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How to Start an LLC in Ohio

Ohio is quietly one of the best deals in the country: $99 to form, zero recurring Secretary of State fees forever, a modern LLC act with series authority, and a Commercial Activity Tax that no longer touches businesses under $6 million in receipts. The one procedural quirk is the statutory agent's signed acceptance, which the online filing handles for you.

Filing fee
$99
Articles of Organization (Form 610) via Ohio Business Central
File at
Ohio Business Central
the official state portal
Name reservation
$39, an unusually long 180 days, and transferable
optional in every state

The steps, Ohio edition

  1. Clear the name

    Search the state's registry via Ohio Business Central. The name needs a designator: limited liability company, L.L.C., LLC, limited, ltd., or ltd. Reservation, if you want it: $39, an unusually long 180 days, and transferable.

  2. Line up the statutory agent

    An in-state street address that can receive legal papers during business hours; you can serve yourself or pay a service. Ohio calls it a statutory agent, and the SOS will reject articles unless the agent's signed written acceptance accompanies them (built into the online flow). The rules and tradeoffs are in our registered agent guide.

  3. File the formation document

    $99 (Articles of Organization (Form 610) via Ohio Business Central). Processing: Standard processing runs a few business days to a week; Ohio also sells some of the cheapest expedites anywhere.

    Faster options:

    • Level 1: +$100, within 2 business days
    • Level 2: +$200, within 1 business day
    • Level 3: +$300, within 4 business hours

  4. Get the EIN, free

    Minutes at irs.gov, no charge, no service needed.

  5. Adopt an operating agreement and open the bank account

    Not filed with the state, but banks ask for the agreement, and the separate account is what keeps the liability protection real. The general playbook is in our six-step guide.

  6. Calendar the recurring obligations

    Nothing. Ohio LLCs file no annual report and owe no recurring Secretary of State fee, one of six states where the meter simply stops after formation.

Ohio taxes and recurring costs, straight

Commercial Activity Tax, mostly moot

For 2025 and later, the CAT excludes the first $6 million of Ohio taxable gross receipts and the annual minimum tax is gone; businesses at or below the exclusion owe nothing and generally need not file.

For the raw fee lines next to every other state, see the 50-state cost table or run your numbers in the LLC cost calculator.

OH specifics most guides skip

Thinking about using a formation service?

Every service pays Ohio's same state fees. We compare what they charge on top, and what the $0 tiers actually include.

See the comparison

Ohio LLC questions, answered

Does Ohio have an annual LLC fee?

No. Ohio LLCs file no annual report and pay no recurring SOS fee. After the $99 formation, the state's meter stops, which puts Ohio in a small club with Missouri, New Mexico, Arizona, South Carolina, and Alabama.

What is the Ohio CAT and do I owe it?

The Commercial Activity Tax on gross receipts, but since 2025 the first $6 million of Ohio receipts is excluded and the old minimum tax is eliminated, so businesses at or under the exclusion owe nothing and generally do not file.

Does Ohio allow series LLCs?

Yes. The Revised LLC Act effective 2022 authorizes series (ORC 1706.76), established through the operating agreement, with each series able to hold its own assets and purposes.

Why was my Ohio filing rejected over the agent?

Ohio requires the statutory agent's signed written acceptance with the articles, and the SOS must reject filings without it. The online flow collects it; paper filers forget it, which is the most common rejection.

Other states: Arizona · California · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · New York · North Carolina · Pennsylvania · Texas

Sources

General educational information, not legal or tax advice. Fees, processing times, and rules change; the figures here were verified against official Ohio sources in July 2026, and processing times especially move. Confirm with the state before filing, and consult a professional about your situation.