Ohio · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in Ohio
Ohio is the state where your share count changes your filing bill. Pick it on purpose.
See the stepsShort answer
To start a corporation in Ohio, file Initial Articles of Incorporation (Form 532A) with the Secretary of State. At checkout that is $99 for Ohio plus $123.75 for our formation, $222.75 before card processing. The filing fee depends on authorized shares, with a statutory floor of ninety-nine dollars. Expedite fees of $100, $200 or $300 are added on top. You must also name a statutory agent.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in Ohio, step by step?
Ohio prices articles of incorporation by authorized shares, with a statutory floor of ninety-nine dollars and a ceiling of one hundred thousand dollars. A modest share count keeps you near the floor.
Choose and check the name
Your name must end with or include company, co., corporation, corp., incorporated or inc. Check the Secretary of State's business name search first, because the office rejects a name that is not distinguishable. See the Ohio name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File initial articles of incorporation
File the Initial Articles of Incorporation (Form 532A) with Ohio. The fee at our checkout is $99. Details are below.
Adopt bylaws
Bylaws are the board's rules: how directors are elected, how meetings run and how officers are chosen. Every corporation we form includes them.
Name directors, officers and issue shares
An Ohio corporation needs at least one director and must have a president, a secretary and a treasurer. 5 Hold an organizational meeting, record it in minutes, and issue stock to the owners.
Get an EIN
The EIN is the corporation's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it free at irs.gov.
Register for state taxes
Register with Ohio Department of Taxation: create a business tax account (sales tax vendor's license, employer withholding) through Ohio Business Gateway. 7
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the Ohio annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Ohio?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $99 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $222.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $277.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $321 | At filing |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. Ohio's fees are the same whoever files.
Ohio at a glance
| Question | Ohio |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Initial Articles of Incorporation (Form 532A), $99 1 |
| Expedited filing | Level 1 $100, Level 2 $200, Level 3 $300 2 |
| Name rule | Must end with or include Company, Co., Corporation, Corp., Incorporated or Inc. 3 |
| Registered agent | Statutory agent: an Ohio-resident individual, or a domestic or foreign entity with a business address in Ohio 4 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: president, secretary and treasurer (any two or more offices may be held by one person) 5 |
| Corporate income tax | 0% flat 6 |
Do I need a registered agent in Ohio?
An Ohio corporation must keep a statutory agent who is either an Ohio-resident individual or an entity with a business address in Ohio. 4 You can be your own agent if you have a street address in the state and are there in business hours, but the address goes on the public record. Ours, through our partner Registered Agents Inc, is $74.25 a year, or $178.20 with the formation. Ohio registered agent rules.
What goes in the Ohio initial articles of incorporation?
File Initial Articles of Incorporation (Form 532A) with the Ohio Secretary of State. The articles state the name, the principal office location in Ohio and the number of authorized shares, which drives the fee.
Ohio's expedite fees for corporation filings are $100 for Level 1, $200 for Level 2 and $300 for Level 3, added to the filing fee. 2
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a Ohio corporation owe?
Appoint at least one director and elect a president, a secretary and a treasurer. One person can hold more than one office. Keep your statutory agent current, since Ohio requires one for as long as the corporation exists.
- Ohio's corporation franchise tax only applied to years before 2014; most companies now pay either the Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) or the Financial Institutions Tax (FIT) instead. 6
How do I start an S corp in Ohio?
A corporation is a C corporation unless it elects otherwise. An S corp is a tax election, not another kind of entity. The order is plain: form the corporation, get the EIN, then file IRS Form 2553 within 2 months and 15 days after start of the tax year the election takes effect (or any time in the prior tax year) 9. Ohio treats an LLC taxed as an S corporation as a pass-through entity, so its profit is taxed to the owners through the individual income tax. 8
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read Ohio: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in Ohio?
Shares, a board and officers. The usual choice when you plan to raise money from investors or issue stock options.
Fewer formalities and flexible ownership. Often the simpler choice for one owner or a small team.
Compare the two: How to start an LLC in Ohio.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in Ohio as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in Ohio?
- Adopt the bylaws and hold the first board meeting; write minutes.
- Issue stock to the owners and keep a stock ledger.
- Get the EIN, open a business bank account and keep money separate.
Form your Ohio corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($99), with bylaws included. Add the registered agent for $178.20 in all, or take the Day-One Bundle at $222.
Common questions
How much does it cost to incorporate in Ohio?
The fee depends on authorized shares, with a floor of ninety-nine dollars. Expedited service adds $100, $200 or $300.
Can I expedite an Ohio incorporation filing?
Yes: $100 for Level 1, $200 for Level 2 and $300 for Level 3, added to the filing fee. Pick the level when you file.
What does an Ohio corporation name have to include?
Company, co., corporation, corp., incorporated or inc. It must also meet the other limits in Ohio Revised Code 1701.05.
Who can be the statutory agent for an Ohio corporation?
An Ohio-resident individual, or an entity with a business address in Ohio.
Sources 9 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Ohio's filing fee for articles of incorporation is set by authorized shares, and the statute sets a floor of ninety-nine dollars. codes.ohio.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Ohio's expedite fees for corporation filings are $100 for Level 1, $200 for Level 2 and $300 for Level 3, added to the filing fee. lsc.ohio.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- An Ohio corporate name must end with or include company, co., corporation, corp., incorporated or inc. codes.ohio.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- An Ohio corporation must keep a statutory agent who is either an Ohio-resident individual or an entity with a business address in Ohio. codes.ohio.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- An Ohio corporation needs at least one director and must have a president, a secretary and a treasurer. codes.ohio.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Ohio's corporation franchise tax only applied to years before 2014; most companies now pay either the Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) or the Financial Institutions Tax (FIT) instead. tax.ohio.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- A new Ohio business registers for its state tax IDs, such as sales tax and employer withholding, with the Ohio Department of Taxation. tax.ohio.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Ohio treats an LLC taxed as an S corporation as a pass-through entity, so its profit is taxed to the owners through the individual income tax. dam.assets.ohio.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- IRS: Form 2553 instructions irs.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
Last verified Nov 7, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.