LLC Formation in Ohio (2026): 7 Moves and the 2 Best LLC Services
If you are hiring for starting an LLC in Ohio in 2026, we rank Mainstay Filing ($199) and OH Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. 7 moves, $99 to the state, then your first year of upkeep.
From the Founder Primer desk
Key facts
Formation fee
$99
Check it yourself at codes.ohio.gov; we read it in October 2026
Report each year
None
The state skips it
State fees, three years
$99
Service fees excluded
Moves in this primer
7
In order
Primer goals
The official Ohio fee and form
The statutory agent requirement
How to stay in good standing
Who we would hire to file
Who we would hire in Ohio
Five weighted criteria set the order (see how we score); three-year cost and to-dos cleared count most.
Start with this$199 first year, $199 renewal, state fee extra
1. Mainstay Filing: best for filing plus agent on one invoice
First place goes to Mainstay Filing because $199 yearly, filing and statutory agent together, no step up at renewal.
You pay $200 more than at OH Registered Agent.org across three years and keep less of the paperwork.
Inside the price
Formation filing
Statutory agent all year
EIN application included
State fee billed at cost
In its favor
It prepares your EIN application
No bump at renewal ($199)
One yearly price, $199
Against it
Renewal is $100 higher than OH Registered Agent.org
The bundle is worth less here
Ohio focusFormation $199; renewal $99 a year
2. OH Registered Agent.org: best for a low-cost Ohio start
Number 2 is OH Registered Agent.org, where $199 on top of the state fee, agent free in year one, then $99 a year.
Posted prices, read November 13, 2026. The $99 state fee is not in these figures.
The moves
Move 1
Make sure the name is yours to use
A taken name can get the Ohio filing bounced. Run the business search at the Ohio Secretary of State before you do anything else.
Show up with a second name.
Move 2
Who is the statutory agent?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. An Ohio resident, or a business entity with a business address in Ohio.
The address has to be the agent's home or usual place of business in Ohio. P.O. boxes and commercial mail receiving agencies are not accepted.
The statutory agent job comes with each pick.
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at codes.ohio.gov; we read it in October 2026
Move 3
Who files it?
$99 goes to the state regardless. A service costs $199 extra; the ranking shows who to use.
Move 4
Prepare the Articles of Organization
Send the Articles of Organization (Form 610) and $99 to the Ohio Secretary of State. Legal basis: Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16. That brings the LLC into being.
Where this comes from: Check it yourself at codes.ohio.gov; we read it in October 2026
Move 5
Get your EIN
The IRS issues EINs, not Ohio. Apply after approval and hand the number to your bank. Mainstay Filing does this for you, no extra fee.
Move 6
Sign an operating agreement
A single-owner Ohio LLC still benefits from a written operating agreement in the files.
Move 7
Handle Ohio's recurring filing
The state wants no annual filing, but the statutory agent has to stay on record.
What each move costs in Ohio
Move
Recipient
Cost
Setting up the LLC
The state
$99
Filing service (optional)
Service company
$199 in year one
State fees for three years
The state
$99
We get the three-year state number by adding the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax. Service fees stay separate.
How we ordered the Ohio picks
To-dos the price takes off you decided first place in Ohio. It is 38% of the mark; the rest is founder outlay over three years, year-two price, fit with the state's rules and pricing you can read at once.
A close call, decided by to-dos cleared.
What founders ask
How big is the Ohio formation fee?
Ohio bills $99. Hire help and add $199.
Which form creates the LLC?
The destination for the Articles of Organization (Form 610) is the Ohio Secretary of State.
Is a statutory agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Ohio require each year?
No annual LLC report is required.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
You can: the state wants $99, and you name a statutory agent yourself or hire one.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
Mainstay Filing first, then OH Registered Agent.org; Mainstay Filing wins on to-dos the price takes off you.