How to Start an LLC in Ohio (2026)

Ohio keeps formation unusually clean. You file a single document, the Articles of Organization (Form 610), with the Ohio Secretary of State, you pay the official Ohio filing fee of $99, and the state never asks for an annual report afterward. The filing is authorized by Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16, and the $99 fee is set by ORC § 111.16(F). Below is each step in order, with the exact form numbers and state fees involved.

The Formation Document: Articles of Organization, Form 610

Ohio's official form name and number for LLC formation is the Articles of Organization for a Domestic Limited Liability Company, Form 610. It replaced the old Form 533A, so disregard any guide that still cites 533A. Form 610 can be submitted two ways:

• Online through Ohio Business Central, the official state portal for business filings
• On paper using the Form 610 PDF, mailed to the Secretary of State

The fee is $99 either way. An optional $100 expedite fee moves your filing ahead of the standard review queue.

Ohio LLC Formation Steps

1. Choose a name that Ohio will accept. The name must contain "limited liability company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." and must be distinguishable from every entity already on record. Run it through the state's business name search before you commit to logos or domains.
2. Appoint a registered agent, which Ohio's statute calls a statutory agent. Under ORC § 1706.09, the agent must be either a natural person residing in Ohio or one of the entity types listed in the statute with a business address in Ohio. A PO box does not satisfy the address rule. The agent's name and address become part of the public record.
3. Complete Form 610. You will supply the company name, the effective date if you want one other than the filing date, the statutory agent's name and Ohio address, and the agent's written acceptance of the appointment.
4. Submit the filing with the $99 fee. File through Ohio Business Central or mail the paper form. Under ORC § 1706.16, the company comes into existence once the Secretary of State accepts the articles.
5. Adopt an operating agreement. Ohio does not require one to be filed, but banks ask for it, and it settles ownership percentages, voting, and exit terms before a dispute ever forms.
6. Obtain an EIN from the IRS. The federal tax ID is free directly from IRS.gov and arrives immediately for most online applicants. It is required for business banking and hiring.
7. Set up your ongoing compliance. In Ohio that list is short: keep a statutory agent on file at all times, and register for Commercial Activity Tax with the Ohio Department of Taxation if your gross receipts exceed the statutory threshold.

Secretary of State Fees at a Glance

Filing	State fee
Articles of Organization (Form 610)	$99
Optional expedited review	$100
LLC annual report	None, Ohio has no such filing
Statutory Agent Update (Form 521), if you later change agents	$25

After Approval: What Ohio Expects From You

Nothing recurring at the Secretary of State. Ohio imposes no annual report, no biennial report, and no renewal fee on LLCs, a point the Secretary of State's own FAQ confirms. Your two real obligations are event-driven rather than calendar-driven: keep your statutory agent information current (Form 521, $25, whenever it changes), and handle Commercial Activity Tax with the Department of Taxation if your receipts put you over the threshold. That tax is filed with a different agency and is not a Secretary of State report.

File It Yourself or Have Us File It

Filing directly through the official state portal runs the $99 state fee and your time. Our formation service is $199 plus that state fee: we prepare Form 610, file it, and confirm acceptance, and the price includes your first year of registered agent service, which renews at $99 per year after that.

Form Your Ohio LLC