Ohio LLC cost at a glance
| Cost | Ohio amount |
|---|---|
| Cost to form | $99 |
| Annual report | None |
| When it is due | No annual report; keep a current statutory agent |
| State tax on the LLC | No franchise tax; Commercial Activity Tax only above $6 million of Ohio receipts |
| First-year state fees (minimum) | $99 |
| Yearly state fees after that (minimum) | $0 |
| Registered agent | Required. Free if you act as your own; commercial services charge a yearly fee |
| EIN from the IRS | $0 |
Fees verified October 2026 against the Ohio Secretary of State and other official Ohio sources listed at the end of this page.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Ohio?
The Ohio Secretary of State charges $99 to file Articles of Organization (Form 610) for an LLC. You can file online through Ohio Business Central at any hour, or with the PDF form. A foreign LLC pays the same $99 to register (Form 617).
A name reservation costs $39 (Form 534B), and it is optional.
Our walkthrough on how to file articles of organization in Ohio covers the form field by field.
How much does an Ohio LLC cost every year?
Ohio LLCs file no annual report and pay no yearly fee to the Secretary of State. Ohio requires biennial reports only from professional associations and LLPs, not from LLCs.
The one ongoing duty is the statutory agent. An LLC must keep a current agent on file and update the Secretary of State within 30 days of a change, and an LLC that fails to do so can be cancelled. Updating the agent costs $25 (Form 521).
What does an Ohio LLC cost over the first three years?
The table below adds up the state fees an Ohio LLC pays in its first three years, using the minimum amounts Ohio charges. The second column adds the BusinessAnywhere registered agent service, which is free for the first year and $147 a year after that.
| Year | State fees only | With a registered agent service |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $99 | $99 |
| Year 2 | $0 | $147 |
| Year 3 | $0 | $147 |
| Three-year total | $99 | $393 |
Does Ohio charge a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs?
Ohio charges no franchise tax on LLCs, and the Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) applies only to Ohio taxable gross receipts above $6 million. For tax years 2025 onward, receipts above that exclusion are taxed at 0.26%, and the annual minimum tax ended in 2024.
A business with an active CAT account must still file returns while it is under the $6 million exclusion, or cancel the account. Profit passes through to the members, who pay Ohio individual income tax.
How much does a registered agent cost in Ohio?
Every Ohio LLC must name a registered agent with a physical street address in Ohio. Acting as your own agent costs nothing, but your address goes on the public record and you must be available at that address during business hours. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee for the same role.
The BusinessAnywhere registered agent service is free for the first year and $147 a year after that, with every document scanned to your online dashboard the day it arrives.
Our Ohio registered agent guide explains the state rules in full.
If you are weighing the free option, read can I be my own registered agent first.
Does an Ohio LLC need an EIN, and what does it cost?
An EIN costs nothing when you apply directly with the IRS. An Ohio LLC needs one to hire employees, to open a business bank account and whenever it has more than one member. US residents with an SSN or ITIN apply through the IRS online EIN application and receive the number at the end of the session.
Founders outside the United States cannot use the online tool. They apply by phone, fax or post with IRS Form SS-4, and do not need an SSN to do it. The BusinessAnywhere EIN application service handles that process for $97. Our guide on how to obtain an EIN for your LLC covers both routes.
What other Ohio LLC fees should you budget for?
These fees apply only when you need the service. They are the Ohio state charges as of October 2026.
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | $39 | Name reservation, Form 534B |
| Certified copy | Up to $1 per page | Copy fee not to exceed $1 per page; $5 for certificate and seal |
| Amending the articles | $50 | Amendment or restatement, Form 611 |
| DBA (assumed or trade name) | $39 | Trade name or fictitious name registration with the Secretary of State, Form 534A; updates $25 (Form 524A) |
| Changing registered agent | $25 | Statutory agent update, Form 521, domestic and foreign LLCs |
| Foreign LLC registration | $99 | Foreign LLC registration, Form 617 |
| Reinstatement after dissolution | $25 | Reinstatement and appointment of agent, Form 525A |
An operating agreement carries no state fee in Ohio, and Ohio does not collect it, but every LLC should have one to set out ownership and decision rights. BusinessAnywhere sells an operating agreement template for $97.
What happens if you miss an Ohio LLC deadline?
With no annual report, an Ohio LLC has no yearly state filing deadline to miss. The risk is the statutory agent: an LLC without a current agent can be cancelled by the Secretary of State.
Reinstating a cancelled Ohio LLC costs $25 with Form 525A, which also appoints a new statutory agent.
If you intend to close the business, file formally instead of letting it lapse. Our guide on how to dissolve an LLC in Ohio sets out the steps.
How does Ohio compare with other states?
Ohio is cheap to form and free to keep. Its $99 formation fee sits $1 under the $100 national median, and with no annual report Ohio joins New Mexico and Arizona among the states where a small LLC owes the state nothing after formation.
| State | Formation fee | Yearly state fees (minimum) | What drives the cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $99 | $0 | $99 to form, no annual report |
| Michigan LLC cost | $50 | $25 | $50 to form, $25 annual statement |
| Indiana LLC cost | $100 | $16 | $32 report every two years |
| New Mexico LLC cost | $50 | $0 | No annual report, no franchise tax |
| Wyoming LLC cost | $100 | $60 | $60 minimum license tax, no income tax |
| Delaware LLC cost | $110 | $400 | $400 flat annual tax due 1 June |
For all 51 jurisdictions side by side, see our full table of LLC cost by state.
How to form an Ohio LLC for $0 plus state fees
BusinessAnywhere files your Ohio LLC for $0 plus the $99 state fee. The filing comes with a free first year of registered agent service, so your first-year cost is the state fee and nothing else.
- Formation: $0 service fee plus the Ohio filing fee.
- Registered agent: free for the first year, then $147 a year.
- EIN application: $97, with no SSN required for non-US founders.
- Compliance reminders: every Ohio deadline on this page tracked in your dashboard.
- Virtual mailbox: a US street address with mail scanning, from $20 a month.
Start with our LLC formation service, or read the full guide on how to start an LLC in Ohio first.
Ohio LLC cost FAQs
How much does an LLC cost in Ohio?
An Ohio LLC costs $99 to form. Ohio has no LLC annual report and no franchise tax, so most small LLCs pay the state $0 a year after formation.
Does an Ohio LLC have to file an annual report?
No. Ohio requires no annual report from LLCs. The LLC must keep a current statutory agent on file with the Secretary of State.
Does an Ohio LLC pay the Commercial Activity Tax?
Only on Ohio taxable gross receipts above $6 million, for tax years 2025 onward, at 0.26%. The annual minimum tax ended in 2024.
What happens if an Ohio LLC has no statutory agent?
The Secretary of State can cancel it. Reinstatement costs $25 with Form 525A, which appoints a new agent.
How much does a trade name cost in Ohio?
$39 to register a trade name or fictitious name with the Ohio Secretary of State (Form 534A).
How much does an Ohio LLC cost over three years?
At the minimum, $99 in state fees, all paid at formation. With a commercial registered agent from year two at $147 a year, the total is $393.
Sources
- Ohio Secretary of State, filing forms and fee schedule
- Ohio Secretary of State, keep your active status
- Ohio Department of Taxation, Commercial Activity Tax
- Official Ohio source: Name reservation fee
Fees change. Every figure on this page was checked against the official source in October 2026. Confirm the current amount with the Ohio Secretary of State before you file.
