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No jargon · Ohio

2 Best LLC Services in Ohio (2026), No Jargon

We'd line up the LLC formation services in Ohio for 2026 as Mainstay Filing ($199) and OH Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. Plan on $99 for the state plus $397 to $597 in service fees over three years.
From the LLC Plainly editorial team

The short version

What the state charges
$99, when you file
Each year
No report
Statutory agent
Yes, you must
Our picks
Mainstay Filing then OH Registered Agent.org

Who we like in Ohio

Wondering about the order? How we pick explains it.
Start here

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a bill you can predict

Annual price $199, renewal price $199, state fee on top

Why Mainstay Filing? Honestly, for $199 a year you get the filing and a statutory agent, plus the EIN application.

Over three years you'd pay $200 more than with OH Registered Agent.org, and that buys service in every state.

Your money buys

  • The state filing, taken care of
  • Statutory agent for twelve months
  • We apply for your EIN
  • State fees passed on at cost

The good

  • Stays at $199 when you renew
  • EIN taken care of
  • Locked at $199 a year

Trade-offs

  • After year one it costs $100 more a year
  • You get less from the bundle here
Local to Ohio

2. OH Registered Agent.org: best for keeping three-year cost down

Pay $199 now and $99 each year later, state fee extra

Number 2 is OH Registered Agent.org: it starts at $199 with the first agent year included and runs $99 a year after that.

Your money buys

  • Formation handled for you
  • Agent included for year one

The good

  • A free agent year at the start
  • The agent renews at $99
  • Starts at $199 over the state fee

Trade-offs

  • The EIN isn't included ($99)

Price check

#ServiceYear oneRenews atOver three yearsIn the price
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597the state filing, taken care of; statutory agent for twelve months; We apply for your EINCheck out Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2OH Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397formation handled for you; agent included for year oneCheck out OH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
These are service fees only, from each company's prices on November 13, 2026. The state's fees are the same whoever you pick.

Straight answers

How much do I need to get an LLC going?

$99 if you file yourself, and $199 more if a service does it.

When the recurring report are counted, the state collects $99 over three years. codes.ohio.gov, confirmed October 2026 (official)

Where do I send the LLC paperwork?

The form is the Articles of Organization (Form 610), and the office is the Ohio Secretary of State.

The law behind it: Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16. codes.ohio.gov, confirmed October 2026 (official)

Do I have to name 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.

codes.ohio.gov, confirmed October 2026 (official)

What's the upkeep?

Report cost: zero.

Is it okay to do the filing myself?

Yes, you can. On your own you'd owe just the state's fees, which come to $99 over three years.

Using a service lifts your three-year bill by $397 to $597.

What's behind the ranking?

It's work taken off your hands (31% of the score), and Mainstay Filing does best there.

Five checks set the order: cost across three years (33%), work taken off your hands (31%), prices stated clearly (14%), renewal price (12%) and where it works (10%).

With no Ohio report to file, coverage only barely decides it.

The five checks

Ohio: the rules, cited

ItemThe answerOfficial source
LLC filing fee$99codes.ohio.gov, confirmed October 2026 (official)
Statutory agentYes, you mustcodes.ohio.gov, confirmed October 2026 (official)
Three-year state total$99Added from the rows
The bottom row isn't a state figure. It's our total of the filing fee, the next two reports and the minimum tax, if the state has one.

Other things people ask

What does getting an EIN cost?

It's included at Mainstay Filing, while OH Registered Agent.org wants $99.

What's the three-year total for each?

Three-year totals are Mainstay Filing, $597; OH Registered Agent.org, $397, and state fees are separate.

How official are these figures?

The state fees come from Ohio's own documents, and the service prices come from the companies' sites. We put dates on both.

Is hiring help required?

You can skip it. The state's fee is the same whichever way you file.

Do I pay the state every year?

Report cost: zero.

Who would you go with in Ohio?

Mainstay Filing, because the price stays $199 at renewal and pays for formation and the statutory agent. After that, OH Registered Agent.org.

Official sources and price pages

  1. Ohio Rev, codes.ohio.gov (confirmed August 2026)
  2. Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, codes.ohio.gov (confirmed October 2026)
  3. Ohio registered agent statute, codes.ohio.gov (confirmed October 2026)
  4. Mainstay Filing Ohio service page, read November 13, 2026
  5. OH Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026