Ohio foreign LLC

Looking to expand your business into Ohio? To get your foreign LLC registered here, you’ll need to designate an Ohio registered agent (also referred to as a “statutory agent”) and submit the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company form to the Ohio Secretary of State.

Hire us to be your Ohio registered agent for as little as $248 plus state fees. We’ll take care of the entire Ohio Foreign LLC registration process for you including preparing your foreign LLC forms, and submitting your application to the state on your behalf. We’ll also serve as your registered agent.

When You Hire Us, You Get:

  • 365 days of Ohio Registered Agent Service

  • Safe and secure online client account

  • Ohio Foreign LLC Registration

  • Address privacy with the use of our registered agent office address

  • Lifetime client support

  • Fair and transparent pricing

  • Access to additional business services


Let Us File Your Foreign Registration

Steps to Register a Foreign LLC in Ohio

Once your business is registered as a Foreign LLC in Ohio, you will be allowed to do business here. If you want to register your LLC in Ohio yourself, follow our step-by-step guide on how to register your foreign company in Ohio.

1. Check Name Availability And Qualification

The first step you’ll need to take is to check and see if your LLC’s name is available in Ohio using the Secretary of State Business Name Search tool. If your name is not available, you will need to find a name that meets the requirements of the state:

  • You’ll need a “distinguishable” name. Meaning your LLC’s name cannot be the same or too similar to an existing entity’s name.
  • You’ll need to include the entity’s identifier in its name (i.e. LLC, PLLC, or LTD).

Once you have your LLC’s name, you can proceed to the next steps as long as your business qualifies as a transacting business.

What is “transacting business” in Ohio?

Similar to many other states, Ohio state law does not define “transacting business.” However, there are generally accepted guidelines for what is characterized as conducting business at the state level.

To be considered a transacting business in Ohio, you must have some form of presence in the state:

  • Physical: Warehouses, offices, or stores that your LLC uses to support its operations in Ohio.
  • Employee: Sales representatives or other workers living in the state.
  • Economic: A large volume of online purchases. The Ohio Department of Taxation states that online retailers with gross receipts exceeding $100,000 or with 200 or more separate transactions in Ohio must pay the state taxes.

What is not “transacting business” in Ohio?

Ohio state law (Section 1706.512) also defines certain activities that, on their own, do NOT qualify as transacting business in Ohio:

  • Holding member meetings or other activities relating to your LLC’s internal affairs
  • Maintaining bank accounts.
  • Having offices or agencies dedicated to managing your LLC’s own securities.
  • Owning real estate or property without utilizing it for business means.
  • Creating or acquiring debts or security interests in real or personal property.
  • Securing or collecting debts.
  • Selling through independent contractors.
  • Conducting interstate commerce.
  • Performing isolated transactions that are not repeated.
  • Soliciting or obtaining orders that require acceptance outside of the state before the orders can become contracts.
  • Maintaining, settling, or defending lawsuits.

Additionally, your LLC’s involvement with other business entities does NOT equate to transacting business in Ohio under the following circumstances:

  • Owning a controlling interest in an entity operating in Ohio.
  • Serving as a limited partner of a domestic or foreign limited partnership doing business in Ohio.
  • Serving as a member of a domestic or foreign LLC conducting business in the state.

2. Appoint a Statutory Agent

Once you’ve verified your Foreign LLC qualification, you’ll need to appoint an Ohio Statutory Agent (also known as an Ohio Registered Agent). This is a person or entity that is designated by your LLC to receive legal documents on your LLC’s behalf. Need an Ohio Registered Agent? Look no further, we can help you register your foreign LLC here in Ohio.

 

3. Complete And File The Registration Application

Before your LLC can start doing business here, you will need to complete the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company application (Form 617). To complete the application, here is the information you will need:

  • Company’s name
  • Company’s jurisdiction of formation
  • Company’s appointed statutory agent’s name, mailing address, and signature.
  • Names and signatures of LLC members

Note: Ohio is one of the few states that does not require a Certificate of Good Standing to be provided to register a foreign LLC.

If you are mailing in your application, part of the application is to complete a cover letter providing the contact information (name, address, phone number, and email address) of the person that will receive the Certificate of Authority once the application is approved.

4. File Registration

Once your application is completed, you can file your Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company application one of three ways:

By mail:
Regular Filing

Secretary of State
P.O. Box 670
Columbus, OH 43216

 

In-person:

Client Service Center
22 North 4th Street
Columbus, OH 43215

 

Online:

Ohio Business Filings portal (to complete the application online, you will need to create an account through the login portal).

You’ll pay a $99 state fee along with your paperwork and it will take up to 7 business days to successfully process your application. For an additional fee, you can get expedited service.

Expedite Services:

  • 2 business days – $100 (online, in-person or mail)

  • 1 business day – $200 (online, in-person or mail)

  • 4hrs – $300 (Must be done in person and received by 1:00PM

 

5. Receive Certificate of Authority

After the Ohio Secretary of State has received and processed your application, they will respond to the contact listed on the cover letter submitted with your registration. You can check on your application status by going to the Ohio business portal, or sign up for email notifications on your application to receive email updates on your application status.

 

FAQ

What form do I need to file to register my Foreign LLC in Ohio?

To register your out of state LLC in Ohio, you’ll need to file a Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company application with the Ohio Secretary of State. You can submit it by mail, in person, or online. You can also, hire us to file the form for you.

 

Do I need a registered (statutory) agent in Ohio?

Yes. As an out of state LLC, it is required that you have a statutory agent (also called a registered agent) that is located in Ohio.

 

Do I need a Certificate of Good Standing from my home jurisdiction?

No. Ohio is one of the few states that does not require you to provide a Certificate of Good Standing from their home state to qualify for foreign LLC registration in Ohio.

 

How can my LLC be considered as a transacting business?

Ohio is part of a list of interesting states that does not necessarily specify what constitutes as a “transacting business,” but the general rule of thumb is if your LLC is conducting business activities such as owning/leasing real estate, operating a storefront or warehouse, or executing contracts local to Ohio, then it can be considered as a “transacting business”.

 

Are there different prices for filing my Foreign registration in person or online?

Generally, the state price for filing your Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company form are the same price for online, in person and mail-in filings. The only difference is if you decide to expedite your filing to be done on the same day. This must be done In person and it the price is $300 plus the application fee.