Foreign LLC registration

Ohio Foreign LLC Registration: Form 617

An LLC formed in another state registers with Ohio on Form 617, Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company. The $99 filing fee goes to Ohio; our $199 covers preparing and filing it plus the first year of Ohio statutory agent service, for $298 at checkout. Ohio does not ask for a home-state certificate with this filing.

Our service$199

Ohio state fee$99

Total$298

Choose your home state

Ohio LLC registration at a glance

Filing: Form 617, Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee: $99 filing fee
Total with us: $298, first year of Ohio statutory agent service included
Standard processing: 3 to 7 business days
Home-state certificate: Not required
Ohio yearly filing: None for foreign LLCs
Filed with: Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services

What Form 617 asks for

For Form 617, Ohio needs:

The exact name of your LLC as formed
The state it was formed in and its date of formation
A Ohio statutory agent with a street address there; we fill in ours
A principal office address

LLC into Ohio, by home state

Every home state pays the same $298 at checkout for Ohio.

Formed in	Home-state certificate	First year
Alabama	Not needed	$298
Alaska	Not needed	$298
Arizona	Not needed	$298
Arkansas	Not needed	$298
California	Not needed	$298
Colorado	Not needed	$298
Connecticut	Not needed	$298
Delaware	Not needed	$298
Florida	Not needed	$298
Georgia	Not needed	$298
Hawaii	Not needed	$298
Idaho	Not needed	$298
Illinois	Not needed	$298
Indiana	Not needed	$298
Iowa	Not needed	$298
Kansas	Not needed	$298
Kentucky	Not needed	$298
Louisiana	Not needed	$298
Maine	Not needed	$298
Maryland	Not needed	$298
Massachusetts	Not needed	$298
Michigan	Not needed	$298
Minnesota	Not needed	$298
Mississippi	Not needed	$298
Missouri	Not needed	$298
Montana	Not needed	$298
Nebraska	Not needed	$298
Nevada	Not needed	$298
New Hampshire	Not needed	$298
New Jersey	Not needed	$298
New Mexico	Not needed	$298
New York	Not needed	$298
North Carolina	Not needed	$298
North Dakota	Not needed	$298
Oklahoma	Not needed	$298
Oregon	Not needed	$298
Pennsylvania	Not needed	$298
Rhode Island	Not needed	$298
South Carolina	Not needed	$298
South Dakota	Not needed	$298
Tennessee	Not needed	$298
Texas	Not needed	$298
Utah	Not needed	$298
Vermont	Not needed	$298
Virginia	Not needed	$298
Washington	Not needed	$298
West Virginia	Not needed	$298
Wisconsin	Not needed	$298
Wyoming	Not needed	$298

When Ohio expects an LLC to register

Ohio law lists 11 activities that do not, on their own, count as doing business in Ohio (R.C. 1706.512). Being a member or manager of an LLC that does business in Ohio does not by itself mean you do business there. These rules decide registration only; Ohio tax nexus and lawsuits follow their own tests. An office, staff, or regular sales and contracts there are what typically lead to registration.

If you do business in Ohio without registering

An unregistered LLC doing business there cannot start a lawsuit in Ohio courts until it registers. Its contracts stay valid, and it can still defend a case brought against it. Members and managers do not become personally liable just because the LLC skipped registration. A Ohio court can order the LLC to stop doing business there until it registers.

Ohio statutory agent rule

Ohio requires every registered foreign LLC to keep a statutory agent there. The agent's address must be a street address in Ohio, not a P.O. box. A resigning agent stays responsible for 30 days after filing the resignation. Our $199 includes the first year of Ohio statutory agent service, then $149 a year.

Ohio yearly filings

Ohio has no annual report for foreign LLCs.

How long Ohio takes

We file Form 617 with the Ohio Secretary of State. Ohio standard processing: 3 to 7 business days. Paid speed-ups: 2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200; they are optional and not in the total.

Leaving Ohio later

If your LLC stops doing business there, it ends the registration by filing a Certificate of Cancellation of Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company. Until then, the Ohio registration and statutory agent stay in place.

Ohio foreign LLC questions

Do I have to register my LLC in Ohio?

Yes, if it was formed in another state and does business there. Ohio law lists 11 activities that do not count on their own. An office, staff or regular sales there usually mean registering.

How much does foreign LLC registration in Ohio cost?

$298 at checkout: the $99 filing fee plus our $199, which includes the first year of statutory agent service.

Does Ohio need a certificate from my home state?

No, Ohio does not ask for one with this filing.

How long does the Ohio registration take?

Ohio's standard processing takes 3 to 7 business days; a paid 2-business-day option costs $100.

What does it cost each year to stay registered in Ohio?

$149 a year for our statutory agent service; Ohio has no annual report for foreign LLCs. The home state's own yearly filing stays separate.

What if I don't register with Ohio?

Your LLC cannot sue in court there until it registers.

Do I need a registered agent in Ohio?

Yes. Ohio requires one for every LLC registered there from another state, with a street address in the state. Ours is included for the first year, then $149 a year.

How do I withdraw from Ohio later?

File a Certificate of Cancellation of Registration with the Ohio Secretary of State.

Can I form a new Ohio LLC instead?

It is possible, but that is a separate company, while the original keeps its home-state filings. Registering keeps one company in both states.

Is the Ohio filing the same for a corporation?

No: corporations file Form 530A ($99 in state fees, the same fee), and LLCs file Form 617.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Ohio calls it registration; other states call the same step a certificate of authority or foreign qualification.