Pennsylvania Statutes Title 54 Pa.C.S.A. Names § 331. Contracts entered into by entity using unregistered fictitious name

(a) General rule.--No entity which has failed to register a fictitious name as required by this chapter shall be permitted to maintain any action in any tribunal of this Commonwealth until such entity shall have complied with the provisions of this chapter. Nor shall any action be maintained in any tribunal of this Commonwealth by any successor or assignee of such entity on any right, claim or demand arising out of a transaction with respect to which such entity used such fictitious name until such entity, or an entity which has acquired all or substantially all of its assets, shall have complied with the provisions of this chapter. The failure of any entity to register a fictitious name as required by this chapter shall not impair the validity of any contract or act of such entity and shall not prevent such entity from defending any action in any tribunal of this Commonwealth.

(b) Civil penalty.--Before any entity may institute any action in any tribunal of this Commonwealth on any cause of action arising out of any transaction in respect to which such entity used a fictitious name prior to the date of the registration of such fictitious name, or after the date its registration under this chapter was cancelled or otherwise terminated as to such entity, the entity shall pay to the department for the use of the Commonwealth a civil penalty of $500.

(c) Substantial compliance.--The penalties of subsections (a) and (b) shall not be applicable if there has been substantial compliance in good faith with the requirements of this chapter or the corresponding provisions of prior law.