What the Change Form Philadelphia Covers
The Change Form Philadelphia is a 2-page tax document from the City of Philadelphia Department of Revenue. Individuals and businesses use it whenever they need to modify their existing tax account, cancel a tax liability, or update registration information on file with the Department of Revenue. The form contains six sections, and filers should complete only the sections that apply to their specific change request.
- Section 1 – Business Tax Registration Information: Use this section to report changes to your business name, address, ownership structure, phone number, or contact person. Businesses that have relocated, changed ownership, or updated their primary contact must file Section 1.
- Section 2 – Close or Cancel: This section handles requests to close a business account entirely or to cancel a specific tax type. For example, a business that stops paying wages can use Section 2 to cancel its Wage Tax registration without closing the full account.
- Section 3 – Add a Tax Type: If your business begins a new taxable activity, such as collecting Use and Occupancy Tax for leased property, you use Section 3 to add that tax type to your existing Philadelphia Department of Revenue account.
- Section 4 – School Income Tax Changes: Individuals who need to correct or update their School Income Tax registration information complete this section. This includes changes to residential address or Philadelphia residency status.
- Section 5 – Employee Earnings Tax Changes: Employees or employers updating Employee Earnings Tax details, such as reporting a change in payroll frequency or withholding arrangements, use Section 5.
- Section 6 – Preparer Signature (Required for All): Every submission must include a completed Section 6. The preparer must sign and date the form. Unsigned forms are returned without processing by the Department of Revenue.
How to Fill Out the Change Form Philadelphia
Follow these steps to complete the form correctly and avoid common errors that delay processing.
- Download the Change Form Philadelphia PDF from FormsPal or the official Philadelphia Department of Revenue website. Open it in FormsPal's online editor or a standard PDF viewer.
- Enter your Philadelphia Department of Revenue account number and taxpayer identification number in the header fields. These are required for the Department to match your form to the correct account.
- Read through all six sections and identify which ones apply to your change request. Complete only those sections. Leaving unrelated sections blank is correct and will not delay your request.
- For Section 1, provide all updated business information, including your FEIN or SSN, the effective date of the change, and the new contact details.
- For Section 6, print legibly, sign, and date the preparer certification. If someone other than the taxpayer is completing the form, that person must sign as the preparer.
- Review the completed form for accuracy before submitting. Errors in account numbers or tax type codes are a leading cause of processing delays.
Where to Submit the Change Form Philadelphia
You have two options for submitting your completed Change Form Philadelphia. For paper submissions, mail the form to the Philadelphia Department of Revenue, PO Box 1660, Philadelphia, PA 19105-1660. For faster processing, log in to the Philadelphia Tax Center at tax-services.phila.gov and make the requested changes online. Online account updates through the Philadelphia Tax Center are generally processed faster than mailed paper forms and provide a confirmation of your submission.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many delays in processing the Change Form Philadelphia result from a few avoidable errors. The most frequent is leaving Section 6 blank or unsigned. Every submission requires a valid preparer signature in Section 6, regardless of which other sections are filled out. A second common error is completing sections that do not apply to the requested change. Completing unnecessary sections can introduce conflicting information and delay processing. Finally, always include your Philadelphia Department of Revenue account number in the header. Forms submitted without a valid account number cannot be matched to an existing account and will require follow-up from the Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs to file the Change Form Philadelphia?
Any individual or business with a Philadelphia tax account that needs to update contact details, close an account, add a tax type, or cancel a tax liability must file this form with the City of Philadelphia Department of Revenue.
Is Section 6 always required?
Yes. Every submission requires a completed and signed Section 6. The Department of Revenue will not process unsigned forms regardless of which other sections are filled in.
How long does processing take?
Allow 4 to 6 weeks after mailing for your changes to appear in your Philadelphia tax account. Online submissions through the Philadelphia Tax Center at tax-services.phila.gov are typically processed faster than paper forms.
Can I cancel just one tax type without closing my entire account?
Yes. Use Section 2 of the Change Form Philadelphia to cancel a single tax type while keeping your other Philadelphia tax registrations active. Provide the specific tax type code and the effective cancellation date in Section 2.
Related Philadelphia tax and city forms: Philadelphia Wage Tax Refund Petition, Philadelphia Transfer Tax form, Philadelphia Alarm Permit form. Other change and update forms: address change form, employee status change form.