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To form an LLC in Ohio you file Articles of Organization, Form 610, with the Ohio Secretary of State and pay $99. You can file in the business services portal. Ohio's guide to starting an LLC says an LLC is formed when the Secretary of State files the Articles, or at a later date written into them. For the fee table by year, see Ohio LLC cost. To look up companies, use our Ohio business guide.
What does Form 610 need from you?
Ohio's guide lists what the Articles must contain: the company name, an original appointment of a statutory agent with the agent's acceptance, a series statement if you want series, and anything else the members choose. One person signs. Personal details matter too. The office can reject a document that has a Social Security number or federal tax ID on it.
You can set a later effective date. The limit is ninety days after the office receives the Articles.
How do you pick a name Ohio will accept?
The name must contain "limited liability company", "LLC", "L.L.C.", "ltd", "ltd." or "limited". It must also be distinguishable from names already registered, including corporations, other LLCs, partnerships and trade names.
Before you file, run the name through the Secretary of State's search, then read how to check LLC name availability. A rejected filing comes back with the conflicting name and the owner's contact details. If that owner consents in writing, file Form 590 with the Articles.
Two special cases:
- Bank or trust. These words need prior approval from the Division of Financial Institutions.
- Canceled companies. Ohio holds a canceled company's name for one year from the cancellation date. You generally wait out that year to use it.
A reservation, Form 534B, costs $39 and holds the name for 180 days.
Who is the statutory agent?
Ohio uses the term statutory agent for the registered agent. It can be a person who lives in Ohio, or an entity with a business address in Ohio. The agent signs to accept the appointment, and the Articles form carries a box for that. See our Ohio registered agent page for changes, resignation and what happens without one.
What is the filing step by step?
- Choose the name and check it.
- Pick your statutory agent and get their acceptance.
- Complete Form 610 in the portal, or on paper.
- Pay $99, plus an expedite fee if you want one.
- Wait for the filed Articles.
Expedite is a separate fee added to each filing. Level 1 is $100 for 2 days, level 2 is $200 for 1 day, and level 3 is $300 for 4 hours. The guide notes that levels 2 and 3 are for in-person or online filings only.
What comes after the Articles are filed?
Write an operating agreement. Ohio says it is an internal document and is not filed with the Secretary of State. Next, get an EIN; the walkthrough is in how to get an EIN. The Secretary of State's own checklist then points to registering with the Ohio Department of Taxation. That agency decides which taxes apply to your LLC, so go to it for details.
What does Ohio ask of an LLC each year?
Nothing from the Secretary of State. The office says LLCs are not required to submit annual or biennial filings. Certain events can still trigger a filing, such as an amendment, a merger or a change of agent. The real risk is the agent. An LLC with no statutory agent can be canceled, and reinstating it takes Form 525A and $25.
If your LLC was formed elsewhere and does business in Ohio, it registers on Form 617 for $99 instead. The foreign LLC registration page explains when that applies.
Ready to go? The start an LLC form gets you the next steps for Ohio and neighbours such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky.
After approval, check the rules in our Ohio business license guide.