The legal name of a registered business usually will be required to contain terms or abbreviations to designate the status of the company, such as “limited,” “incorporated,” “LLC,” “Ltd,” “Inc.” or others.
The state of Pennsylvania does not require registration if you are operating the business under your own legal name. So, if you are John Doe and you're opening the “John Doe Store”, you do not need to register the name.
The Certificate of Organization PA is a document that contains important information about your company and filing this document is a requirement to form your LLC in Pennsylvania.
It's also perfectly legal to open a business without setting up any formal structure. You'll gain simplicity but miss out on some key protections. Here's a look at the risks and benefits of starting a business without an LLC.
Most states require an LLC designation be included in the name of a company that's registered as an LLC. The designations vary from state to state, but generally include phrases or abbreviations such as "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Liability Co." "LLC," and "Limited."
The LLC name must end with "Limited Liability Company," "Limited Company" "Ltd.," "Co.," "LLC" or "L.L.C." It may be in any language but must be expressed in English letters or characters or Arabic or Roman numerals. It must be distinguishable from the name of any domestic or foreign LLC registered in the state.
To operate in Pennsylvania, businesses must register their business structure – such as an LLC, partnership, corporation, or other structure – with the Pennsylvania Department of State.