To change an LLC name in PA, you file a Certificate of Amendment with the Pennsylvania Department of State, pay a $70 filing fee, and then update the IRS, state tax agencies, your bank, and your internal records. Updating your logo, website, or signage does nothing on its own. Your LLC’s legal name is whatever appears in the state’s corporate registry, and only a formal filing changes it.
Confirm Your New Name Meets Pennsylvania’s Rules
Before you prepare any paperwork, check that the name you want is actually available. Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 202, your new name must be distinguishable from every other active entity on the Department of State’s records, including corporations, limited partnerships, and other LLCs. Minor variations don’t count. Use the Pennsylvania Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations’ online search tool to see whether the name is clear.
The name also needs a proper designator. Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 204(c), it must contain “company,” “limited,” or “limited liability company,” or an abbreviation such as LLC or L.L.C.1Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 15 Pa.C.S.A. 204 – Partnership and Limited Liability Company Names
Certain words trigger extra scrutiny because they imply a regulated business. “Bank,” “trust,” “insurance,” “annuity,” “indemnity,” and “surety” can prompt a rejection or a request for proof of licensing, and words tied to regulated professions like law, medicine, dentistry, public accounting, and engineering fall in the same bucket.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 15 Pa.C.S.A. 102 – Definitions If your proposed name uses any of them, be ready to document that you’re entitled to.
Get Member or Manager Approval
Changing the LLC’s name is an amendment to the certificate of organization, which requires internal approval. If your operating agreement sets out an approval process for amendments, follow it. Many agreements require unanimous consent; others accept a majority.
If your operating agreement is silent, Pennsylvania’s default rule generally allows a majority of managers to approve the amendment in a manager-managed LLC, and a majority of members in a member-managed LLC. Document the decision in a written resolution or meeting minutes. The person who signs the Certificate of Amendment affirms under penalty of law that the filing is accurate, so having the vote on paper matters.3Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Certificate of Amendment or Restatement for Limited Partnership/Limited Liability Company
File the Certificate of Amendment
The form is DSCB:15-8622/8822, “Certificate of Amendment or Restatement of Certificate of Limited Partnership/Limited Liability Company.” Download the fillable PDF from the Department of State’s website.3Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Certificate of Amendment or Restatement for Limited Partnership/Limited Liability Company
The form asks for your LLC’s current legal name exactly as it appears in the Department’s records, your registered office address (or your commercial registered office provider), and the amendment itself: a statement setting forth the new name in full. You can write the amendment directly on the form or attach it as an exhibit. Even a small discrepancy in your current name will cause a rejection, so copy it from the state’s records rather than from memory.
You also need a completed Docketing Statement, Form DSCB:15-134B, filed alongside the Certificate of Amendment. An authorized representative of the LLC signs, and that signature carries the same weight as a sworn statement under 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904.
You can file online through the Business Filing Services portal at hub.business.pa.gov or submit by mail to the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations in Harrisburg.4Department of State. Registration Forms and Documents The fee is $70, paid by credit card online or by check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for mailed filings. Allow about 15 business days for processing either way.5Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Frequently Asked Questions Once approved, you’ll receive a confirmation or stamped copy of the amendment that serves as official proof of the name change.
If You Need It Faster
Two expedited options are available, both requiring in-person submission:
- Same-day service costs $100 and requires the request to arrive before 10:00 a.m.
- One-hour service costs $1,000 and requires the request to arrive before 4:00 p.m.
These fees are on top of the standard $70. You also complete an expedited service request form when you file in person.6Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Expedited Services
Update Your Operating Agreement
After the state approves the change, amend your operating agreement to reflect the new name. This is an internal document, so nothing gets filed with any state agency. The amendment should identify the LLC by its new name, reference the section being changed, state the revised language, and confirm that all other provisions remain in effect. Every member signs and dates it, and each member keeps a copy.
Notify the IRS
Tell the IRS so your federal tax records match your state records. Your EIN stays the same; only the name on file changes. How you report the change depends on how your LLC is taxed.7Internal Revenue Service. Business Name Change
- Multi-member LLCs taxed as partnerships: if you haven’t yet filed this year’s return, check the name change box on Form 1065 (Page 1, Line G, Box 3). If the return is already filed, send a signed letter from a partner to the IRS office where you file.
- Single-member LLCs taxed as sole proprietorships: send a letter to the IRS office where you file, signed by the owner or an authorized representative.
- LLCs that elected corporate taxation: check the name change box on Form 1120 (Line E, Box 3) or Form 1120-S (Line H, Box 2). If the return is already filed, send a signed letter instead.
Don’t use Form 8822-B for a name change. That form handles changes to your business mailing address, physical location, or responsible party, not the entity name.8Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B
Update State Agencies, Your Bank, and Contracts
The IRS is one of several notifications. After the Department of State approves your amendment, work through the rest of your records:
- Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, so your state tax filings match the new legal name.
- Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, to update your unemployment compensation account.
- Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, if your LLC holds any professional licenses; delays here can affect renewals.
- Local municipal authorities, for any business licenses or permits where you operate.
The PA Business One-Stop Shop confirms the sequence: file the amendment with the Department of State first, then update the Department of Revenue and the Department of Labor and Industry.9PA Business One-Stop Shop. Changing your Business Name
Bring a certified copy of the approved amendment to your bank so they can update your business accounts and credit lines. Then review existing contracts, leases, vendor agreements, and insurance policies. The legal entity hasn’t changed, but keeping your documented name consistent across every record prevents later disputes about which party is actually bound.
When a Fictitious Name Is the Better Tool
If you only want to operate under an additional name without replacing your LLC’s legal identity, consider a fictitious name registration (sometimes called a DBA). A fictitious name is any name other than the proper name in your certificate of organization.10Department of State. Fictitious Names
A Certificate of Amendment replaces your LLC’s official name everywhere: contracts, tax filings, bank accounts, and the state registry. A fictitious name registration does none of that. It doesn’t create a new legal entity, doesn’t provide liability protection, and doesn’t give you exclusive rights to the name. It simply discloses who stands behind the public-facing name. If you want the LLC’s actual legal identity to change, the Certificate of Amendment is the only route.
Foreign LLCs Registered in Pennsylvania
If your LLC was formed in another state and is registered to do business in Pennsylvania, don’t file the Certificate of Amendment. After changing the name in your home state, file an Amendment of Foreign Registration Statement, Form DSCB:15-413, with the Pennsylvania Department of State.11Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Amendment of Foreign Registration Statement
The fee is $250, and you’ll include a completed Docketing Statement for Changes (Form DSCB:15-134B). If your new name doesn’t meet Pennsylvania’s naming requirements under 15 Pa.C.S. §§ 201–209 and § 414, or if it conflicts with an existing registered entity and you can’t obtain consent, you’ll need to adopt an alternate name that complies for use within the Commonwealth.