No.1
Our top pick
1. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses active in several states
$199 for the service, $298 due now with the state fee; from year two the agent bills $149 annually
Score9.1out of 10
First place: Mainstay Filing. $199 covers the Ohio registration and the statutory agent role is free the first year, then $149 annually.
Once the free year has passed, $149 a year applies in any state.
Its three-year total exceeds OH Registered Agent.org's by $100; the broader coverage outweighs that difference in our scoring.
In the price
- The foreign registration, filed for you
- Service of process scanned and uploaded within the same business day, at no charge
Why pick it
- One price in each of the fifty states
- Service of process on the company scanned within the same business day, no charge
- A $199 service charge, with the state's fee added
Weak spots
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 more than OH Registered Agent.org
No.2
Low renewal
2. OH Registered Agent.org: best for companies that only add Ohio
$199 for the service, state fee on top; from year two the agent bills $99 annually
Score8.9out of 10
Second place: OH Registered Agent.org. The Ohio registration costs $199 with the first agent year included, and $99 a year follows.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
In the price
- The registration filing
- A first year as your statutory agent
Why pick it
- Registration at $199, with the state fee extra
- Includes your statutory agent for the first year
- Second-year agent charge: $99
Weak spots
- Serves Ohio only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
The 2 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.1 | $199 | $149/yr | Businesses spread over several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | OH Registered Agent.org | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit OH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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The 10-point scores are editorial. They apply the criteria on
How we rank and do not draw on customer ratings.
Ohio foreign registration service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Agent covered in year one |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Not stated |
|---|
| OH Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Ohio's $99 registration fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
How the ruling was reached
The decisive criterion in Ohio was work taken off the founder. For reference, the method assigns 31% to charge over three years, 31% to work taken off the founder and 38% across renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight.
A second-state registration involves two jurisdictions. One provider at one price in both earned the higher coverage score, ahead of OH Registered Agent.org.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
Foreign LLC registration in Ohio: the form, the office and the fee
Registration is lodged with the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services using the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617). The state fee is $99.
Ohio imposes no yearly report on foreign LLCs.
Items to gather before filing
- The exact legal name registered in the home state, along with the date it was formed.
- A statutory agent whose street address is in the state. Any provider on this page can fill the role.
- The $99 state fee, remitted with the application.
Consequences of operating in Ohio unregistered
Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC may not sue in Ohio courts (R.C. 1706.515(A)). The contracts it makes stay enforceable (R.C. 1706.515(E)).
Questions on Ohio foreign registration services
Is an out-of-state LLC required to register in Ohio?
Yes, as soon as it conducts business there. Until it registers, it has no standing to sue in that state's courts.
What will foreign registration in Ohio run in total?
The state fee is $99; service charges run $199.
What does Ohio call its foreign registration form?
The Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617), lodged with the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services.
Is a statutory agent still needed after the company is registered?
Yes. A statutory agent with a street address in the state stays on file for as long as the registration lasts.
Which foreign registration services were heard in this ranking?
Mainstay Filing ($199) and OH Registered Agent.org ($199), ruled upon in that order.
Which foreign registration service does the record favor in Ohio?
Mainstay Filing, since $199 is added to the state fee in any state, and the first year as statutory agent is included.
The record
- Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16, on the record as of August 2026
- Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Ohio registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- Ohio Secretary of State, filing forms and fee schedule, on the record as of October 2026
- Form 617, Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company, on the record as of October 2026
- R.C. 1706.511, registration of foreign LLCs, on the record as of October 2026
- R.C. 1706.515, effect of failing to register, on the record as of October 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Ohio service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: OH Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026