About PA Open for Business

The PA Open for Business website is a tool that provides information about starting a business in Pennsylvania, and allows you to register a business with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.   

The Pennsylvania Open for Business website is not intended as a replacement for professional consultation with qualified practitioners.  The laws and regulations governing business start-up, operation, and expansion are varied and compliance with such standards depends upon the particular circumstances of a business.   If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

No, it is not necessary to register in order to use the site. You can easily access the following sections of the site without logging in:  Forms, Financial Incentives, Resources, Online Business Registration and About PA Open for Business.  It is necessary to login to access the Online Business Registration Interview (OBRI) and My Briefcase.

Registered users can take advantage of the Online Business Registration Interview (OBRI).  The OBRI is a fully interactive business registration tool that enables a user to register his/her business with the Departments of Labor & Industry, Revenue, and State.  In the future, the Pennsylvania Open for Business website will incorporate other business registration applications into the OBRI.   The OBRI electronically processes the registration information for a business thereby eliminating the need to file the following paper forms:

• Application for Certificate of Authority
• Articles of Incorporation - Profit and Nonprofit Corporation
• Application for Registration of Fictitious Name
• Certificate of Organization
• Statement of Registration
• Certificate of Limited Partnership
• Certificate of Insurance
• PA-100 Enterprise Registration

Registered users can also select and store information and forms in their personal briefcase.

From the home page, click "Login".  This will bring you to the login screen.   Our login process has two steps :

1. The first step is to "register" for (obtain) a user name and password.  A user only needs to register for a user name and password the first time he/she logs into the website.  After initial registration, a password and username confirmation will be emailed. This will confirm the user's login registration.
2. 
   The second step is to login to the website.  This step will be used each time a user wants to enter the Online Registration Interview or his/her briefcase.   Enter the user name and password exactly as it appears on the e-mail and click submit.

 
If you forget your password, a new password may be obtained by clicking on "Forgot Password", an alphanumeric password and username confirmation will be emailed. 

The registration information is used to create and maintain your personal briefcase within the site and will not be shared without your permission.  The electronic mail (email) address provided in the login registration is used to authenticate users in the Online Business Registration Interview (OBRI) and to send a registration confirmation for completed interviews.  If you choose to subscribe to electronic notifications of enhancements to the website, notifications will be sent to the electronic mail address associated with the login registration.

Yes, you can change your login Id and password.  The first time a user logs into the website, he/she must use the system generated alphanumeric password received by email. Once the user is logged on, he/she can change the attributes.

• Using your Internet browser, go to www.login.state.pa.us. 
• Click "login" in the top right corner of the left navigation
• Type your username and password provided to you by email upon registering yourself on the PAOpen4 Business website.
• Click Login
  • NOTE: Please do not register for a new account.  Provide the same username and password used to register the new enterprise.
• Once you are logged in, click Update Account Information in the lower left corner of the left navigation.
• After you have updated your information click update at the bottom of the page
  

Yes, you can close your account, which automatically removes your login access and empties your briefcase. To close your account, go to your briefcase and select "close my account." After you close your account, you will need to re-register (obtain a new user name and password) to use the briefcase or use the Online Business Registration Interview (OBRI).  It is important to understand that canceling your login registration will not cancel registrations or information submitted in the OBRI.