Pennsylvania Decennial Report
Pennsylvania requires business entities to file a report every 10 years. This is known as a “decennial report.” The next decennial report is due in 2021. If you received a notice from the Pennsylvania Department of State - Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations - Business Program, you will be required to submit a decennial report. Even if you did not receive a notice, you still may be required to file. Keep reading to learn more about who is required to file a Pennsylvania decennial report.
This page will address common questions about filing the Pennsylvania decennial report. Keep reading for more resources and how to sign up for our Managed Annual Report Service to keep your business in good standing.
Jump To:- What is the Pennsylvania decennial report?
- Who is required to file a Pennsylvania decennial report?
- Will I be notified when my decennial report is due?
- When is the Pennsylvania decennial report due?
- What is the fee to file a Pennsylvania decennial report?
- How do you file the Pennsylvania decennial report?
- Can you file a Pennsylvania decennial report online?
- Can you change your Pennsylvania registered agent on the decennial report?
- What happens if you don’t file a Pennsylvania decennial report?
What is the Pennsylvania decennial report?
The Pennsylvania decennial report is a statement by an entity that it still exists and operates in Pennsylvania. The decennial report is similar in length and complexity to an annual report in any other state. What makes Pennsylvania a bit unusual is that this report is due every 10 years instead of every one or two years. That means it is extremely important to file the decennial report and inform the state that your business or nonprofit is still active.
The year 2021 marks the due date of the Pennsylvania statement of continued existence (10-year report). Similar to the annual or biennial report in other states, companies update public records with any routine changes to addresses and management.
The state provides specific rules as to when a decennial filing is required. If your business or nonprofit formed or foreign qualified in Pennsylvania on or after January 1, 2012, it does not have to file a decennial report.
Additionally, not every business registered before 2012 is required to file a decennial report. Keep reading for more information about who is required to file the Pennsylvania decennial report.
Is this different from a Pennsylvania annual report?
Yes. In Pennsylvania, the following entities are required to file an annual report.
- Nonprofit Corporation
- Professional LLC
- Limited Liability Partnerships
- Limited Liability Limited Partnerships
Note, any business that filed an annual report in the last 10 years may be exempt from filing a decennial report. Keep reading for a full list of exemptions.
Currently, there is no Pennsylvania LLC annual report requirement or corporation annual report requirement. Both LLCs and corporations must file a decennial report to stay in good standing.
Who is required to file a Pennsylvania decennial report?
In general, all businesses and nonprofits registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State - Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations - Business Program on or before December 31, 2011 must file a decennial report in 2021. Businesses and nonprofits that formed or foreign qualified in Pennsylvania on or after January 1, 2012 do not have to file a decennial report.
The decennial report requirement applies to all domestic and foreign entities. This includes:
- LLCs
- Business corporations
- Nonprofit corporations
- LPs and LLPs
- Any other less common business entity type
There are two notable exceptions.
-
Under , an entity that has made a filing in the past 10 years with the Pennsylvania Department of State - Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations - Business Program is not required to file a decennial report. Examples include:
- Any business that formed or foreign qualified after January 1, 2012
- Amendment
- Statement of change of registered office
- Statement of merger, conversion, or domestication
- Other major business filings
However, a 2021 Pennsylvania decennial report is still required if any of the following have been filed:
- Name reservation
- Name search
- Consent to appropriation of name
- Fictitious name registration
- Decennial report (if previously filed late)
-
A corporation that has had officer information forwarded to the Department of State by the Department of Revenue during the preceding 10 years under 15 PA Cons Stat § 1110.
Pennsylvania’s rules for filing a decennial report are complex. Tracking deadlines, especially every 10 years, can result in missed filings and lapsed registrations. With Harbor Compliance's Managed Annual Report Service, your information will be collected once, your company’s due dates will be tracked, and the report will be filed on time. This eliminates your filing workload, saves time, and provides peace of mind.
Will I be notified when my decennial report is due?
Yes. Pennsylvania sends a mailer to all businesses that are required to file a decennial report. A good rule of thumb is if your business receives a letter, it must file.
A word of caution: The state mails a reminder to the business’ registered office. If this address is out of date, or there is another delivery issue, your business may not be notified despite needing to file. Businesses and nonprofits can contact the state to confirm whether a decennial report is required. The Pennsylvania Department of State - Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations - Business Program offers a customer service line at (717) 787-1057 or (888) 659-9962.
When is the Pennsylvania decennial report due?
The Pennsylvania decennial report is due every 10 years, starting in years that end in “1.” The last decennial report was due in 2011. The next Pennsylvania decennial report is due in 2021.
Registered Pennsylvania businesses and nonprofits can file the decennial report at any time in 2021. The earliest day to file is January 1, 2021. The last day to file a Pennsylvania decennial report is December 31, 2021.
What is the fee to file a Pennsylvania decennial report?
The filing fee for the Pennsylvania decennial report is .
How do you file the Pennsylvania decennial report?
There are two ways to file the Pennsylvania Decennial Report of Association Continued Existence.
-
Mail the decennial report
form along with the appropriate filing fee to:
Pennsylvania Department of State - Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations - Business Program
P.O. Box 8722
Harrisburg, PA 17105 - Sign up for Harbor Compliance's Managed Annual Report Service. Our team prepares and files reports on your behalf. Our software tracks deadlines in every state and helps your business or nonprofit stay in good standing.
Can you file a Pennsylvania decennial report online?
No, the Pennsylvania decennial report cannot be submitted online, unlike most other filings in Pennsylvania. The decennial report form must be mailed to the Pennsylvania Department of State - Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations - Business Program.
Can you change your Pennsylvania registered agent on the decennial report?
Yes, you can change your Pennsylvania registered agent on the decennial report.
In Pennsylvania, the registered agent’s address is known as the “registered office.” Businesses and nonprofits may update their registered agent information on the decennial report. The registered office must be a physical address located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Foreign entities can achieve cost savings by changing their registered agent on the decennial report. Normally, foreign entities pay $250 to change their Pennsylvania registered office. By filing a change of registered office on the decennial report, the fee is only .
Harbor Compliance is a Pennsylvania commercial registered office provider. By appointing us, you ensure documents are received at our physical address in Lancaster, PA and forwarded to you. Order Pennsylvania registered agent service so that you can appoint us on your decennial report.
What happens if you don’t file a Pennsylvania decennial report?
Like any other annual report filing, the Pennsylvania decennial report is required by state statute. If a business fails to file a decennial report by December 31, 2021, it will lose good standing with the Pennsylvania Department of State - Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations - Business Program.
Additionally, the business or nonprofit in question loses its exclusive rights to its name in Pennsylvania. This means another business that plans to register in Pennsylvania may take the name. In general, falling out of good standing has adverse consequences, such as loss of access to the courts and loss of limited liability protection. With Harbor Compliance's Managed Annual Report Service, we file your Pennsylvania decennial report on time and help you stay in good standing.
