Use the Pennsylvania business database to determine if a business is incorporated.
Corporations are formed under the laws of a state by filing articles of incorporation, usually with the secretary of state's office. The state maintains a public record of all businesses authorized to operate in the state. A corporation's articles are part of that public record and are accessible to anyone who wants to know whether the corporation is in good standing in the state and contact a responsible party. Pennsylvania has made its business entity database available on its state website. A search to verify incorporation is free.
Instructions
1. Use the corporation search tool on the Pennsylvania secretary of state website to search the state's official business entity database (see References). Enter the name of the business. The search results will indicate if there is a business registered in the state under that name. The listing will indicate the type of registration, listing "business corporation" for an incorporated entity. Click on the name of the business. The official record will appear with the date the business was incorporated and whether the registration is in good standing.
2. Call the Corporation Bureau of the Pennsylvania Department of State to verify the status of any corporation registered in the state if the website database is unavailable. Obtain the phone number from the government listings in the phone book or by calling information. The same information that is available using the website database will be available over the phone.
3. Obtain proof of incorporation from the secretary of state's office, if needed. Order a copy of the corporation's articles of incorporation from the online database, or request a certified copy of the articles or a certificate of good standing from the Corporation Bureau by mail or phone. Find information on obtaining documents from the "General Information" section of the website. There are fees associated with each method.
