Deadline Approaches for Pennsylvania Businesses to File Decennial Reports

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Department of State is reminding certain businesses of the Dec. 31 deadline to file decennial reports to maintain exclusive use of their name or registered insignia.

"Every 10 years, state law requires corporations and other associations registered in Pennsylvania that have not updated their records in the past decade to verify that they are continuing to do business here," said Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol Aichele.  "These decennial reports are essential for the department to maintain accurate records and better serve Pennsylvania businesses."

These reports must be filed by registered businesses in Pennsylvania every 10 years with the Department of State's Corporation Bureau. The information gathered from decennial reports will be used to identify registered business names or marks that are no longer in use so that they may be made available to new users.

"Businesses opening in Pennsylvania need to know what names and insignias are available to them, and we want to have an accurate record of this information, to help companies that want to set up shop and create jobs here," Aichele said.

Decennial reports must be filed by all domestic and foreign profit and nonprofit corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships that are not also limited partnerships, business trusts, insignias and other marks used with articles and supplies that have not filed new or amended documents with the Corporation Bureau between Jan. 1, 2002 and Dec. 31, 2011.  

All entities required to file decennial reports that had current addresses on file were mailed a notice, filing forms and instructions last December. A searchable database of all businesses required to file decennial reports is available on the Corporation Bureau's website. All businesses are encouraged to use this database to verify if they are required to file.  

If a business that is required to file a decennial report fails to do so, its name or registered insignia will be made available to other entities registering with the bureau. Fictitious names and trademarks are not required to file decennial reports.

For more information about decennial reports, visit the Department of State's website, www.dos.state.pa.us, and click on Corporations.

Media contact: Ron Ruman 717-783-1621

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State