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Short reply · Ohio

2 Best Foreign Registration Services in Ohio (2026): The Quick Answer

In Ohio for 2026, rank foreign registration services OH Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199). Registering costs $99 at Ohio, whoever files, plus $397 to $497 to a service over three years.

LLC Q and A editorial team ·

Quick answers

State registration fee
$99
Certificate required?
No
After registering
None
Our pick
OH Registered Agent.org then Mainstay Filing

Ohio: ranked picks

Order set by our five criteria, three-year cost first.
1#1 pick

1. OH Registered Agent.org: best for one extra state

Register for $199; agent renews at $99

#1 in Ohio: OH Registered Agent.org, because $199 files the registration and the agent renews at $99.

Lower three-year cost than Mainstay Filing, and cost is the heaviest criterion.

Price covers

  • Ohio registration filing
  • Agent for year one

For

  • $199 plus state fee
  • No agent charge in year one
  • Then $99 a year

Against

  • Ohio only; home state needs another agent
Go to OH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Nationwide

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a growing LLC

Register for $199; agent renews at $149

Second: Mainstay Filing, because you pay $199 plus Ohio's fee, nothing for the statutory agent in year one, then $149 a year.

Ranked lower because three years cost $100 more than OH Registered Agent.org, and cost has the biggest weight.

Statutory agent: free in year one, $149 a year after, in any state.

Price covers

  • Out-of-state registration filed
  • One fee for all fifty states

For

  • All fifty states
  • Service fee $199

Against

  • OH Registered Agent.org renews its agent $50 lower
Go to Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Side by side

#ServiceYear 1Per year after3-year costCovers
1OH Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397ohio registration filing; agent for year oneGo to OH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Out-of-state registration filed; one fee for all fifty statesGo to Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Service fees only, from company price pages read November 13, 2026. State fees are identical for every pick.

Key questions

Must my LLC register here?

An LLC formed elsewhere registers before transacting business in Ohio.

Penalties for skipping it: it cannot sue in Ohio courts until registered (R.C. 1706.515(A)).

codes.ohio.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

Cost to register?

$99 at the state. A service adds $199.

Three-year state total, registration included: $99. ohiosos.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

Which form, filed where?

Lodge the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617) at the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services; one filing registers the LLC.

A certificate from your home state is not part of the filing.

What is due after registering?

No recurring report for foreign LLCs here.

Why this order?

OH Registered Agent.org scores best on three-year price, which is 36% of the total.

Five criteria: three-year price (36%), chores removed from your list (26%), price shown up front (15%), year-two bill (12%) and states served (11%).

Three years at OH Registered Agent.org cost $397, which is $100 less than Mainstay Filing.

Method

Ohio: registration requirements, sourced

RequirementRule or amountSource
Registration fee$99ohiosos.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Good standing certificateNocodes.ohio.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
State fees, 3 years$99Sum of the rows above
The last row adds the filing, two reports and any minimum tax. Variable costs are explained in the text and left out of the sum.

More replies

Is an agent needed at home too?

Yes. Each state has its own rule. Mainstay Filing serves both from one account.

What do the picks cost over three years?

OH Registered Agent.org will run $397, Mainstay Filing will run $497, with state fees on top.

Where do the numbers come from?

State fees cite their official page; service prices come from the company's own site.

Is a service required?

No. Owners can file directly. A service saves time and can act as agent.

Does a service file it?

Yes, every pick files it, and the state fee is the same for all.

Which foreign registration service should I use in Ohio?

OH Registered Agent.org: it charges $199 with first-year agent service included, then $99 annually. Behind it: Mainstay Filing.

Sources

  1. Q and A source note covering Ohio Rev, found at codes.ohio.gov and dated August 2026, kept on file
  2. Q and A source note covering Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, found at codes.ohio.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  3. Q and A source note covering Ohio registered agent statute, found at codes.ohio.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  4. Q and A source note covering Ohio Secretary of State, filing, found at ohiosos.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  5. Q and A source note covering Form 617, Registration of a, found at ohiosos.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  6. Q and A source note covering R.C. 1706.511, registration of foreign, found at codes.ohio.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  7. Q and A source note covering R.C. 1706.515, effect of failing, found at codes.ohio.gov and dated October 2026, kept on file
  8. OH Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
  9. Mainstay Filing Ohio service page, read November 13, 2026