Form DSCB:15-8821 at a glance
What it is: Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations: in compliance with 15 Pa.C.S. § 8821 (relating to certificate of organization), the undersigned desiring to organize a limited liability company certifies.
Where and when to file: This form may be submitted online at https://www.corporations.pa.gov/.
Who should file this form? One or more persons acting as organizers to form a limited liability company must file a certificate of organization in the Department of State.
What to bring and attach to Form DSCB:15-8821
Attachments: The following, in addition to the filing fee, shall accompany this form: (1) One copy of a completed form DSCB:15-134A (Docketing Statement).
(2) Any necessary copies of form DSCB:19-17.2 (Consent to Appropriation of Name).
(3) Any necessary governmental approvals.
A filled-in Form DSCB:15-8821 example: two organizers form a Pennsylvania LLC
How to fill out Form DSCB:15-8821, box by box
Return document by mail or email
Enter the name and mailing address to which any correspondence regarding this filing should be sent.
This field must be completed for the Bureau to return the filing.
If the filing is to be returned by email, an email address must be provided.
Any email or mailing addresses provided on this form will become part of the filed document and therefore public record.
Fee exemption for a veteran or reservist owned small business
Filers requesting a veteran/reservist-owned small business fee exemption should attach proof of the veteran's or reservist's status to the Certificate of Organization form when submitted.
Box 1, the name of the limited liability company
Give the exact name of the limited liability company.
This should include the exact spelling, punctuation and a permissible designator.
The name of a domestic limited liability company must contain: (1) the term “company,” “limited” or “limited liability company” or an abbreviation of one of those terms, or (2) words or abbreviations of like import used in a jurisdiction other than this Commonwealth.
The name of a limited liability company may not contain any words implying that it is a business corporation, such as “corporation” or “incorporated” or an abbreviation of these terms.
Box 2, Complete part (a) or (b), not both
Complete part (a) or (b) - not both.
Give one of the following: the registered office address in the Commonwealth in (a) or the name of a Commercial Registered Office Provider in (b) and the county of venue.
Address. The address must be in Pennsylvania.
Post office boxes are not acceptable for any address.
Listing a Commercial Registered Office Provider in lieu of providing a registered office address is an option for any association that does not have a physical location or mailing address in Pennsylvania.
Prior to listing a Commercial Registered Office Provider address, the association should enter into a contract for the services of the Commercial Registered Office Provider.
Box 3, each organizer
An organizer is a person that acts to form a limited liability company.
When the limited liability company has more than three organizers, additional lines should be added as appropriate.
Box 4, effective date of the Certificate of Organization
If no effective date is provided, it will be presumed that no specified delayed effective date is intended and the document will be effective upon filing.
Any date specified as the effective date of the Certificate of Organization must be a future effective date (after the date and time of its delivery to the Department).
If a delayed effective date is specified, but no time is given, then the time used will be 12:01 a.m. on the date specified.
Box 5, Restricted professional companies only
If the limited liability company is organized to render any of the identified restricted professional services, the box before the statement “The company is a restricted professional company organized to render the following restricted professional service(s)” must be checked and the appropriate restricted professional service(s) must be checked.
Do not check the box or list a profession if the limited liability company is not organized to render any of the identified restricted professional services.
Restricted professional companies must file certificates of annual registration and pay annual registration fees in accordance with 15 Pa.C.S. § 8998.
Box 6, Benefit companies only
If the limited liability company is organized as a benefit company, the box before the statement “This limited liability company shall have the purpose of creating general public benefit” should be checked.
A specific public benefit purpose is optional if the limited liability company is organized as a benefit company.
If the box before the statement “This limited liability company shall have the purpose of creating the enumerated specific public benefit(s)” is checked, one or more specific public benefits must be listed.
Do not check any of the boxes or list any specific public benefits if the limited liability company is not organized as a benefit company.
Benefit companies must file annual benefit reports in accordance with 15 Pa.C.S. § 8898.
Check the box before “This limited liability company shall have the purpose of creating the enumerated specific public benefit(s):” if the benefit company is organized to have one or more specific public benefits and supply the specific public benefit(s).
Box 7 and the signatures of the organizers
For additional provisions of the certificate, if any, attach 8½ x 11 sheet(s).
All organizers must sign the Certificate of Organization.
If an organizer is not a natural person, an authorized representative of the organizing association must sign the Certificate.
When the limited liability company has more than three executing organizers, additional signature lines should be added as appropriate.
Signing a document delivered to the Department for filing is an affirmation under the penalties provided in 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities) that the facts stated in the document are true in all material respects.
More rules for Form DSCB:15-8821
Checks must contain a commercially pre-printed name and address.
If handwritten, the form must be legible and completed in black or blue-black ink in order to permit reproduction.
Common questions about Form DSCB:15-8821
Where do I file it?
DSCB:15-8821-Instructions Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations P.O. Box 8722 Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722 (717) 787-1057 Website: www.dos.pa.gov/corps
Are there fees?
The nonrefundable filing fee for this form is $125 (checked November 8, 2026). Checks should be made payable to the Department of State.
Sources
[1] Form DSCB:15-8821, Certificate of Organization (Domestic Limited Liability Company), Pennsylvania Department of State (the Official source link on this page).
