A registered office is the primary physical address for registered entities in Pennsylvania where important legal documents are sent. A registered office is not a PO Box. Anyone 18 years or older who is available at a physical address in Pennsylvania during normal business hours can be appointed as a registered agent to receive service of process. Using a commercial registered office provider (CROP) instead of your home address keeps your personal information private. A CROP is a company that provides registered agent services by maintaining a physical address to receive mail. As the mailbox for an entity, the registered office accepts communication on behalf of corporations and LLCs.
Appointing a Registered Agent
To be your own registered agent in Pennsylvania, you need a physical street address in the state, not a PO Box, and be available to receive legal documents for your business. While less expensive than hiring a service, being your own registered agent means your address becomes public record. A commercial registered agent service files a statement with Pennsylvania’s business registration agency, providing information like addresses for delivering legal documents. Services maintain addresses in multiple states and work with various businesses.
Convenience is a top reason to use a service – they receive, scan and forward documents electronically. The registered agent’s name and address are public record, so a service keeps personal information private.
Forming a Corporation in Pennsylvania
To form a corporation in Pennsylvania, first appoint a registered agent and choose a business name. Then file Articles of Incorporation with the required state bureau ($125 fee), formally creating the corporation. The corporation’s name must contain "corporation", "incorporated", etc., and meet other requirements.
You can mail a form to the state to change registered agent status instead of redoing incorporation paperwork. The form updates the current and new registered offices. The $5 filing fee goes to the Bureau of Corporations.
Who Can Serve as a Registered Agent?
A registered agent in Pennsylvania can be an individual over 18 or a business entity. The agent must have a physical street address in the state to receive legal documents for a corporation or LLC. Instead of a home address, a CROP provides registered agent services to businesses by maintaining a physical Pennsylvania address to receive mail.
Rather than being your own registered agent, which makes your personal address public record, a CROP files a statement providing addresses for delivering legal documents while keeping your information private.
You can appoint a consenting adult individual or CROP as your registered agent. One reason to use a CROP is for the convenience of having them receive, scan, and forward documents electronically.
To form a corporation in Pennsylvania, appoint a registered agent and then file Articles of Incorporation.
Instead of redoing incorporation paperwork, you can update registered agent status by mailing a form to the Bureau of Corporations, changing the registered offices.