You can form an Ohio LLC online by filing the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State. The cost to set up an LLC in Ohio is $99.
Follow our How to Start an LLC in Ohio guide below to get started.
To learn how to form an LLC in any state, visit our How to Start an LLC guide.
Build Your Dream Business With Tailor Brands
From legal formation to logo design, Tailor Brands has everything you need to start, manage, and grow your LLC
Before you register your Ohio LLC, you’ll need to come up with a name. Your business name needs to be catchy for branding purposes and legitimate for legal purposes.
First, brainstorm some possibilities. Use our LLC name generator to get the ideas flowing.
Next, make sure your name meets Ohio guidelines:
Next, do an Ohio LLC name search with the Secretary of State to find out if your name is available in Ohio.
If your business name is available and meets guidelines, you’ll be able to register it when you file your Ohio Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State.
Is the URL available? Before you commit 100% to a name, check to see if there’s a good web domain available.
We recommend buying your domain right away because even if launching a business website isn’t on your radar right now, it will be soon.
Domain Name Search
An Ohio DBA (doing business as), also known as a trade name, is any registered name that a business operates under that isn’t its legal business name. A trade name can be used by any type of business, including a sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited liability company (LLC).
Learn how to get a DBA in our Ohio DBA guide.
When you file your Articles of Organization, you’ll need to list a registered agent. A registered agent’s job is to accept legal documents like service of process and tax notices for your LLC.
Your registered agent can be a person or a registered agent service. You can act as your own registered agent, but many business owners choose to use a registered agent service.
Here are a few things to think about before you decide to act as your own registered agent:
Save Time and Money With Northwest
Northwest offers a free year of registered agent services when you form your Ohio LLC ($29 plus state fees) with them.
It’s time to officially form your LLC by filing your Articles of Organization with the Ohio Secretary of State.
You can file online with the Secretary of State or fill out a hard copy of Ohio Form 610 and mail it in or deliver it in person. The filing fee is $99.
You’ll need to know the following information to complete each Article:
For more detailed help with completing the form, visit our Ohio Articles of Organization guide.
Mail Your Articles of Organization:
Send the form and payment (payable to the Secretary of State) to:
Ohio Secretary of State
P.O. Box 670
Columbus, OH 43216
How long does it take to get an Ohio LLC approved? LLC processing time is 7 days. Expedited processing is available.
Creating an Ohio LLC operating agreement is the only way to legally lock down your LLC’s management and ownership structure. Having an operating agreement in place will give you something to return to if a dispute or lawsuit arises.
Even single-member LLCs benefit from having an operating agreement.
Your operating agreement should outline the following:
You can add as many provisions as you want, as long as they don’t conflict with Ohio business law. Take a look at our What is an Operating Agreement guide to learn more.
Download a template or create a custom Free Operating Agreement using our tool.
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is like a Social Security number (SSN) for your company. The IRS and the state of Ohio will use this number to track your business activity.
Your EIN will come in handy when it’s time to:
The best way to get an EIN for your LLC in Ohio is by using the free online application on the IRS website.
Need Help Forming an LLC?
We’ve reviewed and ranked the Top 8 LLC formation services.
When forming an Ohio LLC, one of the important steps is to complete the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
This report — also known as the FinCEN BOI report — is designed to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illicit activities by requiring LLCs to disclose information about their beneficial owners.
This is free to file through the FinCEN website.
New LLCs must complete this filing within 90 days of formation. Existing LLCs must file before January 1, 2025.
Failure to complete this filing requirement will result in a $500 per day fine.
After forming your Ohio LLC, it’s important to:
A business bank account helps separate personal expenses and company expenses, which is required to maintain your Ohio LLC’s corporate veil. A corporate veil protects your personal assets from creditors in potential lawsuits against your LLC or Business.
Learn more by reading this guide to Banking for Entrepreneurs. For a multi-member LLC, you’ll also want to set up capital accounts for LLC members. We also recommend checking out our review of the best business bank accounts.
A business credit card will help separate personal and business expenses while building your company’s credit history. A strong credit history will be useful for raising capital in the form of venture capital, angel investment, or small business loans.
Hiring a business accountant is one of the best ways to ensure you’re taking advantage of LLC tax benefits; possibly saving you and your business thousands of dollars per year.
When forming an LLC in Ohio, it’s a good idea to start a relationship with a business accountant as soon as you start your business to help set your company up for success.
Business insurance helps manage risk. The most common forms of business insurance are general liability, professional liability, and workers’ compensation.
Find out the real cost of getting insurance for your business. Get a free quote or call 855-965-3168.
To operate an LLC in Ohio, you will need to comply with federal, state, and local government regulations such as health permits, building permits, and signage permits.
Business licensing and permit requirements vary from state to state. To get started, visit our How to Get a Business License in Ohio guide. To help facilitate this process, you can also utilize a business license service.
Ohio businesses selling a physical product are generally required to register for a seller’s permit through the Ohio Business Gateway website. Visit our Ohio Sales Tax guide to learn more about seller’s permits and Ohio sales tax.
If your business has employees, you will also need to register for unemployment insurance tax through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services website and sign up for employee withholding tax through the Ohio Business Gateway website.
Additionally, Ohio imposes a Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) on businesses with over $150,000 in taxable gross receipts per year. If your LLC meets this threshold, you must file a CAT return with the Ohio Department of Taxation each year.
Most Ohio LLCs will need to report their income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) each year using Form 1065: Partnership Return (multi-member LLCs) or Form 1040 – Schedule C (single-member LLCs).
How you pay yourself will affect your federal taxes. Visit our guide to learn more about how to pay yourself from your LLC.
Pass-through taxation entails a business’s profits passing through to the LLC member’s individual tax returns. Like a sole proprietorship, an LLC is taxed as a pass-through entity, also known as a disregarded entity.
Once this process is completed and after any tax-deductible expenses are taken out, the LLC members pay self-employment taxes and income tax on their portion of the business income.
Alternatively, Ohio LLCs can choose to elect to be taxed as an S corporation (S corp) or C corporation (C corp). If S corporation tax status is elected, LLC members can be taxed as employees of the business, potentially reducing tax burden.
