Ohio

Foreign registration · Form 530A

Iowa Corporation Foreign Registration in Ohio

Ohio registers a corporation from Iowa as a foreign corporation on Form 530A, with $99 in state fees. Ohio may ask for Iowa's Certificate of Existence ($5). We file it with the Secretary of State, Business Services from your Iowa records, then serve as your statutory agent there for year one.

Iowa vs Ohio: the paperwork

	Iowa formed here	Ohio registering here
Document	Iowa Certificate of Existence	Form 530A, Foreign For-Profit Corporation Application for License
State fee	$5	$99 at order
How it is handled	Iowa: online as a printable PDF right after payment	Filed with Ohio
Paid expedite		2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200
Office	Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services	Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services
Official page	sos.iowa.gov	ohiosos.gov
Yearly filing	Biennial Report, $60, every two years	No annual report
Due	April 1 of even-numbered years
Turnaround	Certificate issued instantly online	Standard processing: 3 to 7 business days
Agent	Your Iowa registered agent	Our Ohio statutory agent

From Iowa to Ohio, step by step

We prepare and file Form 530A
It names us as your Ohio statutory agent, with your Iowa name and formation date. If Ohio wants the Iowa certificate, it is ordered first. Once Ohio approves it, the Iowa company can do business there.

Your Iowa name and Ohio's rules

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

Agents: Ohio and Iowa

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

Yearly filings: Ohio and Iowa

Iowa wants the Biennial Report every two years ($60); Ohio has no annual report for corporations. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Iowa to Ohio

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

The other way: Ohio into Iowa

A corporation formed in Ohio that registers with Iowa files Form 635_0110A with $100 in state fees. See that filing.

Questions Iowa owners ask about Ohio

Does my Iowa company need to register in Ohio?

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

Is this a certificate of authority?

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

How much does the Ohio registration cost?

$298 at checkout; Ohio may also want Iowa'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 Iowa's certificate if Ohio asks for it. Paid expedite: 2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200.

What are the yearly costs for Iowa and Ohio?

Our statutory agent renewal ($149 a year), Iowa's report ($60, every two years) and no Ohio yearly report.

What if I don't register with Ohio?

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

Does Ohio require a registered agent?

Yes: the Iowa 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 Iowa keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one has no Ohio yearly report, and the original keeps Iowa's Biennial Report.

How do I withdraw from Ohio later?

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

Official sources

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