Alabama

Ohio

Foreign registration · Form 530A

Alabama Corporation Foreign Registration in Ohio

Ohio registers a corporation from Alabama as a foreign corporation on Form 530A, with $99 in state fees. Ohio may ask for Alabama's Certificate of Existence ($25). We file it with the Secretary of State, Business Services using your Alabama records and act as your statutory agent there for the first year.

Alabama vs Ohio: the paperwork

	Alabama formed here	Ohio registering here
Document	Alabama Certificate of Existence	Form 530A, Foreign For-Profit Corporation Application for License
State fee	$25	$99 at order
How it is handled	Alabama: online as an instant printable certificate with a seal and authentication number	Filed with Ohio
Paid expedite		2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200
Office	Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division	Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services
Official page	sos.alabama.gov	ohiosos.gov
Yearly filing	Business Privilege Tax return (Form CPT), fee set by the state, every year	No annual report
Turnaround	Certificate issued instantly online	Standard processing: 3 to 7 business days
Agent	Your Alabama registered agent	Our Ohio statutory agent

From Alabama to Ohio, step by step

We prepare and file Form 530A
It lists us as your Ohio statutory agent, next to your Alabama name and formation date. If Ohio wants the Alabama certificate, it is ordered first. After approval, your Alabama corporation is registered with Ohio.

Will your Alabama name work for Ohio?

We check your exact Alabama name against Ohio's records before filing.

Agents: Ohio and Alabama

Ohio calls it a statutory agent; Alabama says registered agent. Your current registered agent stays for Alabama; ours takes Ohio's papers and notices.

Staying in good standing in Alabama and Ohio

Alabama wants the Business Privilege Tax return (Form CPT) every year; Ohio has no annual report for corporations. The new registration does not replace any home-state filing.

LLC or corporation, Alabama to Ohio

An LLC formed in Alabama files Form 617 with Ohio ($99 in state fees, the same; no home-state certificate is needed). See the LLC filing.

Registering an Ohio company in Alabama

A corporation formed in Ohio that registers with Alabama files Alabama's registration (no form number) with $184 in state fees. See that filing.

Common questions: Alabama to Ohio

Does my Alabama company need to register in Ohio?

Yes, once an Alabama business operates there; Ohio registers it as a foreign corporation.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Ohio calls it registration for Alabama corporations; other states say certificate of authority.

How much does the Ohio registration cost?

$298 at checkout; Ohio may also want Alabama's Certificate of Existence, at extra cost.

How long does the Ohio registration take?

Ohio's standard processing takes 3 to 7 business days, plus time for Alabama's certificate if Ohio asks for it. Paid expedite: 2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200.

What are the yearly costs for Alabama and Ohio?

Our statutory agent renewal ($149 a year), Alabama's report (fee set by the state) and no Ohio yearly report.

What if I don't register with Ohio?

Ohio can charge an Alabama company a civil penalty of up to $10,000 and a fine of at least $250.

Does Ohio require a registered agent?

Yes: the Alabama registered agent stays, and ours covers Ohio for year one, with a street address there.

Can I form a new Ohio corporation instead?

Yes, but Alabama keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one has no Ohio yearly report, and the original keeps Alabama's Business Privilege Tax return (Form CPT).

How do I withdraw from Ohio later?

Alabama companies leave by filing a Certificate of Surrender of Foreign Licensed Corporation; until then, both the Ohio registration and Alabama's filings stay in place.

Official sources

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