Register your Ohio LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay Ohio’s own $99.00 state fee.
- Choose your state
- Enter your desired LLC name
- Receive your LLC and EIN by email
Trusted by Thousands Nationwide
What is an LLC in Ohio?
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a simple structure for running your business under a professional name. It separates your business from your personal name, and it's the most common way to add a partner, sell the business, or look like a real company instead of a side project.
That separation goes further than the name. If the business owes money or gets sued, your house, car, and personal bank accounts are generally off-limits — as long as you run the LLC properly. It doesn't protect you from something you personally did wrong.
A sole proprietorship skips all of that. You're doing business under your own name or a DBA, and everything stays tied to you personally.
A corporation does the same separation as an LLC, but it's built for a different job: issuing stock and bringing in outside investors. An LLC is simpler to run and cheaper to keep up if that's not you right now.
Benefits of an LLC in Ohio
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “Ohio Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (Ohio Secretary of State)
- Get a matching domain like OhioCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about an Ohio LLC
Your $99.00 filing fee covers your Articles of Organization, and Ohio doesn't add a separate registered agent fee on top of it the way some states do. The state doesn't publish a guaranteed turnaround for standard filing — if you need one, Ohio's own expedited service adds $100 for 2 business days, $200 for 1 business day, or $300 for the same day.
Ohio also doesn't require you to publish a notice in a newspaper, unlike a handful of other states. It does run a separate, statewide Commercial Activity Tax on gross receipts, but that only applies above $6 million a year, and the flat minimum tax smaller businesses used to owe was eliminated starting in 2024 — under that threshold, you register for nothing and owe nothing on it.
Cost to start an LLC in Ohio
$99.00 to the Ohio Secretary of State — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. An Ohio corporation runs $100.00 through the same process.
Free EIN with your Ohio LLC
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is what opens a business bank account and identifies your company to the IRS — it's like a Social Security Number for your LLC. It's included at no extra cost, right alongside your LLC.
LLC vs Corporation in Ohio
An LLC is simpler and more flexible, and keeps “LLC” in your business name. A corporation is a more formal structure built for issuing stock and outside investment, and keeps “Inc” or “Corp” in the name instead. 97% of our clients choose an LLC.
What is a Sole Proprietor in Ohio?
A sole proprietorship means you're doing business as an individual. You can file a DBA with the state to use a name other than your own. As an individual, you can't add a partner to the business, because everything is tied to your personal name and Social Security Number. If you later want to add partners or sell the business, you'll need to start an LLC or corporation.
File a DBA Under Your LLC
A DBA (Doing Business As) is called a trade name in Ohio, and lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. In Ohio, that's a separate filing with the Ohio Secretary of State — the same office that formed your LLC — and it costs $39, good for 5 years.
A DBA isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: Ohio Company, LLC dba Ohio Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in Ohio
A DBA only gives you another name to use. The LLC is the actual business entity that owns the DBA name and holds all legal rights.
Common Questions
Why start an LLC in Ohio?
It separates the business from your own name, lets you add or remove owners as the business grows, and reads as a real, established company.
How long does it take to get an LLC in Ohio?
Ohio doesn't publish a guaranteed timeline for standard filing. If you need one, Ohio's own expedited service gets it done in 2 business days for $100, 1 business day for $200, or the same day for $300.
Does Ohio require an LLC annual report?
No. Unlike most states, Ohio doesn't require LLCs to file an annual or biennial report, and charges no recurring fee to keep your LLC in good standing after you file it.
Do I need an EIN for my Ohio LLC?
Yes, for a business bank account and for the IRS to recognize your company. It's included free when you file here.
What's a registered agent, and do I need one?
A registered agent (Ohio calls it a statutory agent) is the address Ohio sends legal mail to. Every LLC needs one, and it's included free for your first year when you file here.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Ohio doesn't require one to file, but a bank often asks for one to open your business account. You can add it when you file, or write your own later.
Still deciding on a name?
Try the free name generator — type a word you like, get real available options back, then come straight here to file.
Page updates (1)
- January 1, 2025 — Ohio raised its Commercial Activity Tax exclusion to $6 million a year (from $3 million in 2024) and finished phasing out the old flat Annual Minimum Tax — most small LLCs now owe nothing on this tax. Ohio Department of Taxation →
Sources (6)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against Ohio's own filing agency, revenue agency, and statutes — verified September 20, 2026.
- Ohio Secretary of State — Business Filing Forms & Fee Schedule — the $99 LLC and corporation filing fees, $39 trade name fee
- Ohio Secretary of State — Business FAQ — confirms no annual report for LLCs, statutory agent rules
- Ohio Rev. Code §1706.09 — the statutory (registered) agent requirement
- Ohio Rev. Code §1706.26 — the LLC member liability shield
- Ohio Admin. Code Rule 111:1-2-01 — the $100/$200/$300 expedited filing tiers
- Ohio Department of Taxation — Commercial Activity Tax — the $6 million exclusion threshold, 0.26% rate