Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division

Ohio business entity search

Office facts, status meanings and filing rules for Ohio. The steps below show how to search Ohio's official registry.

Federal filings only here. Ohio registry records are on the official site.

Ohio registry at a glance

Registry agency: Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division
Office: Secretary of State Frank LaRose, since 2019; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Phone: 614-466-3910 (toll free 877-767-3453, 877-SOS-FILE); Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Address: Client Service Center, 180 Civic Center Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43215; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday to Friday; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Official search: Ohio Secretary of State Business Search →

How to search the Ohio registry

The Ohio Secretary of State Business Search searches by business name, charter or registration number and agent/Registrant.

Open the Ohio Secretary of State Business Search at businesssearch.ohiosos.gov.
Pick what to search by in the Search By menu: business name, entity number, or Agent/Registrant.
Type the name or number and run the search.
Open the matching record to see its status, filing date and statutory agent.
Use the filing list on the record to open images of the filed documents.

Open the official Ohio search →

Three numbers, three agencies

Asking for the wrong number is a common reason a search comes back empty.

Federal EIN: Internal Revenue Service; Identifies the business for federal tax. It is the same number in every state.; Source: irs.gov
Registry number: Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division; Identifies the entity's record in the Ohio registry.
Ohio tax account number (Ohio Business Gateway): Ohio Department of Taxation; CAT registration requires a federal EIN or SSN, but the Department of Taxation account is separate from both the EIN and the Secretary of State charter or registration number.; Source: tax.ohio.gov · checked 2026-10-06

What a Ohio status means

Active: The entity is on the Secretary of State's records and has not been cancelled or dissolved.; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Cancelled: The state cancelled the entity's record, often for failing to keep a statutory agent; it can be reinstated for up to two years, then the cancellation is permanent.; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06

Fees and annual filings

LLC formation: $99 (Articles of Organization, Form 610); Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Corporation formation: $99 minimum (Articles of Incorporation, Form 532A); more if over 990 authorized shares; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Annual filing: None for LLCs and business corporations; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Annual fee, LLC: None (Ohio has no LLC annual report); Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Annual fee, corporation: None for business corporations; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
When it is due: Only professional associations and LLPs (biennial report), nonprofit corporations (continued existence) and trade names and marks (renewals) have periodic filings.; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Filed with: Secretary of State, through Ohio Business Central; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Commercial Activity Tax (CAT): Ohio Department of Taxation. Quarterly returns due May 10, August 10, November 10 and February 10. Registration is required within 30 days of passing $6 million in Ohio taxable gross receipts. The CAT is a gross-receipts tax, not an income or franchise tax. The annual minimum tax ended in 2024, and late filing carries a penalty of the greater of 10% of tax due or $50.; Source: tax.ohio.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Note: Professional associations and LLPs file a $25 biennial report; nonprofits file a $25 Statement of Continued Existence. Foreign LLC registration and foreign corporation license are each $99.; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06

As published by the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division, checked 2026-10-06. Fees change, and the official schedule decides.

Forming or running a business in Ohio

Registered agent: Ohio calls it a statutory agent; every business entity must appoint and keep one, and the agent is listed in the public business search.; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06
Name availability: Check whether a name is available in Ohio →
Business forms and fees: Official Ohio business forms and fees →; Source: ohiosos.gov · checked 2026-10-06

Ohio businesses on file

EATON CORPORATIONEIN 34-0196300
STERIS CORPORATIONEIN 34-1482024
RPM INTERNATIONAL INC.EIN 02-0642224
AVERY DENNISON CORPORATIONEIN 95-1492269
THE SCOTTS COMPANY LLCEIN 31-1414921
THE LINCOLN ELECTRIC COMPANYEIN 34-0359955
DIEBOLD NIXDOFT, INCORPORATEDEIN 34-0183970
COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY LLCEIN 34-4297750
SITE CENTERSEIN 34-1723097
SIFCO INDUSTRIES, INC.EIN 34-0553950
DATATRAK INTERNATIONAL, INC.EIN 34-1685364
GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OPERATING AS GE AEROSPACEEIN 14-0689340
THE KROGER CO.EIN 31-0345740
MACY'S, INC.EIN 13-3324058
CINTAS CORPORATIONEIN 31-1188630
THE SHERWIN-WILLIAMS COMPANYEIN 34-0526850
PARKER HANNIFIN CORPORATIONEIN 34-0451060
CLEVELAND-CLIFFS STEEL LLCEIN 71-0871875
VS SERVICE COMPANY, LLCEIN 31-1228823
OAKLEY INCEIN 95-3194947
THE GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER COMPANYEIN 34-0253240
FIFTH THIRD BANCORPEIN 31-0854434
JO-ANN STORES, LLCEIN 34-0720629
THE WENDY'S COMPANYEIN 38-0471180

All 413 Ohio businesses on file →

Sources

A fact that could not be confirmed on an official page is left out.

https://www.ohiosos.gov/business/business-filing-formschecked 2026-10-06
https://www.ohiosos.gov/contact-our-officechecked 2026-10-06
https://www.ohiosos.gov/officechecked 2026-10-06
https://www.ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/frequently-asked-questionschecked 2026-10-06
https://tax.ohio.gov/business/commercial-activity-taxchecked 2026-10-06
https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/business/forms/521_instructions.pdfchecked 2026-10-06