General Information
Under Pennsylvania law,
every proceeding for the organization of corporations, both for-profit
and non-profit, and every ancillary transaction relating to such
corporations is required to be filed with the department's Bureau of
Corporations and Charitable Organizations. Other businesses registering
with the bureau include: professional corporations, municipal
authorities, limited partnerships, foreign corporations qualifying to do
business in the Commonwealth and individuals and corporations
conducting business under an assumed or fictitious name.
The executive staff of the Department of State and the employees of
the bureau are committed to providing expeditious, courteous and
professional service to the business community and general public, in
all phases of filing and dissemination of the important records
entrusted in its care.
The bureau is the repository for the records of more than 2,400,000
companies authorized to do business in Pennsylvania. All records
maintained in this office are public and may be inspected upon request.
Dissemination of the information contained on bureau records is a
major function of bureau activity. Over 25,000 telephone inquiries are
answered each month; approximately 260,000 photocopies are provided to
the public annually; sales of new business lists, forms CD’s, and master
date and image subscription services are all part of the services the
bureau offers to the public.
As the official record keeper of business documents, the bureau can
provide certain information on all registered businesses. The bureau
typically receives in excess of 6,000 telephone calls per week, most of
which are from persons either requesting information on companies or
checking on the availability of entity names. The bureau does not assess
a fee for telephone information. Information may also be acquired in
person or by mail.
The new information-based, technology economy has businesses rethinking traditional practices because of e-commerce, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is doing the same!
Our goal is to make Pennsylvania the easiest place in the nation to
start a business. Through the PA Open for Business Web site, we are
doing just that - giving entrepreneurs a one-stop shop to start, sustain
and expand their businesses.
The Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop is the go-to resource for planning, registering, operating, and growing a business in Pennsylvania. he Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop is the go-to resource for planning, registering, operating, and growing a business in Pennsylvania.
Serving as the first point of contact for Pennsylvania business development concerns, the Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop connects and guides businesses through all stages of development — from planning and startup to operating and expanding. Whether seeking information about registering a business, Act 32 and Local Earned Income Tax withholding, Unemployment Compensation (UC) tax, diverse business resources, and more, the Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop can help provide answers to business-related questions.
With an easy-to-navigate website and backed by a team of business consultants and subject matter experts, entrepreneurs and small businesses have access to the resources, tools, and experience to help them dream big, plan for the future, and achieve their goals.
To learn more about the Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Shop, visit business.pa.gov.
HOURS
The Bureau: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Public Records Room: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Beginning Tuesday, July 1, 2014, the main entrance to the North Office Building will again be closed between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Customers can gain entrance to the North Office Building through the Main Capitol.
Documents may be submitted by delivering them directly to the
reception area, by mail, or by fascimile. The bureau maintains two
addresses as follows:
Department of State
Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
P.O. Box 8722
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722
Department of State
Uniform Commercial Code Section
P.O. Box 8721
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8721
Courier or personal delivery address for Corporate and UCC Documents:
Department of State
Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
401 North Street
Room 206
Harrisburg, PA 17120
You may reach the bureau by telephone by calling (717) 787-1057. The telephone lines are available from
8:00 am to 4:45 pm.
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