Last updated on July 14, 2018

Pennsylvania LLC Name Change (Certificate of Amendment)

Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Change an LLC Name in PA:

In order to change your Pennsylvania LLC name, you need to file a Certificate of Amendment with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.

Method of filing:
You can submit your PA Certificate of Amendment filing by mail or online.

Approval time:
The PA Bureau of Corporations will process both mail and online filings within approximately 2 business days of receiving them. The mail filing will take a few days longer just because of the document’s travel time. For that reason, we recommend the online filing option.

PA LLC Name change filing fee:
The filing fee is $70 (for both mail and online filing).

Skip ahead to a section:
Click one of the links below to jump to that section:
• PA LLC name change (file by mail)
• PA LLC name change (file online)

Important: Once the PA Bureau of Corporations approves your LLC name change, you’ll also need to change your LLC name with the IRS. More on this is below.

How to File a PA LLC Name Change (Certificate of Amendment) by Mail

Forms needed to change your Pennsylvania LLC name:
When filing by mail, you need to submit 2 forms:

• Certificate of Amendment (Form DSCB:15-8622/8822)
• Docketing Statement – Changes (Form DSCB:15-134B)

Note: You can print the forms, fill them out by hand (use a black pen), then sign; or, you can type in the forms on your computer, then print and sign. When printing, use regular white paper (8.5″ x 11″).

First, here’s instructions for the PA Certificate of Amendment

Tip: Read the instructions on pages 3 and 4 before filling out your Certificate of Amendment.

Return documents by:
At the top of the form, check off whether you’d like your documents returned by mail or returned by email. Then enter your mailing address or email address.

Check one:
Check off “Limited Liability Company (§8822)”.

1. The name of the limited liability partnership/limited liability company is:
Enter your current LLC name (not the new one), including its designator (“LLC” or “L.L.C.”).

2. The date of filing of the original Certificate of Limited Partnership/Organization:
Enter the date your LLC was approved by the state. You can find this on your stamped and approved Certificate of Organization, or by searching the PA online database. Look for the “Effective Date” after you search your LLC name. If you need assistance, you can also call the PA Bureau of Corporations at 717-787-1057.

3. The current registered office address as on file with the Department of State:
• If your Registered Office Address is your home, your office, a friend’s address, or a family member’s address, enter that address and county on line 3a (leave line 3b blank).

• If you hired a Registered Agent (known as a Commercial Registered Office Provider in PA), enter the name of the company and the county where they are located on line 3b (leave line 3a blank). You don’t need to enter their full address, as it’s already on file with the state. If you’re not sure what county they are located in, please call or email them.

4. The name change amendment adopted by the LLC:
Check off the first box (“The amendment adopted by the limited partnership/limited liability company, set forth in full, is as follows:”) and then write the following on the line(s) below:

The name of the limited liability company shall henceforth be known as {New Name LLC}

• Replace {New Name LLC} with your new desired LLC name.
• Make sure to include the designator “L.L.C.” or “LLC” (“LLC” is the most common).
• You can use a comma in your new PA LLC name, or you can leave it out. For example, “Poppy Seed Bakery LLC” and “Poppy Seed Bakery, LLC” are both acceptable.

Important: The most common reason LLC name changes in PA are rejected is because the name is not distinguishable. In order to avoid this happening, please refer to this lesson to make sure you’re searching your new name properly: PA LLC Name Search.

5. Effective date:
Check off the first box if you want your Certificate of Amendment to be effective upon filing with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations. This means the name change will immediately take effect once it is filed.

6. This amendment restates the Certificate of Organization:
Check off the box in #6. This means that the new LLC name you listed in the Certificate of Amendment will replace the old name in your original Certificate of Organization.

Sign & Date:
Enter today’s date, the old name of your LLC (not the new name), then print and sign your name and title. Your title will either be “Member” or “Manager”. For more info on members vs. managers, please see this article.

Second, here’s instructions for the PA Docketing Statement – Changes

BUREAU USE ONLY:
Do not enter anything in this section. Leave it blank.

Part I. Current name, entity number, date and state of formation, and effective date:
Enter the current name of your LLC, its entity number, and your LLC’s formation/registration date.

Note: You can find your LLC’s entity number and registration date in your approved Certificate of Organization, or by searching your LLC name here. If you need assistance, you can also call the PA Bureau of Corporations at 717-787-1057.

If your LLC is a domestic LLC (Pennsylvania is the state where you formed), then enter “Pennsylvania”. If your LLC is a Foreign LLC qualification in PA, enter the name of the state where your original LLC was formed.

For Effective Date, you’ll most likely leave this blank (depending on what you selected in your Certificate of Amendment). If you used an Effective Date in your Certificate of Amendment, make sure to enter that same date here. If you left the Effective Date blank (most people do), then leave it blank here as well.

Part II. Check appropriate transaction:
Check off “Amendment (complete Section A)”, and then proceed to Section A to change your LLC name.

Important: The only information you need to enter in the ‘Docketing Statement – Changes’ is those things which are changing. So the form will have a lot of things left blank. That’s okay.

Enter your new LLC name in Section A, to the right of “Name”.

In Section A, you can leave everything else blank besides “Name”.

Make sure to include the designator “LLC” or “L.L.C.” in your name. The abbreviation “LLC” is the most common. And you can can use a comma in your LLC name, or you can leave it out. For example, “Poppy Seed Bakery LLC” and “Poppy Seed

Bakery, LLC” are both acceptable.

All other Sections (B through H) can be left blank, as they do not apply for name changes. That’s it for the ‘Docketing Statement – Changes’. Pretty easy :)

Here’s what our example ‘Docketing Statement – Changes’ looks like:

Third, send your Certificate of Amendment, Docketing Statement – Changes, and $70 filing fee to the PA Bureau of Corporations

Prepare Payment:
Prepare a check or money order for $70 and make it payable to “Department of State”.

Mail Documents:
Mail your completed Certificate of Amendment, along with your Docketing Statement, and the $70 filing fee to:

Pennsylvania Department of State
Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
P.O. Box 8722
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722

Approval for PA LLC Name Change (filed by mail):
If you file by mail, the PA Bureau of Corporations will process your documents in approximately 2 business days after they receive them. Your stamped and approved Certificate of Amendment will be returned by mail or email (depending on what you selected at the top of the Certificate of Amendment).

Next Step:
Make sure to change your LLC name with the IRS as well as any other places you do business with (see below).

How to File a PA LLC Name Change (Certificate of Amendment) Online

Create an online “PENN File” account with the PA Bureau of Corporations

Note: If you already have an online account with the bureau, then you can just login here, and skip to “Select your filing”, a few lines down.

Create an online account with PA:
• Visit the PA Department of State’s PENN File registration page:
https://www.corporations.pa.gov/Account/Register_account
• Enter all of your contact info. The email part can be a little confusing. Most people just enter their email address 3 times.
• Create a username, password, and two security questions
• Click the “Register” button at the bottom.
• You’ll then be redirected to the login page. Enter your username, and password, and then login to proceed.

Select your filing:
• Scroll down to the “Start or Manage Business Filings” section.
• Click “Domestic Limited Liability Company” (a few items will now appear below).
• Click “Certificate of Amendment – Domestic Limited Liability Company (8622-8822)”.

How to complete the PA Certificate of Amendment Online

Entity Number (or Search):
Enter your Pennsylvania LLC’s Entity Number in the box and click “Search”. If you don’t know your LLC’s Entity Number, you can search for it here. If you need assistance, you can also call the PA Bureau of Corporations at 717-787-1057.

After you enter your Pennsylvania LLC’s Entity Number and click “Search” your LLC will appear below under the “Search Result” section. Just click the “Continue” button in the lower right to proceed.

Here’s what the page will look like:

Business Details:
Under “Select Corporation Type”, select “Limited Liability Company (§8822)”. The fields below will automatically be filled in. Click the “Save and Continue” button to proceed.

Here’s what the page will look like:

Note: the image above is older and shows and old statute (§8951). You will see §8822.

Form Questions:
Check off the box at the top (“The amendment adopted by the limited partnership/limited liability company, set forth in full, is as follows:”) and enter the following statement onto the blank line:

The name of the limited liability company shall henceforth be known as {New Name LLC}

• Replace {New Name LLC} with your new desired LLC name.
• Make sure to include the designator “L.L.C.” or “LLC” (“LLC” is the most common).
• You can use a comma in your new PA LLC name, or you can leave it out. For example, “Poppy Seed Bakery LLC” and “Poppy Seed Bakery, LLC” are both acceptable.

Important: The most common reason LLC name changes in PA are rejected is because the name is not distinguishable. In order to avoid this happening, please refer to this lesson to make sure you’re searching your new name properly: PA LLC Name Search.

Leave the box underneath the blank line unchecked (the one about an “Exhibit A”).

Effective Date:
Check off “The amendment shall be effective upon filing this Certificate of Amendment in the Department of State.” This means that your Pennsylvania LLC name change becomes official on the date it is processed by the Bureau of Corporations.

Restated Certificate Supersedes Original:
Check off the last box (“The restated Certificate of Limited Partnership/Organization supersedes the original Certificate of Limited Partnership/Organization and all previous amendments thereto.”) This means the changes you are making now override your original filing. In short, this allows for the new LLC name to replace the old one.

Here’s an example of what the page will look like:

Docketing Statement:
On this page, you’ll only be entering the items which you’re changing, and leaving the rest blank.

To change your PA LLC name, all you’re going to do is enter the new name of your LLC in the “Name Change” box. You can leave all the other fields blank and then click the “Save and Continue” button:

Attachments:
In our example, we don’t need to upload any attachments, so just click the “Save and Continue” button.

Declaration & Signature:
Enter your first and last name to electronically sign this document, enter your title, and then click the “Review Filing” button.

• If you’re a member of the LLC, enter “Member” for your Title.
• If you’re a manager of the LLC, enter “Manager” for your Title.

To learn more about members vs. managers, please see this article.

Review Filing:
Review your name change filing for accuracy and check for typos. If you need to make any changes, click the “Edit” buttons. If everything looks good, click “Proceed to Cart” at the bottom.

Shopping Cart:
A quick overview of your filing now appears in your shopping cart. Just click the “Checkout” button to go to the next step.

Make Payment:
Enter all of your billing information and click the “Make Payment” button. Congratulations! Your Pennsylvania LLC name change has been electronically filed for processing. Now you just need to wait for approval.

Pennsylvania LLC Name Change Approval (for Online Filing):
After you file your Certificate of Amendment online, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations will review and process your filing within 2 business days. After it is approved, they will return your stamped and approved Certificate of Amendment by email, and they’ll also send a copy in the mail.

You Still Have to Change Your Name in Other Places

Important: Changing your LLC name with the PA Bureau of Corporations still leaves your old LLC name in place everywhere else. Essentially, you’ve only changed your PA LLC with the state and it’s your responsibility to change it and update it everywhere else.

Notify the IRS of Your PA LLC Name Change

The first place we recommend notifying is the IRS. How to change your Pennsylvania LLC name with the IRS depends on how your LLC is taxed.

First, unless your PA LLC has elected special tax treatment (LLC taxed as S-Corp or LLC taxed as C-Corp), then your LLC is taxed based on the number of members. Therefore:

• By default, LLCs with 1 member are taxed as Sole Proprietorships.
• By default, LLCs with 2 or more members are taxed as Partnerships.

Okay, we needed to get that out of the way because the way LLCs are taxed by the IRS usually confuses most people.

The way in which you change your LLC name with the IRS is based on your LLC’s tax classification:

If your LLC is taxed as a Sole Proprietorship, you need to mail (or fax) a letter to the IRS. We’ve provided a template form for you below.

If your LLC is taxed as a Partnership, C-Corp, or S-Corp, you can just file the LLC name change the next time you file your taxes:

• LLCs taxed as Partnerships, use Form 1065 (page 1, line G, box 3)
• LLCs taxed as S-Corporations, use Form 1120S (page 1, line H, box 2)
• LLCs taxed as C-Corporations, use Form 1120 (page 1, line E, box 3)

Note: If you’re LLC is taxed as a Partnership, S-Corp, or C-Corp, and you don’t want to wait until tax time to notify the IRS of your LLC’s name change, you can also send the IRS Name Change Letter below.

Download our IRS Name Change Template Letter:
For LLCs taxed as Sole Proprietorships, or for LLCs taxed as Partnerships, S-Corps, or C-Corps (who don’t want to wait), you need to mail (or fax) the IRS a letter notifying them of the new LLC name.

To make your life easier, we’ve provided a free template letter below. All you have to do is fill in the blanks and mail (or fax) it to the IRS.

Download the IRS Name Change Letter:
IRS LLC Name Change Template

Include your Approved PA Certificate of Amendment:
Make sure to include a copy of the PA Certificate of Amendment and send it to IRS with the letter. If you don’t, they won’t accept the new LLC name.

Filling in the letter is fairly self-explanatory, but here are a few things that trip people up:
• Only check off one address at the top (see the table below to find out which one)
• If you’re a member of the LLC, enter “Member” for your Title.
• If you’re a manager of the LLC, enter “Manager” for your Title.

Note: if you’re confused about member-managed LLCs vs. manager-managed LLC, check out this article.

Mailing/Faxing instructions:

Note: I know it looks funny to send a letter to a place with no street address lol! It’s the IRS and yes, they’re that big. It’ll get there ;)

You Don’t Need to Notify the PA Department of Revenue

In most other states, if you change your LLC name, you’d also have to notify the governing tax agency. In Pennsylvania, this is not the case for name changes.

By submitting the ‘Docketing Statement – Changes’, it gets forwarded to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue and that takes care of that!

Other Places To Update Your LLC Name

Besides updating your PA LLC name with the IRS, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the change.

Helpful tip: We recommend making a spreadsheet to keep track of everything. Enter the place you are changing your LLC name, their phone number, and a ‘notes’ section. After you successfully change your name, highlight the cell(s) and mark them green. Mark everything that still needs to be changed in orange. This will help keep your sanity.

There may be more, but here are some places to notify about your LLC name change:

• bank account (may need new debit card)
• paypal
• commercial registered agent (if applicable)
• credit card(s)
• tax offices: city/county/township/etc.
• business licenses and/or permits: city/county/township/etc.
• website, domain registrar, hosting company, etc.
• important online account registrations
• utility companies
• letterhead, invoices, contracts, and important documents
• your attorney
• any anywhere else we forgot to mention that you are doing business with

And we also recommend contacting your accountant or tax professional as there may be other tax offices to change your PA LLC name with.

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your Pennsylvania LLC name everywhere right away or all hell will break loose! That’s not the case lol. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old PA LLC name will still “work” for quite some time.

Banking tip: You don’t have to order new checks right away. Your old checks will still work, but we recommend contacting your bank to see what they recommend.

Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations Contact Info

If you have any questions, please contact the PA Bureau of Corporations & Charitable Organizations at 717-787-1057.

Reference Links

Business Name Change with the IRS:
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/business-name-change

Verification that the PA Department of Revenue does not need to be notified:
https://revenue-pa.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2246/~/how-do-i-change-the-name-of-a-corporation,-limited-liability-company,-or

Pennsylvania amendment statute (2010 PA Code, Title 15, Chapter 89, Section 8822):
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=15&div=0&chpt=88&sctn=22&subsctn=0

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator at LLC University

Forming an LLC shouldn't be so complicated. Our step-by-step guide will make the process a breeze – and no complex legal jargon! We teach people how to form an LLC for free in all 50 states. We hope you find our free guides and resources helpful in your entrepreneurial journey.

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