How to Start an Adult Day Care Center in Pennsylvania

If you plan to serve four or more adults who are not related to you at the same time, you will generally need a license from the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. The regulations are in 6 Pa. Code Chapter 11, which covers older adult daily living centers (ODLCs). Most people searching for a PA adult daily living center license or an adult day care license in PA are really asking one question: what is the order of operations? This guide walks through it: confirm the license applies, form and register the business, secure the site, staff the program, and then apply for the license.

Informational content, not legal or tax advice. This article explains how the process generally works in Pennsylvania. It is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or CPA who knows your situation. Regulations change, so confirm every requirement against the current statute and agency page before you file or spend money. For a complex structure, a multi-owner deal, or a nonprofit, talk to a qualified professional first.

Key Pennsylvania Figures at a Glance

These are current Pennsylvania figures. Where a figure is not listed, confirm it on the agency page named.

Item	Pennsylvania figure	Where it applies
Certificate of Organization filing fee (LLC)	$125	Department of State
Articles of Incorporation filing fee (corporation)	$125	Department of State
Annual report (LLC)	$7, due January 1 to September 30	file.dos.pa.gov
Annual report (business corporation)	$7, due January 1 to June 30	file.dos.pa.gov
Annual report (nonprofit corporation)	No fee; due January 1 to June 30	file.dos.pa.gov
Name reservation	$70, held for 120 days	Department of State
Fictitious name (DBA) registration	$70	Department of State, statewide
Standard processing time	About 15 business days	Department of State
Corporate Net Income Tax	7.49% for tax years beginning in 2026	Department of Revenue
Personal income tax on pass-through income	3.07% flat rate	Department of Revenue
ODLC license term	Up to 12 months	Department of Aging
ODLC license fee and application fees	Confirm with the Department of Aging	Department of Aging

Materials and Information You Need Before You Start

Gather these before you file anything. Missing items are the most common reason a launch slips by months.

• A planned legal name and a backup name, checked against the Department of State business search at file.dos.pa.gov/search/business.
• A Pennsylvania street address for the center. You will need it for the registered office and, almost certainly, for the license.
• A federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS, which you will need for payroll and bank accounts.
• A written program plan: hours, days of operation, maximum daily enrollment, meals, activities, transportation, and the services you will and will not provide.
• A startup budget that covers rent, staffing before the first paying client, equipment, insurance, licensing costs, and at least several months of operating reserves. Plan on private-pay revenue until any Medicaid waiver enrollment is in place.
• A director candidate who can complete the director training the Department of Aging requires.
• Contact information for your municipal zoning and building office.

Step 1: Confirm the License Applies to Your Model

Start here, because everything else depends on it. Under 6 Pa. Code Chapter 11, a center that serves four or more non-relative clients at once is operating as an older adult daily living center and needs a Department of Aging license. Count the peak number of clients present at one time, not how many people are enrolled on paper. A center with 12 enrolled clients who attend in rotating groups of three may fall below the threshold, but a center that regularly has five people in the room at lunch does not.

Write down exactly how you plan to operate: days, hours, transportation, whether you will provide care in clients' homes, and whether you will bill Medicaid. Then call or email the Department of Aging and describe the model in writing. Ask them to confirm, in writing, whether the license applies. Do not rely on a verbal answer, and do not rely on a competitor's website to tell you what applies to you.

Step 2: Choose Your Legal Structure

Most adult day care owners choose between a limited liability company and a corporation. A nonprofit corporation is also common for programs funded by grants or donations. The choice affects liability protection, taxes, ownership transfers, and how you raise money, so it is worth a conversation with a CPA and an attorney.

Pennsylvania's tax picture is straightforward for many owners. A standard LLC has no LLC franchise tax and no separate LLC annual tax. Its income passes through to the owners and is taxed under the flat 3.07% Personal Income Tax rate. An LLC that is taxed as a corporation pays the Corporate Net Income Tax, which is 7.49% for 2026. Confirm how the federal classification of your entity will interact with these rates before you choose. This is general information, not tax advice.

Step 3: Form the Entity With the Department of State

File through the Department of State's online portal at file.dos.pa.gov, or follow the instructions on the agency's business page at pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business.

For an LLC, the formation document is the Certificate of Organization, Domestic Limited Liability Company (Form DSCB:15-8821), filed with a Docketing Statement (DSCB:15-134A). The filing fee is $125. The Bureau asks filers to allow about 15 business days for processing. Pennsylvania LLCs have no publication requirement, so you do not need to run newspaper notices.

For a for-profit corporation, file Articles of Incorporation, For Profit, with a Docketing Statement (DSCB:15-134A). The filing fee is also $125. Corporations have an extra step: notice of the intent to file or of the filing must be advertised in two newspapers of general circulation, one preferably a legal journal. Keep the proof of publication in your corporate minutes. Nonprofit corporations use different forms, so check the current forms on the portal before you file.

Name rules matter. An LLC name must include the words "company," "limited," or "limited liability company," or an accepted abbreviation of one of them. A name may not include words that imply a business corporation, such as "corporation" or "incorporated." The name must be distinguishable from names already on record at the Department of State.

If you need time to file, you can reserve a name for 120 days for a $70 fee. The reservation form is at the Department of State's reservation form.

Expedited service is available online or in person, but not by mail, on top of the $125 filing fee. Same-day service for documents received before 10:00 a.m. costs $100. Three-hour service for documents received before 2:00 p.m. costs $300. One-hour service for documents received before 4:00 p.m. costs $1,000. A separate $70 Special Processing fee applies if you need several same-day documents filed in a specific order. Expedited service is optional. It is worth it only if a lease or funding deadline depends on the filing date.

Step 4: Name a Registered Office, Not a Registered Agent

Pennsylvania does not use registered agents. Instead, your filing must list a registered office with a Pennsylvania street address and number. A post office box alone is not accepted. If your center will be in Pennsylvania, you can usually use its street address, which keeps things simple.

If you have no Pennsylvania physical or mailing address, you may contract with a Commercial Registered Office Provider (CROP) under 15 Pa.C.S. section 109 and list the CROP name and county of venue in place of an address. Listing a CROP without an actual contract can carry civil and criminal penalties. A CROP also cannot be used where a principal place of business is required, such as a fictitious name registration.

Step 5: Register a Fictitious Name If You Will Use a DBA

If your center will operate under a name other than the legal name of your LLC or corporation, such as "Riverside Adult Day Center" for an LLC named "Riverside Care Holdings LLC," you need a Registration of Fictitious Name (Form DSCB:54-311). The fee is $70. You file with the Department of State, not the county. The details are on the agency's fictitious names page at pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/business/types-of-filings-and-registrations/fictitious-names.

Step 6: Register Your Tax Accounts on myPATH

Pennsylvania's paper PA-100 registration form was retired in 2022. Tax registrations now happen through myPATH, which you can reach from the Department of Revenue's page at pa.gov/services/revenue/register-my-business-for-taxes. Use the agency's current instructions for the accounts you need, such as a sales, use, and hotel occupancy tax license if it applies to your operations. The state sales tax rate is 6%. Whether any of your services or purchases are taxable depends on the facts, so confirm the question with the Department of Revenue or a CPA.

If you will have employees, you will also need to set up employer withholding and unemployment compensation accounts. Confirm which agency handles each account and what it requires before you run payroll.

Pennsylvania does not issue a general business license that every business must hold, and it does not use county business licenses. The Department of State does not issue activity licenses. Your center's license comes from the Department of Aging, and you should check your municipality for any local permits, which is covered in the next step.

Step 7: Secure a Site That Meets Local and Program Rules

Do not sign a long-term lease until you have checked three things with the right offices. First, confirm that adult day care is a permitted use for the property under local zoning. Second, confirm the occupancy classification and any building permits needed for a change of use, which often apply to a former office or residential building. Third, confirm the fire safety, accessibility, and space requirements for the number of clients you plan to serve. Chapter 11 sets program standards, and the Department of Aging will look at your physical space during licensing, so ask for the current requirements before you finalize a floor plan.

Put a contingency in the lease. Make the lease contingent on zoning approval and on your ability to obtain the license. Landlords who have seen this before will usually accept it, and it protects you if the municipality says no.

Step 8: Staff the Program and Qualify the Director

Chapter 11 requires a qualified director and sets training and screening requirements for staff. Before you hire, get the current list of required trainings, background checks, and health screenings from the regulations and the Department of Aging. Confirm the number of hours and the approved courses for director training, since requirements can change. Build those costs and timelines into your launch plan.

Staffing ratios also come from the regulations. Confirm the required ratio of staff to clients for the hours and activities you plan to offer. Do not set your budget on a ratio you remember from another state, because Pennsylvania's rules are its own.

Step 9: Write Your Policies Before the Inspection

Inspectors and families both expect written policies. Build them from the text of Chapter 11, not from a template you found online. At a minimum, plan for client intake and care planning, medication handling, meals and nutrition, emergency and evacuation procedures, transportation, incident reporting, client rights, complaint handling, and staff training records. Keep the records in a binder or secure system that you can produce on the day of inspection.

Step 10: Apply for the Department of Aging License

Request the current application packet directly from the Department of Aging. Find the ODLC licensing page through the agency's website at pa.gov, and confirm the application fee and the complete list of attachments in writing. Submit a complete application. An incomplete one delays the review and can cost you the opening date you planned around.

The license is issued for a term of up to 12 months, so put the renewal date on your calendar the day you receive the license. Renewal requires you to stay in compliance, so do not treat the initial inspection as the finish line. Ongoing compliance is what keeps the license.

Step 11: Plan for Medicaid Waiver Enrollment Separately

Your Department of Aging license and your Medicaid waiver enrollment are separate processes. Holding a license does not automatically make you a Medicaid provider, and enrollment has its own requirements and timeline. Many centers open with private-pay clients and add waiver-funded clients later. Confirm the enrollment steps, the timing, and any conditions with the Department of Human Services, which runs Pennsylvania's Medicaid program, before you build your revenue projections on waiver income.

Step 12: Insure the Business Before You Open

Talk to an insurance agent who works with health and human service providers. Most centers need general liability and professional liability coverage. If you have employees, you will need workers compensation coverage, and you should confirm the requirements with your insurer and the Department of Labor and Industry. Many licensing and payer contracts require proof of insurance, so line this up before you apply.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming a business license covers you. Pennsylvania has no general state business license and no county business licenses. Your center's operating authority comes from the Department of Aging license and your local permits.
• Using a post office box as the registered office. The filing requires a street address with a number. A PO box alone will not do.
• Listing a CROP without a contract. The penalties are real, and a CROP cannot be used where a principal place of business is required.
• Signing a lease before zoning and license feasibility are confirmed. Build contingencies into the lease.
• Treating Medicaid as automatic. Waiver enrollment is a separate process with its own timeline.
• Hiring before you know the training and screening requirements. Unqualified staff can delay or block your license.
• Forgetting the annual report. LLCs must file between January 1 and September 30 each year. Corporations must file between January 1 and June 30. The fee is $7 for for-profit entities, and nonprofit corporations pay no fee. Missing the deadline creates avoidable problems with your good standing.
• Skipping the director training check. Confirm the training hours and approved providers with the Department of Aging before you commit to a start date.

Tips for a Smoother Launch

• Call the Department of Aging early with a written description of your model, and keep a record of every answer.
• Run the entity filing and your site search in parallel, since both can take weeks.
• Use your Pennsylvania street address as the registered office if you have one. It removes a step and keeps your public records consistent.
• Get free or low-cost counseling from the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers on your business plan and budget.
• Ask an attorney to review your operating agreement or bylaws, and ask a CPA to model the tax difference between an LLC and a corporation using your real revenue projections.

Expected Results

A licensed adult day care center may help families meet their daily care needs while they work or take a break from caregiving. It may also give older adults a structured setting for social activity, meals, and supervised routines. Results depend on your staffing, your program quality, your local market, and how quickly you fill your schedule, so treat any revenue projection as an estimate rather than a promise. Be cautious about marketing language. Describe what your program does, avoid claims about medical outcomes, and check your materials against the regulations before you publish them.

Next Steps

Start with the threshold question: does your planned model require a Department of Aging license under Chapter 11? Confirm the answer in writing, then form the entity, register the business, and secure the site. Build your staffing and policies around the regulations, and apply for the license with a complete packet. Keep your annual report and license renewal dates on the calendar from day one. For a plan this size, a qualified attorney and CPA are worth the cost before you sign a lease or file.