Best LLC Service by State › Ohio
Best LLC Formation Service in Ohio (2026): Year-One and Year-Two Cost Compared
Our pick: Mainstay Filing. $199 a year covers forming your Ohio LLC, your registered agent all year, your EIN application, and it renews at the same $199. Ohio’s filing fee ($99, set by the Ohio Secretary of State) is passed through at cost.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
- Provider prices checked October 2026
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year + $99 state fee
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Year-one and year-two cost in Ohio
| Provider | Year 1 | Year 2 | 3-year total | What the price covers | Renewal terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $298 | $199 | $696 | Formation filing, registered agent, EIN application and every annual report filed | $199 a year, the same at renewal |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $138 | $125 | $388 | Formation; agent included year 1; annual report filing is an extra $100 plus the state fee | $125 a year |
| ZenBusiness | $198 | $199 | $596 | Starter formation; agent bought separately; Pro ($199 a year) adds EIN and annual-report filing | $199 a year agent |
| Bizee | $99 | $149 | $397 | Basic formation with a free first year of its agent; Standard is $199 and Premium $299 | $149 a year agent |
| LegalZoom | $348 | $249 | $846 | Basic formation; agent bought separately at $249 for first-time agent customers (Pro $249, Premium $299) | $249 a year agent |
Which service fits which owner
Side hustle
The worry is what the LLC costs you every year while the income is small. Here that is $199 with Mainstay Filing plus no state report fee. Bizee is lower in year 1 ($99 against $298), but check its year-2 cell before you take the saving.
First-time owner
Most of the work comes after the filing: the EIN, an operating agreement, an agent address and a calendar that is blank for state reports, since Ohio has none. Mainstay Filing prepares and files the formation and the report, applies for the EIN, and has no operating-agreement upcharge.
Online business
You will probably be asked for a business address by a bank or a payment processor. The registered agent address is on the public record and is not a business mailing address; Mainstay Filing says its address can’t stand in for one, so plan a separate mailing address. Required registered agent in Ohio: An Ohio resident, or a business entity with a business address in Ohio.
Startup with co-founders
Two things to settle before filing: who owns what, in an operating agreement, and who is responsible for the yearly paperwork. With Mainstay Filing the agreement is not an extra charge and the report is filed for you, so the $696 three-year figure above is the whole budget apart from legal advice you choose to buy.
Non-US owner
Mainstay Filing applies for the EIN as part of formation. It charges a one-time $99 for founders with no SSN or ITIN (a faxed Form SS-4), on top of the $199 and the $99 Ohio filing fee.
Ohio facts
- Filing
- Articles of Organization (610), $99, filed with the Ohio Secretary of State
- Yearly report
- No LLC annual report
- Registered agent
- Required. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Should you file it yourself?
You can. File the Articles of Organization (610) with the Ohio Secretary of State for $99, get the EIN free from the IRS, name a registered agent, and calendarnothing for the state, as there is no annual report. What a service adds is the address on the public record, the reminders and a single yearly price. The steps and what is left after filing.
Questions
Do I need an operating agreement in Ohio?
Whether Ohio requires one is a legal point we have not checked state by state; with more than one owner, a written agreement settles who decides what. Mainstay Filing does not charge extra for one.
Can I be my own registered agent in Ohio?
An Ohio resident, or a business entity with a business address in Ohio. Check the rule above before assuming you can.
What does an LLC cost after year one in Ohio?
Mainstay Filing: $199 in year 2. The others vary: Northwest Registered Agent $125, ZenBusiness $199, Bizee $149, LegalZoom $249.
Sources
- Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16 (Ohio Revised Limited Liability Company Act — articles of organization); fee set by ORC § 111.16(F) (multira state research spine): codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1706.16, checked August 12, 2026
- Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-111.16, checked October 1, 2026
- Ohio Secretary of State (multira state research spine): www.ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/frequently-asked-questions, checked August 12, 2026
- Ohio Secretary of State (multira state research spine): www.ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/keeping-your-business-up-to-date, checked August 12, 2026
- Ohio report due date (multira state research spine, due dates verified 714/714): codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-1706, checked August 12, 2026
- Ohio registered agent statute (Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.09): codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1706.09, checked October 20, 2026