How to Conduct a Pennsylvania Business Entity Search

The Pennsylvania business entity search is a valuable tool that allows you to learn important details about all the entities on file with the Commonwealth. It’s also a valuable way to run a preliminary check for name availability if you’re starting a new company.

But using Pennsylvania’s business entity search can feel a bit overwhelming at first glance. That’s why we’ve created this guide. We’ll walk you through how to use the Pennsylvania Department of State’s search tool effectively, naming guidelines in the state, and what to do after you’ve searched your name. Let’s get started.

Pennsylvania Business Name Guidelines

When you’re starting a business, one of the most important things you’ll do is pick your business name. And like other states, Pennsylvania has several rules about naming your business. 

First, your name needs to be different from the names of other registered companies in Pennsylvania, including both domestic and foreign corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and so on. This is one of the simplest but most important naming standards. 

That said, uniqueness isn’t the only naming guideline to adhere to according to Pennsylvania law. Here are a few other rules your entity name should follow: 

• The name needs to include a business entity identifier (sometimes called a designator), such as “corporation,” “incorporated,” or “company” for corporations or “limited liability company” or “LLC” for LLCs. 
• Your business name can be in any language, but it has to be written in Arabic or Roman numerals and standard characters. Certain characters (approved by the state) are also permitted.
• Your name cannot include words like “bank,” “insurance,” “mutual,” or other prohibited words unless you have the appropriate permissions to do so. 
• Your name cannot include profanity or blasphemy.

If you’re in a licensed trade or profession, keep in mind that you’ll need to follow the correct entity name rules that your industry has enacted, too. If your business name doesn’t meet these requirements, you’ll need to pick a new one before you can conduct business.

How to Run a Business Entity Search with the PA Department of State

The Pennsylvania business entity search tool allows you to search the Commonwealth’s database pretty quickly. Keep in mind that this tool isn’t a real-time reflection of the state records. At the top of the page, you’ll see a message from the Pennsylvania Department of State letting you know how up to date its searchable database is.

Step 1: Choose your search filters and type your search

The Pennsylvania search tool allows you to search by a business name or by file number. If you want to jump right in, you can just type one of those terms and hit “search.”

But if you want the search to reveal the most specific results, you can hit the “Advanced” tab right under the search bar to reveal some of the filters you can use. Here are the different filters available to you:

• Contains: This filter allows you to search by names that include the search term you enter somewhere in the name. For example, if you know the business name includes the word “America,” but you’re not sure where in the name “America” falls, this filter could help you find it.
• Starts With: This filter is the default setting for the search. It allows you to review business names that begin with the search phrase you enter. For example, searching “America” would reveal all the names that begin with the word “America.”
• Filing Type: This filter allows you to review results for a specific business type, such as a domestic LLC, foreign corporation, and more.
• Status: The “Status” filter allows you to narrow down your results to show businesses by their standing, such as inactive because of administrative dissolution, dissolved, active, and more.
• Filing Date: If you want to review business documents filed during a specific time period, this is your search filter. For example, if you wanted to learn about all the businesses founded during 2024 that contained “America,” you could set this filter to do so.

After you’ve chosen your filters, type your search into the search bar and hit “Search.”

Step 2: Review the results

On the results page, you’ll see one of two possibilities: a list of results that match your search, or a message that no results were found. For example, if you type in your desired name and no results pop up, there’s a good chance that the name is available. That said, you’ll need to inquire directly with the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations to know for sure (remember, the database isn’t 100% up to date at any given moment).

In contrast, if your search does yield one or more matches, you’ll see a list of results that looks a bit like this:

For each result, you’ll see the company’s initial filing date, status, business entity type, state of formation, and business address. To review additional information about a company, click on the arrow beside its name.

This additional tab will show you more information, including the due date for the company’s annual report and its registered office address. You may also see information about the company’s officers, if that info is available.

Step 3: View filing history, request certificates, or file annual reports

Once you’ve pulled up additional information about a business, you can take several actions. For starters, you can review a company’s pertinent filing history, such as its initial filing and business amendments.

You can also use the results page from Step 2 to be redirected to Pennsylvania’s Business One-Stop Shop Hub to file an annual report or request certificates for that company (if applicable). Please note that you’ll need an account to log into the Hub; you can create one if you don’t have one.

What to Do After Searching Business Names in Pennsylvania

After you’ve come up with a name and searched it, you’re probably feeling like you’ve done a lot of legwork. You’d hate for that hard work to go to waste, right? Here are some steps you can take to protect your Pennsylvania business name and make the most of it. 

Reserve your Pennsylvania business name (optional)

If you’ve picked the perfect business name but you’re not quite ready to file your business formation paperwork, Pennsylvania allows you to reserve your preferred name. 

It’s easy to file a name reservation online through Pennsylvania’s Business One-Stop Shop Hub. After you’ve logged in (or created an account), you’ll be able to file a name reservation form for $70. 

Your Pennsylvania name reservation is valid for 120 days. This step is optional, and you should only pursue it if you’ve picked a name but aren’t ready to file your formation paperwork yet.

Form an LLC or register your business

One of the best ways to protect your business name is to register your business. After you complete the registration process with your chosen name, no one else in Pennsylvania will be able to register their own company with the same name. 

Registering a Pennsylvania business is an important legal process. Learn more about starting a Pennsylvania LLC. 

Get a domain name that matches

You want your customers to find your business website easily. That means you need a domain name that matches your business name as closely as possible. A matching domain name will help your brand maintain consistency both in person and online.

If you’re struggling to come up with a domain name (or the one that matches your name is already taken), try using a domain name generator. A generator can help you come up with a domain name that matches your brand image. 

Set up your business online

Today, you can’t run a business without a good digital footprint. A good business website is a decent starting point. But don’t stop there; set up social media accounts like a Facebook page, a TikTok profile, and an Instagram account. Make sure your business name is included on each account so your brand is consistent across your online presence.

Last but not least, set up a Google Business Profile for your business (or claim it if it already exists). This profile will help you direct customers to your website or your store location. Plus, it’ll help you respond to customer reviews and build a good brand reputation within the Keystone State.

Trademark your business name (optional)

If you want the most robust protections for your business name, you could pursue trademark registration. Trademarks can be registered at the state or federal level (with federal protections being the strongest). 

Getting a trademark can be pretty complicated and time-consuming, especially at the federal level. If you go this route, it’s highly recommended to work with a trademark attorney.