Class 1 · Ohio
Ohio LLC Formation Class (2026): 7 Assignments and the 2 Best LLC Services
Need-to-know facts
Class goals
- The Ohio formation paper, its price and its destination
- What the agent rule says
- How to stay in good standing
- Who we would hire to file
Ohio: the graded services
1. OH Registered Agent.org: best for a small first bill
OH Registered Agent.org gets first place, and the reason is that a formation fee of $199, followed by $99 a year for the agent.
Its three-year bill is lower than Mainstay Filing's, which wins first place because tuition counts 30%.
Covered by the tuition
- Filing made with the state
- A year of agent service is part of the price
Strengths
- A free first agent year
- $99 a year after that
- A $199 formation fee
Weak spots
- The EIN application is not included ($99)
2. Mainstay Filing: best for first-time owners
Mainstay Filing lands in second place: $199 yearly pays for the filing and the statutory agent, with no surprise at renewal.
Over three years it sits $200 behind OH Registered Agent.org.
Covered by the tuition
- The filing is done for you
- Statutory agent for the whole year
- EIN application included
- State fee billed at cost
Strengths
- It prepares your EIN application too
- $199 per year for the whole package
- $199 when you renew
Weak spots
- $100 a year more than OH Registered Agent.org at renewal
- Ohio has no report to bundle, which shrinks the savings
The services compared
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OH Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit OH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199/yr | $597 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
How a Ohio LLC gets formed
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Assignment
1Check that nobody else has the name
Your first assignment is a name search at the Ohio Secretary of State, so you do not file under a name that someone else uses.
Bring a second name with you.
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Assignment
2Decide who will be a statutory agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. An Ohio resident, or a business entity with a business address in Ohio.
The address has to be the agent's home or usual place of business in Ohio. P.O. boxes and commercial mail receiving agencies are not accepted.
You can hire any of the graded services for this.
Textbook page: Check the textbook page: codes.ohio.gov (read October 2026)
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Assignment
3Weigh doing it alone against paying for help
The state's fee is $99 either way. A service adds $199; the grade list shows which one to pick.
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Assignment
4Complete, sign and file the Articles of Organization
You need three things for this assignment: the Articles of Organization (Form 610), $99 and the Ohio Secretary of State as the place to send them. Statute: Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16.
Textbook page: Check the textbook page: codes.ohio.gov (read October 2026)
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Assignment
5Get an EIN
Once the state says yes, you request an EIN, which lets the LLC open accounts under its own name. This assignment is inside the Mainstay Filing package.
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Assignment
6Write an operating agreement
Even a Ohio LLC with a single owner is better off with a written operating agreement in the files.
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Assignment
7Mark the deadlines that repeat
The state wants no annual filing, yet the statutory agent has to stay on record.
Costs, assignment by assignment
| Assignment | Paid to | Sum |
|---|---|---|
| Forming the LLC | Goes to the state | $99 |
| Optional service | Your service | $199 in year one |
| State fees over years one to three | Goes to the state | $99 |
How we graded the Ohio picks
What decided it was tuition across three years, which carries 30% of the grade.
Three years with OH Registered Agent.org add up to $397, which is $200 under Mainstay Filing.
Short answers
What does it cost to file a new LLC in Ohio?
$99, paid to the state. $199 extra buys a service that does the filing.
Which form creates the LLC?
Hand the Articles of Organization (Form 610) to the Ohio Secretary of State.
Is a statutory agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What does Ohio require each year?
No yearly report is due.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
Nothing stops you. Ohio wants $99, and the LLC has to name a statutory agent, which you can do yourself or hire out.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
OH Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing, from the highest grade to the lowest.
Textbook pages and extra reading
- Study tip for Ohio Rev: everything above comes from codes.ohio.gov, which we reread in August 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, official source: everything above comes from codes.ohio.gov, which we reread in October 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Study tip for Ohio registered agent statute: everything above comes from codes.ohio.gov, which we reread in October 2026. Open it and follow along.
- Tuition figures from OH Registered Agent.org (pricing page), November 13, 2026
- Tuition figures from Mainstay Filing (Ohio service page), November 13, 2026