How to Start an LLC in Ohio

An Ohio LLC is one of the most simple, cost-effective, and quick business structures to form. Even so, navigating the formation process can seem daunting without clear guidance and an actionable plan.

In this How to Start an LLC in Ohio guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know to form your LLC, from the steps you’ll need to take to get started to maintaining your business structure.

Ohio LLC

In order to form an LLC in Ohio, you’ll need to complete the following steps:

1. Name Your Ohio LLC
2. Pick an Ohio Registered Agent
3. Submit Your LLC’s Articles of Organization
4. Create an Ohio LLC Operating Agreement
5. Get an EIN
6. File Your BOI Report

In the sections below, we’ve broken down each of these steps in more detail.

Step 1: Name Your Ohio LLC

The first thing you’ll need to do before getting started is picking the right name for your LLC. This is important because your business’s name will need to represent your brand accurately, as well as be as memorable as possible.

In Ohio, all LLC names need to abide by the following statutory guidelines in order to be accepted by the Secretary of State:

• Uniqueness: Each name must be distinguishable from the names of existing business entities already on file with the Ohio Secretary of State. This includes avoiding the use of identical names or names that are too similar to existing ones
• Business Entity Designator: Each name must include a corporate designator at the end, such as “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” “L.L.C.,” “Ltd. Liability Co.,” or any variant spelling or abbreviation of these terms
• Restricted Words: Your LLC’s name cannot include words that could confuse your LLC with a government agency (e.g., FBI, Treasury, State Department, etc.). Additionally, certain words such as “Bank,” “Attorney,” “University” require additional paperwork and a licensed individual — such as a lawyer or doctor — to be part of your LLC in order to be allowed
• Prohibited Words: Your LLC name should not include words that are prohibited by Ohio law, such as any offensive or inappropriate terms that could mislead the public about the nature of your business
• Language Considerations: Foreign language business names must not conflict with their English equivalents or any existing business names, according to the guidelines provided by the Ohio Revised Code

For detailed guidelines on naming your LLC in Ohio, you can visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s Guide to Name Availability.

Keep in mind that even though picking an LLC name in itself has no cost, there are certain fees that can be associated with the overall process.

Reserve an LLC Name

If you’re not yet ready to launch your business and still need a little more time, you can choose to reserve your desired LLC name for later by submitting a Name Reservation/Transfer/Cancellation form to the Ohio Secretary of State ($39 fee). This will keep anyone from being able to take the name you plan to use for 180 days.

If you need any longer than this, you’ll need to renew it once it expires by going through the same process.

Note: When filling out the Name Reservation form, you will have the option to list up to two alternative names in case your first choice is already taken.

Register a DBA Name

Another potential cost associated with naming your LLC is a “doing business as” (or DBA) name. This is essentially a nickname that you can choose to register for your business to operate under — particularly if you’re not content with your LLC’s legal name.

Registering a DBA name can be done by filing Form 534A with the Ohio Secretary of State and paying a $39 fee.

Note: DBA names in Ohio are valid for a period of 5 years.

Buy a Domain Name

Finally, you’ll want to focus on securing a good domain name (which is your website’s URL address) for your business. For this, try to focus on choosing one that’s easy for customers to remember, relevant to your business, and accurately reflects your brand.

After confirming the domain name you want to use is actually available, you can purchase it through a trusted registrar.

Step 2: Pick a Statutory Agent

The next step you’ll need to take toward forming your LLC is to pick a statutory agent — this is commonly known as a registered agent outside of Ohio.

This is an individual or business entity that accepts legal correspondence on behalf of your business, such as service of process, notice of lawsuits, and official government communications; you’re required to continuously maintain one as long as your LLC is active.

Your statutory agent can be an individual or business entity, but will need to satisfy the following requirements:

• If the agent is a business entity, it must be authorized to transact business in Ohio (in accordance with Title XVII of the Revised Code)
• The statutory agent must provide a physical street address in Ohio where legal documents will be served
• Your statutory agent must provide a written, signed acceptance of their appointment in order to be accepted by the Secretary of State
• Your statutory agent must be available during regular business hours in order to accept legal and official documents on behalf of your LLC

Keep in mind that if there is any change in your registered agent’s information (e.g., change in address, change in individual, etc.) you will need to file this Statutory Agent Update form with the Secretary of State’s office.

Note: You can act as your own statutory agent if you’re looking to save money; this is generally not recommended as you’re much more likely to suffer fines and penalties due to non-compliance than if you just hire an affordable professional service.

You’ll additionally lose any anonymity your LLC would have given you since your name, address, and contact information will be publicly available.

Note: To have a look at some of our other top recommendations, you can also check out our Best Registered Agent Service of 2024 guide.

Step 3: Submit Your LLC’s Articles of Organization

In Ohio, the Articles of Organization is the filing document that you’ll need to submit with the Secretary of State in order to officially register your LLC.

When preparing your LLC’s Articles of Organization, you will need to include the following information:

• Name: You will need to list your LLC’s initial name as per the naming guidelines discussed previously
• Principal Office Address: You will need to provide the street address of your LLC’s principal office; a P.O. Box will not be accepted by the Secretary of State
• Effective Date (Optional): You have the option to specify an effective date for when your LLC will become active (up to 90 days after the filing date). If no date is specified, the effective date will be the date of filing
• Purpose Clause (Optional): You have the option to include a statement of purpose describing the business activities your LLC will engage in
• Statutory Agent Information: You will need to list the name and physical street address of your statutory agent in Ohio; this must include a written, signed acceptance of their appointment
• Signature(s) of the Organizer(s): The organizer(s) must sign the Articles of Organization as a formal declaration that they are officially forming the LLC
• Additional Provisions (Optional): If there are any specific provisions or rules that the members want to include, these can be attached; this might include details about the management structure or the rights and responsibilities of each member

You will need to pay a $99 filing fee in order to submit your LLC’s Articles of Organization, which can be done either online through Ohio Business Central or by filling out this form and mailing it to the following address: P.O. Box 670, Columbus, OH 43216.

Step 4: Create an Ohio LLC Operating Agreement

Once this is completed, the next step you’ll need to take is to create an operating agreement.

This is an internal document that clearly outlines the ownership and management structure of your company in order to reduce potential future conflict.

While this document isn’t legally mandated in Ohio, all LLCs are recommended to have one as it can help maintain both: smooth operations and your LLC’s corporate veil.

A number of companies provide drafting services for operating agreements online, typically for a fee of around a few hundred dollars. However, it’s quite easy to sort this out by yourself if you want to save money, and you can even find a number of free templates online to help with this.

Step 5: Get an EIN

Even though it’s not a legal requirement (unless your LLC has employees or multiple members), all Ohio LLCs should apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN).

This is a free, nine-digit number used by the IRS to identify your business and keep track of its tax reporting — much like a Social Security Number (SSN) for individuals.

You’ll need an EIN to be able to:

• Hire employees
• Open a business bank account
• Apply for some business licenses/permits
• Establish a line of credit

On top of this, using an EIN instead of a Social Security Number (SSN) helps to protect your personal information and safeguard your anonymity as the business owner of your LLC.

You can quickly apply for an EIN for your LLC online through the IRS website. You’re also able to submit a paper application using Form SS-4 either via fax to (855) 641-6935, or by mailing it to the following address:

Internal Revenue Service
Attn: EIN Operation
Cincinnati, OH 45999

Note: Don’t worry if you don’t already have an SSN, it’s not necessary to have one in order to apply for an EIN — instead, you can just leave Section 7b of the application blank and call the IRS on (267) 941-1099.

Step 6: File a BOI Report

Starting January 2024, the vast majority of LLC owners will be required to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report with the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

This is part of an initiative by the U.S. government to stop individuals and entities engaging in illegal or unethical activities from being able to conceal this using “opaque ownership structures”, like shell companies, to hide their true identities.

Existing LLCs will be able to file this report anytime between January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025, while new LLCs will have up to 90 days after the date they were initially formed to do so (30 days for LLCs formed after the start of 2025).

Keep in mind that failure to file your LLC’s BOI report on time can result in exorbitantly high fines (i.e., $591 per day) or even jail time (up to two years).

Note: Not every LLC owner is required to file a BOI report. For example, companies with more than 20 full-time employees, accounting firms, and banks are exempt. For a full list of filing exemptions, you can have a look at FinCEN’s website.

Ohio vs Other States

Ohio stands out as a business-friendly state due to its lack of annual reporting requirements and streamlined regulatory framework, which makes it an easier and less cumbersome place for entrepreneurs to set up shop.

Moreover, the state’s formation costs for LLCs are on the lower end when compared to most other states.

Having said that, keep in mind that the best state to form your LLC will almost always be the state in which you will be operating; this is because otherwise you’ll likely be required to register as a foreign LLC in your home state, meaning that you’ll need to pay registration and maintenance fees twice.

Ohio Secretary of State Contact Information

Mailing Address:
Business Services
22 North Fourth Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Contact Information:

Email: https://sosforms.ohiosos.gov/forms/ContactUs/Business
Phone: (614) 466-3910