to request a Subsistence Certificate by mailing in a Request Letter
  • The video states you can mail in your request along with the Certificate of Organization and Docketing Statement (if you’re forming your LLC by mail). This is no longer the case. If you’re ordering a Subsistence Certificate by mail, send it in a separate envelope a few days later.
Pennsylvania LLC - Certificate of Good Standing

  1. Download the Request for Certificate of Good Standing (PDF).
  2. Prepare a check or money order for $40 and make it payable to “Department of State”.
  3. Mail your request letter and $40 to: Bureau of Corporations, P.O. Box 8722, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722.
  4. The Pennsylvania Department of State will mail you back your Subsistence Certificate in 7-10 business days.

Matt Horwitz
Matt Horwitz
Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.

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2 comments on “Pennsylvania Certificate of Good Standing”

Disclaimer: Nothing on this page shall be interpreted as legal or tax advice. Rules and regulations vary by location. They also change over time and are specific to your situation. Furthermore, this comment section is provided so people can share their thoughts and experience. Please consult a licensed professional if you have legal or tax questions.

  1. If, I act as my own registered agent for the first month of operation, can I then go back and hire an official agent? If so, how do I make those changes?

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