Business formation

Form your business in Ohio

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in Ohio with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

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Forming an LLC in Ohio costs $99 in state filing fees, which is below the national median: 15 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $99 and a nonprofit for $99. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

Ohio state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Ohio Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$99
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$99
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$99

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the Ohio Secretary of State before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in Ohio

Annual report

Ohio does not require an annual report from LLCs

State tax on the LLC

Ohio has no franchise tax on LLCs. The Commercial Activity Tax applies only once taxable gross receipts pass the exclusion, which is $6 million for 2025 onward, so most small businesses owe nothing.

How long Ohio takes

Online filings through Ohio Business Central usually process in three to seven business days. Expedited two-day service costs $100 and same-day service more.

What is different about Ohio

• Ohio is one of the few states with no annual report and no annual fee for LLCs.
• The 2022 Ohio Revised LLC Act allows series LLCs.
• A statutory agent with an Ohio street address must accept the appointment on the filing.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Ohio Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Ohio street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Ohio. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Ohio

Does an Ohio LLC have an annual fee?: No. Ohio requires no annual report and charges no annual fee for LLCs, which makes it one of the cheapest states to maintain an entity in.
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Ohio?: The Articles of Organization cost $99. Two-day expedited processing adds $100.
Does Ohio tax LLCs?: There is no franchise tax. The Commercial Activity Tax only starts once taxable gross receipts pass $6 million, so most small businesses owe nothing beyond the owners' income tax.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Ohio?: The Ohio state filing fee for an LLC is $99, paid once when you file the formation document. That is below the national median: 15 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in Ohio?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Ohio who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the Ohio Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your Ohio formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in Ohio? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

Ohio state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Ohio Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$99
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$99
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$99

What an LLC costs every year in Ohio

Annual report

Ohio does not require an annual report from LLCs

State tax on the LLC

Ohio has no franchise tax on LLCs. The Commercial Activity Tax applies only once taxable gross receipts pass the exclusion, which is $6 million for 2025 onward, so most small businesses owe nothing.

How long Ohio takes

Online filings through Ohio Business Central usually process in three to seven business days. Expedited two-day service costs $100 and same-day service more.

What is different about Ohio

• Ohio is one of the few states with no annual report and no annual fee for LLCs.

• The 2022 Ohio Revised LLC Act allows series LLCs.

• A statutory agent with an Ohio street address must accept the appointment on the filing.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Ohio Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Ohio street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Ohio. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Ohio

Does an Ohio LLC have an annual fee?

No. Ohio requires no annual report and charges no annual fee for LLCs, which makes it one of the cheapest states to maintain an entity in.

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

The Articles of Organization cost $99. Two-day expedited processing adds $100.

Does Ohio tax LLCs?

There is no franchise tax. The Commercial Activity Tax only starts once taxable gross receipts pass $6 million, so most small businesses owe nothing beyond the owners' income tax.

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

The Ohio state filing fee for an LLC is $99, paid once when you file the formation document. That is below the national median: 15 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in Ohio?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Ohio who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the Ohio Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.