Ohio

Foreign registration · Form 617

Wisconsin LLC Foreign Registration in Ohio

Ohio registers an LLC from Wisconsin as a foreign LLC on Form 617, with $99 in state fees. Ohio asks nothing of Wisconsin here, not even the Certificate of Status. We file it with the Secretary of State, Business Services using your Wisconsin records and act as your statutory agent there for the first year.

Wisconsin vs Ohio: the paperwork

	Wisconsin formed here	Ohio registering here
Document	Wisconsin Certificate of Status (not needed here)	Form 617, Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee	$10	$99 at order
How it is handled	Wisconsin: online, emailed as soon as it is requested	Filed with Ohio
Paid expedite		2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200
Office	Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, Division of Corporate and Consumer Services	Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services
Official page	dfi.wi.gov	ohiosos.gov
Yearly filing	Annual Report (Form 5 / CORP5), $25, every year	No annual report
Due	End of the calendar quarter containing the LLC's anniversary date
Agent	Your Wisconsin registered agent	Our Ohio statutory agent

From Wisconsin to Ohio, step by step

We prepare and file Form 617
It names us as your Ohio statutory agent, with your Wisconsin name and formation date. No Wisconsin paperwork holds up the Ohio filing. After approval, your Wisconsin LLC is registered with Ohio.

Your Wisconsin name and Ohio's rules

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

Agents: Ohio and Wisconsin

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

Staying in good standing in Wisconsin and Ohio

Wisconsin wants the Annual Report (Form 5 / CORP5) every year ($25); Ohio has no annual report for LLCs. Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Wisconsin to Ohio

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

The other way: Ohio into Wisconsin

An LLC formed in Ohio that registers with Wisconsin files Form 521 with $100 in state fees; no Ohio certificate is needed. See that filing.

Common questions: Wisconsin to Ohio

Does my Wisconsin company need to register in Ohio?

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

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

$298 at checkout, with nothing to pay Wisconsin.

Do I need Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin first. Paid expedite: 2-business-day $100, 1-business-day $200.

What are the yearly costs for Wisconsin and Ohio?

Our statutory agent renewal ($149 a year), Wisconsin's report ($25) and no Ohio yearly report.

What if I don't register with Ohio?

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

Does Ohio require a registered agent?

Yes: the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one has no Ohio yearly report, and the original keeps Wisconsin's Annual Report (Form 5 / CORP5).

How do I withdraw from Ohio later?

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

Official sources

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