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Module 2 · Pennsylvania

How to Get a Registered Agent in Pennsylvania (2026): 6 Steps and the 3 Best Agents

We would send a new founder in Pennsylvania to Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), PA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) for a registered agent in 2026, in that order. The 6 steps after the picks start with the legal rule and end with keeping the agent current.

The Founder Classroom teaching team ·

Key facts

Requirement
VariesOfficial: legis.state.pa.us, October 2026
Agent price
$99 to $149 a yearCompany price pages
Annual report
$7 a yearOfficial: pa.gov, October 2026
Steps in this lesson
6One at a time

By the end you will know

  • Why Pennsylvania needs an agent on file
  • Who may act as agent
  • How to put the agent on record
  • Our agent picks

Teacher's pick

Who we'd use in Pennsylvania

Ranked by our grading rubric, which puts steps handled and three-year cost first.
First choice

1. Mainstay Filing: best for one agent in every state

$149 a year, renews at $149

Start with Mainstay Filing: the same $149 agent fee in all fifty states.

The three-year premium over PA Registered Agent.org is $150, which the 35% steps-handled weight covers.

What you get

  • Street address for the office
  • Service of process scanned the same business day at no charge
  • Three government mailings a year scanned free
  • Covers LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

What we like

  • Works in every state
  • $149 yearly, no increase

Watch out for

  • $50 a year more than PA Registered Agent.org
  • Reports need the formation package
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Pennsylvania focus

2. PA Registered Agent.org: best for local Pennsylvania founders

$99 a year, renews at $99

PA Registered Agent.org is a solid second choice: $99 a year, the same at renewal, for an LLC that stays in Pennsylvania.

What you get

  • Registered office address
  • Online copies of served documents

What we like

  • $99 yearly
  • Costs less each year than Mainstay Filing

Watch out for

  • No help in other states
  • You file the annual report
Visit PA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Pennsylvania focus

3. Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co: best for a second local choice

$99 a year, renews at $99

Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co is a solid third choice: $99 a year, the same at renewal, for an LLC that stays in Pennsylvania.

Its prices match PA Registered Agent.org, so either is a fine choice.

What you get

  • Registered office address
  • Online copies of served documents

What we like

  • Costs less each year than Mainstay Filing
  • $99 yearly

Watch out for

  • No help in other states
  • You file the annual report
Visit Pennsylvania Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Our Pennsylvania picks compared

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year total
1Mainstay Filing$149$149/yr$447Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2PA Registered Agent.org$99$99/yr$297Visit PA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co$99$99/yr$297Visit Pennsylvania Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read from each company's pricing on November 12, 2026. State fees stay the same with any agent.

Step-by-step lesson

  1. Step 1: Start with the legal requirement

    Pennsylvania requires a registered office (a Pennsylvania street address or a Commercial Registered Office Provider), not an agent.

    Official source: Official: legis.state.pa.us, October 2026

  2. Step 2: Know who is allowed to act

    Pennsylvania does not require a registered agent. Every LLC keeps a registered office instead: an actual street address in Pennsylvania, or a Commercial Registered Office Provider named in its place by a company without a Pennsylvania address. (15 Pa.C.S. § 8825)

  3. Step 3: Use a qualifying address

    The address has to be an actual street address or rural route box number in Pennsylvania. A P.O. box alone is not accepted.

    TipA service gives you a Pennsylvania street address, so your home address stays off the filing.

  4. Step 4: Do it yourself or hire an agent

    Serving yourself is allowed when you qualify; hiring one of our picks runs $99 to $149 yearly.

  5. Step 5: Name the agent in the filing

    Name the agent in the Certificate of Organization (Form DSCB:15-8821); for an existing LLC, the change is filed with the Pennsylvania Secretary of State.

    Official source: Official: pa.gov, October 2026

  6. Step 6: Look after it each year

    The annual report ($7, every year, due September 30) is where Pennsylvania sees your agent details; state notices about it go to the registered agent.

    Official source: Official: pa.gov, October 2026

The cost of this lesson

ItemWho you payAmount
A professional agentThe service$99 to $149 a year
From year twoThe service$99 to $149 a year
Annual reportState office$7 every year
Official state fees, cited under References. Three-year state total = filing + reports in years two and three + any minimum tax.

Why Mainstay Filing comes first

On lesson steps handled, which carries 35%, Mainstay Filing scored above PA Registered Agent.org.

One agent for any state beat the one-state option.

Pennsylvania questions

Do I need a registered agent in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania requires a registered office (a Pennsylvania street address or a Commercial Registered Office Provider), not an agent.

Can I be my own registered agent?

Step 1 explains the rule; if you name an agent, steps 2 and 3 apply.

Can I change my registered agent later?

You can switch at any time by filing the change with the Pennsylvania Secretary of State.

What does a registered agent cost in Pennsylvania?

$99 to $149 a year among our picks.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

The annual report, $7 every year.

Which registered agent would you choose?

In order: Mainstay Filing, PA Registered Agent.org and Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co. Mainstay Filing comes first because $149 a year, renewing at $149, and the same plan works in every other state.

More lessons

Reading list: official sources

  1. pa.gov. Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and. Confirmed August 2026.
  2. pa.gov. Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and. Confirmed August 2026.
  3. pa.gov. 15 Pa.C.S. § 8821. Confirmed August 2026.
  4. pa.gov. Pennsylvania formation fee: Filing fee, official source. Confirmed October 2026.
  5. legis.state.pa.us. Pennsylvania registered agent statute. Confirmed October 2026.
  6. November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, Pennsylvania service page
  7. November 12, 2026: PA Registered Agent.org, pricing page
  8. November 12, 2026: Pennsylvania Registered Agent.co, pricing page