State hub · Ohio
Ohio LLC true cost (2026)
Ohio state side: $99 formation filing, $0 for No LLC annual or biennial report to the Secretary of State in the 3-year model, ~$99 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #7 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Ohio state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Ohio Secretary of State. Filings go through www.ohiosos.gov/businesses.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $99 | ORC 111.16(F) sets $99 for filing and recording articles of organization of a limited liability company. Ohio SOS fee schedule lists Form 610 Articles of Organization at $99.00 (replaces Form 533A). Optional expedites exist on top of the $99 base. |
| No LLC annual or biennial report to the Secretary of State | $0 typical | Ohio does not require domestic LLCs to file an annual or biennial report with the Secretary of State. Separate tax obligations (e.g., Commercial Activity Tax if taxable gross receipts exceed statutory thresholds) are handled through the Department of Taxation and are not SOS annual-report fees. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $99 | Articles $99 + $0 SOS recurring reports over three years = $99. Excludes expedites, statutory-agent update fees, name reservation, CAT/income taxes, and commercial registered-agent costs. |
When Ohio actually bills you
Ohio's recurring filing is due N/A — no SOS periodic report required for Ohio LLCs — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Ohio charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $99 | $99 |
| Year 1 cycle | No LLC annual or biennial report to the Secretary of State (no charge in this model) | $0 | $99 |
| Year 2 cycle | No LLC annual or biennial report to the Secretary of State (no charge in this model) | $0 | $99 |
| Year 3 cycle | No LLC annual or biennial report to the Secretary of State (no charge in this model) | $0 | $99 |
Provider + Ohio state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Ohio state subtotal of $99.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $388 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $596 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $397 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $846 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Ohio ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Ohio sits at #7 — the 7th cheapest three-year state charter — at $99 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $64 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $181 below the $280 median, and $2,411 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Ohio lands in the cheaper half of the table.
Ranking caveat for Ohio: Exact current expedite tier prices if not paid at formation (confirm on Ohio Business Central at filing).
- Just cheaper: Hawaii ($96), New Mexico ($50).
- Just pricier: Idaho ($100), Iowa ($110).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Ohio)
- Ohio LLC must appoint and maintain a statutory agent with an Ohio street address (ORC 1706.09). Failure to maintain an agent can lead to cancellation. Commercial agent common for non-residents.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Ohio state fees is $99, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Ohio, is about 74% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- No SOS annual report does not mean zero ongoing compliance — keep statutory agent current and monitor Ohio tax registration (CAT, sales tax, employer withholding) if operating in Ohio.
- SOS fee-schedule page may block automated fetch; fee confirmed via ORC 111.16(F) and published Form 610 schedule listings.
Who Ohio is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Founders wanting a low ongoing SOS-compliance footprint with a modest one-time $99 formation fee.
Often a poor fit when…
- Anyone equating 'no annual report' with 'no Ohio taxes' when actively operating or employing in Ohio.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Ohio LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Ohio?
$99 to Ohio Secretary of State for the formation filing. ORC 111.16(F) sets $99 for filing and recording articles of organization of a limited liability company. Ohio SOS fee schedule lists Form 610 Articles of Organization at $99.00 (replaces Form 533A). Optional expedites exist on top of the $99 base. That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Ohio LLC fees after year one?
$0 in recurring No LLC annual or biennial report to the Secretary of State charges under the modelled scenario (N/A — no SOS periodic report required for Ohio LLCs). Ohio does not require domestic LLCs to file an annual or biennial report with the Secretary of State. Separate tax obligations (e.g., Commercial Activity Tax if taxable gross receipts exceed statutory thresholds) are handled through the Department of Taxation and are not SOS annual-report fees. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Ohio LLC really cost over three years?
$99 in Ohio state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $388 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $846 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Ohio.
Do I need a registered agent in Ohio?
Yes. Ohio LLC must appoint and maintain a statutory agent with an Ohio street address (ORC 1706.09). Failure to maintain an agent can lead to cancellation. Commercial agent common for non-residents. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Ohio figure above.
Is Ohio a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Ohio ranks #7 of 51 at $99 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Ohio three-year number is built
Articles $99 + $0 SOS recurring reports over three years = $99. Excludes expedites, statutory-agent update fees, name reservation, CAT/income taxes, and commercial registered-agent costs. Figures are re-derived from the cited Ohio sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Ohio state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- item: unverified — check source —
- Re-check live Ohio Secretary of State fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- Ohio Revised Code § 111.16(F) — LLC articles filing fee $99
- Ohio Revised Code § 1706.16 — Articles of organization
- Ohio Secretary of State — Business Filing Forms & Fee Schedule (Form 610 $99)
- Ohio Business Central portal
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Ohio's $99 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Ohio math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.