How to Start an LLC in Ohio (2026)

Full transcript

0:00 The short answer

Dan To start an LLC in Ohio, you file Articles of Organization, Form 610, with the Ohio Secretary of State and pay the $99 filing fee.

Maya That's a pretty low number. Is there a catch hiding somewhere?

Dan A nice one, actually. Ohio has no annual report for LLCs, and no yearly Secretary of State fee either. Once you're formed, the state doesn't bill you again.

Maya This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today, Ohio for 2026, in six steps, with what it costs and the two best ways to have it filed for you. Where do we begin?

0:37 Step 1: Choose a name

Dan Your LLC's name has to include limited liability company, LLC, L.L.C., limited, or ltd. It also has to be distinguishable from the names already on the Secretary of State's records.

Maya How do I find out whether mine is taken?

Dan Use the Secretary of State's free business search before you do anything else.

Maya And if I want to hold the name while I get ready?

Dan You can reserve it for 180 days for $39.

1:10 Step 2: Appoint a statutory agent

Maya Ohio calls its registered agent something different, right?

Dan A statutory agent. It's the person or business that accepts legal papers for your company. You name an Ohio resident, or a business with an Ohio address, right on your Articles.

Maya Can I use a P.O. box?

Dan No. Neither a P.O. box nor a commercial mailbox address is allowed. The agent also signs an acceptance of the appointment on the form.

Maya Is that information private?

Dan No. The agent's name and address go on the public record, which is why a lot of owners hire a commercial agent. If you change agents later, that filing is $25.

1:51 Step 3: File Articles of Organization

Maya Okay, so how do I actually file?

Dan Send Form 610 to the Secretary of State, either online through Ohio Business Central or by mail. The fee is $99.

Maya What goes on the form?

Dan The name, your statutory agent, the agent's signed acceptance, and the organizer's signature. A purpose clause is optional.

Maya How long until it's approved?

Dan Regular processing runs 3 to 7 business days.

Maya I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan.

Dan Good to be here, Maya. And if three to seven days is too slow, there are three paid speeds. Two business days is $100, one business day is $200, and four hours, in person, is $300.

Maya Four hours for $300. Wow.

Dan It's there if a bank or a deal is waiting on you. Most people don't need it.

2:47 Step 4: Write an operating agreement

Maya Do I file an operating agreement with the state?

Dan No. You write one and keep it with your records. There's no state fee.

Maya Does Ohio even require it in writing?

Dan Under Ohio law, an agreement can be written or even oral. But please put yours on paper: who owns what, how profits are split, who makes decisions, and what happens if a member leaves.

Maya Even if I'm the only member?

Dan Yes. Even with one owner, it's worth having the rules for your company written down.

3:19 Step 5: Get a free EIN

Maya Next is the federal tax number.

Dan Right. Apply for your EIN free with the IRS at IRS.gov, once the Secretary of State has filed your Articles.

Maya Is it a long wait?

Dan If the online application is approved, the number is issued right away. Keep the Social Security number or ITIN of the person in charge handy.

Maya And the beneficial ownership report I keep hearing about?

Dan You can skip it. FinCEN no longer requires it from U.S. companies.

3:49 Step 6: Keep your agent current

Maya What's the upkeep, then, if there's no annual report?

Dan Mostly one thing. Keep a statutory agent in place at all times.

Maya What if I let that slide?

Dan If your LLC is left without an agent, the Secretary of State sends a notice. Unless you fix it within 30 days, your Articles are canceled.

Maya That sounds like a mistake that's easy to make.

Dan It is, if your agent moves or quits and nobody tells you. Reinstating takes a filing and a fee, so it's cheaper to stay on top of it.

4:21 Where Ohio owners slip up

Maya What do first-timers get wrong most?

Dan Three things come up. The first is the name. Leave out the LLC wording, or pick something too close to a name on file, and the Secretary of State won't accept it.

Maya And the second?

Dan The agent address. People list a P.O. box or a mailbox store, and Ohio doesn't allow either one.

Maya The third?

Dan Expecting an annual report to remind them. Ohio doesn't send you through one, so nothing on a calendar tells you that your agent has gone stale. That's the one to check yourself.

Maya How often should I look?

Dan Whenever your agent's details change, and at least once a year. It takes a minute.

Maya Thanks, that's a useful habit.

Dan It's a small one, and it protects the $99 you already spent.

5:10 What it costs

Maya Give me the do-it-yourself total.

Dan $99, once. After that, no annual report fee. The EIN is free.

Maya So the one thing I might pay for is an agent.

Dan Right, and there are no other recurring state bills. Add a name reservation at $39 or an expedite if you want them.

Maya What's the most I'd pay at the state level if I reserve a name and go for the four-hour service?

Dan $99 plus $39 plus $300, so $438. Most people pay $99.

5:47 Two questions from Ohio owners

Maya Can I be my own statutory agent?

Dan If you live in Ohio and have a street address there, yes. You just can't use a P.O. box or a commercial mailbox address. And your name and address become public.

Maya What if I move out of Ohio?

Dan Then you'd need a new agent with an Ohio address, and you'd file the $25 change.

Maya Is there a good order to do all this in?

Dan Pick the name, line up your agent, file Form 610, and then do the EIN. Write the operating agreement as soon as you're filed.

6:22 The 2 best ways to file in Ohio

Maya What if I'd rather hand this all off?

Dan Here are the two best ways to file in Ohio. Number one, our pick, is Mainstay Filing, $199 a year plus the state fee. With Ohio's $99 fee, checkout comes to $298.

Maya What does that cover?

Dan Your Articles filed, your EIN application, and your statutory agent every year. It renews at the same $199, so there's no separate agent renewal to plan around.

Maya And number two?

Dan OH Registered Agent.org. It prepares and files your Articles for $199 plus the state fee, which is also $298 at checkout, and your first year of agent service is free.

Maya Then what?

Dan After the first year, its agent service is $99 a year.

Maya So which one wins?

Dan Ohio has no annual report, so from year two, number two costs less, at $99 a year for the agent alone against $199 for Mainstay. If you want one steady price with the filing and the agent together, that's Mainstay.

7:34 Three years of service fees

Maya Put a number on three years for me.

Dan Mainstay is $199 a year, so $597. Number two is $199 in year one, then $99 in each of the next two years, so $397.

Maya That's $200 apart.

Dan It is. And the state fee is the same $99 either way.

7:59 Recap

Maya Once more, start to finish?

Dan Choose a name with LLC in it, appoint a statutory agent at an Ohio street address, file Form 610 for $99, write your operating agreement, get your free EIN, and keep your agent current. No annual report to file.

Maya The links to both services and every official source are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast, and good luck with your new Ohio LLC.