To get a copy of a Certificate of Organization in PA, order it from the Department of State’s Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. A plain copy is $15 plus $3 per page; a certified copy is $55 plus $3 per page.1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Fees and Payments You can submit the request online through the Business Filing Services portal, by mail, or in person in Harrisburg.
Plain Copy or Certified Copy
A plain copy is a photocopy of the certificate on file. A certified copy carries the Department of State’s official seal and signature, which is what banks, lenders, and courts typically want as legal proof that your LLC was formed. If nobody has asked for certification, the $15 plain copy is enough for your own records.
If You Were Asked for a “Good Standing” Document
If a bank or business partner asked for proof your LLC is “in good standing,” they are not asking for the Certificate of Organization. Pennsylvania issues a separate document called a Certificate of Subsistence, which shows the LLC is currently active and that fees and taxes are paid.2Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Good Standing or Subsistence Certificates Both documents are ordered through the same Business Filing Services portal, so double-check which one you actually need before you pay.3PA Business One-Stop Hub. Purchase Business Documents in BFS
Look Up Your LLC First
Before you place the order, confirm the LLC’s exact legal name and entity number in the state’s Business Entity Search.4Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Record Searches Search by the LLC’s full legal name or its entity number; searches by owner or officer name will not return results. Having the entity number on your request helps the Bureau pull the right file.
Three Ways to Order
Online
The Pennsylvania Business One-Stop Hub at hub.business.pa.gov is the fastest route. Create an account or log in, find your LLC, and request a copy of the initial filing document, which for an LLC is the Certificate of Organization.3PA Business One-Stop Hub. Purchase Business Documents in BFS Pay in the portal. The finished copy is returned to you electronically through the same portal, usually with an email notification containing a download link.
By Mail
Download the Copy/Certification Request form (DSCB:15-133/145/153) from the Department of State.5Pennsylvania Department of State. Copy/Certification Request DSCB 15-133/145/153 Fill in the LLC’s name, entity number if you have it, the document type, and the number of copies. Pay by check or money order made out to the “Pennsylvania Department of State.” Personal checks must show a pre-printed name and address. Send it to:
Pennsylvania Department of State
Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
P.O. Box 8722
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722
Mail requests cannot be expedited.
In Person
Walk-in requests are accepted at 401 North Street, Room 206, Harrisburg, PA 17120.6Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Contact Us – Department of State An in-person visit is the only way to combine a paper form with expedited service. Bring a separate expedited service request form plus payment for both the copy fee and the expedited fee.
Expedited Service and Cutoffs
If you need the copy quickly, expedited processing is available online or in person for an additional nonrefundable fee on top of the copy charges:1Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Fees and Payments
- Same-day service: $100, request in by 10:00 a.m.
- Three-hour service: $300, request in by 2:00 p.m.
- One-hour service: $1,000, request in by 4:00 p.m.
How Long It Takes and How It Comes Back
Standard requests generally take around 15 business days, though the actual wait tracks current volume at the Bureau. Delivery follows the channel you used: online orders come back through the Business Filing Services portal, mailed orders come back by postal mail to the address on the form, and in-person expedited orders may be returned by email.
If the copy doesn’t arrive in the expected window, contact the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations at (717) 787-1057 or RA-CORPS@pa.gov.7Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations