Ohio puts company filings with the Secretary of State, inside a division called Business Services. It accepts new LLCs and corporations, registers out-of-state companies, reserves names and issues certificates. The public record is open to anyone through Ohio Business Search, and filings are made in the state's online business portal.
The big difference here is what happens after you form. An Ohio LLC or business corporation has no annual report to file and no yearly fee to pay at the Secretary of State. You will also see Ohio use the term "statutory agent" for what other states call a registered agent.
Using Ohio Business Search
Start with Ohio Business Search. Type a company name, or use the entity number if you have it, since numbers give one exact match. You can also search by the name of the statutory agent, or by filing type to see recent documents. Trade names show up in the same tool, listed under the person or company that registered them.
| Official business search | businesssearch.ohiosos.gov (businesssearch.ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name, entity or file number (entity number), registered agent (statutory agent name, or registrant name for trade names), filing type (businesssearch.ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Name availability check | ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/starting-a-business/guide-to-name-availability (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
There is no officer search in Ohio. If you only know an owner's name, try the statutory agent field. An owner who acts as agent will appear there.
Ohio status words
Ohio uses four short status words. "Active" is the normal state. "Hold" is the one that can be fixed: the company was canceled for missing a legal requirement, but its name stays protected for a year.
| Status shown | What it means |
|---|---|
| Active | On record as actively engaged in business. The name is protected if the entity type has name protection. |
| Hold | Canceled by the Secretary of State for failing to meet a legal requirement. The name stays protected for 1 year after cancellation. |
| Canceled | Canceled by the Secretary of State. The name is not protected. |
| Dead | On file as no longer in business after a voluntary dissolution. The name is not protected. |
Status wording from businesssearch.ohiosos.gov, checked .
"Dead" sounds worse than it is. It marks a company that chose to dissolve. "Canceled" is a cancellation by the Secretary of State with no name protection left.
What Ohio charges
Ohio keeps formation simple, with $99 for Articles of Organization. The same $99 appears for a nonprofit and for an out-of-state LLC registration. The corporation fee can change with the number of shares, so check the fee schedule before you file Articles of Incorporation.
| Form an LLC | $99 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $99 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $99 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $99 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $39 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Annual or biennial report | LLC: $0; corporation: $0 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | $5 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing | 2 business days: $100; 1 business day: $200; 4 hours: $300 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Ohio. State fees are separate.
Speed has three price points. Two business days adds $100, one business day adds $200, and four hours adds $300.
No annual report for Ohio LLCs
You file nothing each year with the Ohio Secretary of State for an LLC or a business corporation. Professional associations and limited liability partnerships are the exception, with a report every two years. State taxes are a separate matter outside Business Services.
| Fee | LLC: $0; corporation: $0 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| When it is due | No annual report for LLCs or business corporations. (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file | bsportal.ohiosos.gov (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
Our list of annual report deadlines by state shows how unusual this is.
Reserving a business name in Ohio
Ohio's name rules sit in the Revised Code: section 1706.07 for LLCs and 1701.05 for corporations. You can hold a name for 180 days with Form 534B, at $39. The office publishes a guide to name availability that explains how it compares names.
| How different a name must be | Ohio Revised Code 1701.05 (corporations) and 1706.07 (LLCs) cover name rules and reservation. Wording not quoted. (codes.ohio.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Reservation fee | $39 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | 180 days (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | ohiosos.gov/assets/534b.pdf (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
Ohio Certificate of Good Standing
Ohio calls its proof of status a Certificate of Good Standing. The fee is $5. Banks, lenders and other states ask for it when your company opens an account or registers elsewhere. See our guide to the certificate of good standing for how it is used.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our Ohio good standing guide.
Reaching Ohio Business Services
| Office | Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Business Services (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Frank LaRose (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | 877-767-3453 (ohiosos.gov, checked ) |
Ohio forms do not all print the same number. Form 615 shows 877-767-3453, while Form 610 and Form 534A show 614-466-3910. If one line is busy, try the other. Ohio also posts free monthly reports of new and canceled businesses, produced on the second Saturday of each month.
Sources
- www.ohiosos.gov/business: office name, division. Checked .
- www.ohiosos.gov/office: officeholder. Checked .
- www.ohiosos.gov/assets/615.pdf: phone. Checked .
- businesssearch.ohiosos.gov/: business search, search fields, status terms. Checked .
- www.ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/starting-a-business/guide-to-name-availability: name check. Checked .
- codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1701.05: name rule. Checked .
- www.ohiosos.gov/assets/534b.pdf: name reservation fee, name reservation form. Checked .
- www.ohiosos.gov/assets/business-start-a-llc.pdf: name reservation term. Checked .
- www.ohiosos.gov/business/business-filing-forms: LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, expedite fees, online filing, certificate fee. Checked .
- www.ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/frequently-asked-questions: report fee, report due date. Checked .