Ohio

Foreign registration · Form 617

Kentucky LLC Foreign Registration in Ohio

An LLC formed in Kentucky that wants to do business in Ohio files Form 617, with $99 in state fees. Ohio asks nothing of Kentucky here, not even the Certificate of Existence. We file it with the Secretary of State, Business Services from your Kentucky records, then serve as your statutory agent there for year one.

Kentucky vs Ohio: the paperwork

	Kentucky formed here	Ohio registering here
Document	Kentucky Certificate of Existence (not needed here)	Form 617, Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee	$10	$99 at order
How it is handled	Kentucky: online as a printable certificate, or by mail or fax	Filed with Ohio
Paid expedite		2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200
Office	Kentucky Secretary of State, Division of Business Filings	Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services
Official page	web.sos.ky.gov	ohiosos.gov
Yearly filing	Annual Report, $15, every year	No annual report
Due	On or before June 30
Agent	Your Kentucky registered agent	Our Ohio statutory agent

How Kentucky companies register with Ohio

We prepare and file Form 617
It lists us as your Ohio statutory agent, next to your Kentucky name and formation date. Nothing has to come from Kentucky first, so the Ohio filing can go in right away. After approval, your Kentucky LLC is registered with Ohio.

Your Kentucky name and Ohio's rules

We search Ohio's records for Kentucky's name on file before anything is filed.

Agents: Ohio and Kentucky

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

Staying in good standing in Kentucky and Ohio

Kentucky wants the Annual Report every year ($15); Ohio has no annual report for LLCs. The new registration does not replace any home-state filing.

LLC or corporation, Kentucky to Ohio

A corporation formed in Kentucky files Form 530A with Ohio ($99 in state fees, the same). See the corporation filing.

Registering an Ohio company in Kentucky

An LLC formed in Ohio that registers with Kentucky files Form FBE with $90 in state fees; no Ohio certificate is needed. See that filing.

Common questions: Kentucky to Ohio

Does my Kentucky company need to register in Ohio?

Yes, once a Kentucky business operates there; Ohio law lists 11 activities that do not count on their own.

How much does it cost to register a Kentucky LLC in Ohio?

$298 at checkout, with nothing to pay Kentucky.

Do I need Kentucky's certificate of good standing?

No, Ohio takes Form 617 without it.

How long does the Ohio registration take?

Ohio's standard processing takes 3 to 7 business days; nothing comes from Kentucky first. Paid expedite: 2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200.

What are the yearly costs for Kentucky and Ohio?

Our statutory agent renewal ($149 a year), Kentucky's report ($15) and no Ohio yearly report.

What if I don't register with Ohio?

A Kentucky company cannot sue in court there until it registers.

Does Ohio require a registered agent?

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

Can I form a new Ohio LLC instead?

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

How do I withdraw from Ohio later?

Kentucky companies leave by filing a Certificate of Cancellation of Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company; until then, both the Ohio registration and Kentucky's filings stay in place.

Official sources

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