To get an LLC in Ohio, you file articles of organization with the Ohio Secretary of State and pay a $99 filing fee. Before you file, you need a compliant business name and a statutory agent with an Ohio street address. The process is governed by Chapter 1706 of the Ohio Revised Code, and online filings are typically approved within a business day or two.
Pick a Name That Meets Ohio’s Rules
Your LLC name has to include one of these designators: “limited liability company,” “L.L.C.,” “LLC,” “limited,” “ltd.,” or “ltd.”1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.06 – Name of Limited Liability Company Ohio gives you more options than most states.
The name also has to be distinguishable from every other business name already on file with the Secretary of State, including corporations, limited partnerships, and registered trade names.2Ohio Secretary of State. Guide to Name Availability Check your name through the Secretary of State’s Ohio Business Central portal before you file. A minor variation on an existing name may still be rejected if it isn’t clearly distinguishable on the record.
Line Up a Statutory Agent
Ohio calls the role a “statutory agent” rather than “registered agent,” but it’s the same job: accepting legal documents and official notices on the LLC’s behalf. Every Ohio LLC must continuously maintain one.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.09 – Legal Agents of Limited Liability Companies
The agent can be an individual who lives in Ohio or a business entity with a physical office in the state. The address has to be a street address where someone is actually present during normal business hours to accept service of process. A P.O. box doesn’t qualify, even one with an associated street address.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.09 – Legal Agents of Limited Liability Companies You can act as your own statutory agent if you have a qualifying Ohio address, or you can hire a professional service, which typically runs between $35 and $350 per year.
You’ll need a signed written acceptance from your agent before you file. The Secretary of State won’t accept articles of organization without it.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.09 – Legal Agents of Limited Liability Companies
File the Articles of Organization
This filing is what actually creates your LLC. The company legally exists once the Secretary of State accepts the articles, or on a later date you specify in them.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.16 – Articles of Organization Use Ohio Form 610 from the Secretary of State’s website, or file through Ohio Business Central.
The required contents are short:
- The LLC’s name, meeting the rules in Section 1706.06
- The statutory agent’s name, Ohio street address, and signed acceptance
- Any optional provisions you want to include, such as the LLC’s purpose or management structure
The filing fee is $99.5Ohio Secretary of State. Business Filing Forms and Fee Schedule Online filings usually process within a business day or two. If you need it faster, Ohio offers three expedite tiers charged on top of the $99:
- Level 1, $100, processed within two business days
- Level 2, $200, processed within one business day
- Level 3, $300, processed within four business hours
Expedited timelines run on business days only and exclude weekends and holidays.6Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Administrative Code 111:1-2-01 – Expedited Service Mail filings take longer, so file online if speed matters.
Write an Operating Agreement
An operating agreement is your LLC’s internal rulebook. Ohio doesn’t require you to file one with the state, and you can adopt it before, at the time of, or after filing your articles.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.16 – Articles of Organization Skipping it is still a mistake, especially with more than one member. Without an agreement, Chapter 1706’s default rules fill every gap, and the defaults may not match what you and your co-owners actually agreed to.
The operating agreement governs the relationship among members and between the members and the company.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.08 – Limited Liability Company Operating Agreements At minimum, cover:
- Each member’s ownership percentage and capital contributions
- How profits and losses are split
- Whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed
- Voting rights and what decisions require a vote
- Rules for adding new members, transferring interests, or leaving the LLC
- What happens if the LLC dissolves
Ohio gives operating agreements significant power. A written agreement can even expand, restrict, or eliminate fiduciary duties among members, though it cannot eliminate the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1706.08 – Limited Liability Company Operating Agreements That flexibility is unusual, and worth using carefully.
Get a Federal EIN
An Employer Identification Number is a federal tax ID issued by the IRS. You’ll need one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file taxes for the LLC.8Internal Revenue Service. Get an Employer Identification Number The IRS recommends forming your entity with the state first, so wait until your articles are approved.
Apply free at the IRS website. You’ll need your LLC’s legal name, address, entity type, and the Social Security number or taxpayer ID of the “responsible party” for the business.9Internal Revenue Service. Employer Identification Number Approval and the EIN come back immediately.
Open a Business Bank Account
Open a dedicated business account as soon as you have your approved articles and EIN. Mixing personal and business funds is the fastest way to lose the liability protection an LLC is meant to provide. Courts can “pierce the veil” of an LLC whose owners treat company money as their own, leaving personal assets exposed to business creditors.
Handle Licenses, Reports, and Federal Reporting
Ohio has no single statewide general business license. Whether you need permits depends on your industry and location.10Ohio.gov. Licenses and Permits Regulated professions require state licensing through Ohio’s eLicense system, and many cities and counties add their own registration or permit requirements. Check with the state agency that oversees your industry and with your local municipality before you start operating.
Ohio also requires LLCs to file a periodic report with the Secretary of State to stay in good standing. Missing it can lead to administrative dissolution, which strips the liability protection you formed the LLC for. Confirm your filing deadline and fee on the Secretary of State’s website, since the details can change.
On the federal side, the Corporate Transparency Act originally required most LLCs to file Beneficial Ownership Information reports with FinCEN. In early 2025 the Treasury Department announced it would not enforce penalties against U.S. citizens or domestic companies under the existing rule, and said it plans to narrow the requirement to foreign reporting companies.11U.S. Department of the Treasury. Treasury Department Announces Suspension of Enforcement of Corporate Transparency Act Against U.S. Citizens and Domestic Reporting Companies As of early 2026, domestic Ohio LLCs are not subject to enforcement, but rulemaking is still ongoing. Watch this one if your LLC has any foreign ownership.