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How to start an LLC in Ohio

Every step to form your LLC in Ohio, with the state's fees and the official page for each. Checked against the state's own pages on September 30, 2026.

Filing fee
$99
Regular report
None
What you file
Articles of Organization
Where
The Ohio Secretary of State

Get the free checklist It follows these steps with you, for your business, and keeps track of what's done.

What an LLC costs in Ohio

Filing Articles of Organization with the Ohio Secretary of State$99
An EIN from the IRSFree
A registered agentFree if you're your own; a service charges a yearly fee

The state's fees only. Card or handling fees, a registered agent service, local licenses and taxes come on top where they apply. Checked against official sources on September 30, 2026. It's general information, not legal or tax advice.

Step by step

In the order most owners do them. Each step says where it happens and links to the official page.

  1. With the state

    Check your name is free

    Search the Ohio Secretary of State's business records to check no business already uses your name, or one too close to it. An LLC's name must also end with "LLC" or a similar ending.

    Search business names (opens the official site)

  2. Your records

    Choose a registered agent

    Ohio calls it a statutory agent: an Ohio resident, or a business with an address in Ohio. The agent signs an acceptance of the appointment, which is filed with your articles.

  3. With the state

    File your Articles of Organization

    File them with the Ohio Secretary of State, with the appointment of your statutory agent and the agent's signed acceptance. The state's fee is $99. Once they're filed, your business exists.

    File online (opens the official site)

  4. Your records

    Write an operating agreement

    It sets out who owns the LLC, how decisions are made and what happens if someone leaves. It isn't filed with the state: keep it with your records. A lawyer can help you write one.

  5. With the IRS

    Get an EIN from the IRS

    An Employer Identification Number is your business's tax number, for taxes, hiring and a bank account. Apply once your Articles of Organization are filed. It's free from the IRS: with a Social Security number or ITIN, you can apply on the IRS's own site and get it at once. Watch out for look-alike sites that charge for it.

    Apply for an EIN on IRS.gov (opens the official site)

  6. With the state

    Register for state taxes

    Every business taxpayer registers with the Ohio Department of Taxation, online through OH|TAX eServices or the Ohio Business Gateway. If you'll make taxable sales or provide taxable services, you need a vendor's license first: $50 (it was $25 until April 9, 2025). Employers also register with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services for unemployment insurance.

    Register for state taxes (opens the official site)

  7. City or county

    Check local licenses and permits

    Ask your city or county what your business needs: a business license, permits, or zoning approval to work from home. Some trades also need a state license.

  8. Your records

    Open a business bank account

    Keep the business's money apart from your own: it keeps your records clear at tax time, and keeps the LLC separate from you. Banks usually ask for your filed Articles of Organization and your EIN.

Questions about an LLC in Ohio

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Ohio?

The state's fee to file Articles of Organization is $99. There's no regular report to file with the state. An EIN from the IRS is free.

Does Ohio require a yearly report for an LLC?

No. Ohio doesn't ask an LLC for a regular report. Its other steps, below, still apply, and so do its taxes.

Can I form an LLC in Ohio myself?

Yes. You file Articles of Organization with the Ohio Secretary of State and pay the state's fee, and the steps above show where. You don't need a lawyer, though one can advise on your situation. PressUp's free checklist follows these steps with you.

Is this legal or tax advice?

No. PressUp isn't a law firm or an accountant. This guide is general information from Ohio's official pages, checked on September 30, 2026. For advice about your own situation, ask a lawyer or an accountant.

Where this comes from

Ohio's official pages, read on September 30, 2026:

LLC guides for other states