How to form an LLC in Ohio
If you're interested in starting an LLC in the Buckeye State you have good reason.
Ohio provides great access to funding and ranks highly in ease of doing business in the US.
Every state has slightly different requirements for forming an LLC.
Follow along closely to learn the required steps for creating
your own limited liability company in the state of Ohio.
There are two ways to form an LLC in Ohio.
You can form one yourself
or you can hire a service to do it for you.
Let's start by looking at the five basic requirements to form an LLC in Ohio on your own.
One: Name Your LLC
You'll need to choose a company name that complies with Ohio naming requirements
and do a name search on the state of Ohio website to make sure the name isn't already taken.
You should go ahead and register the web domain for your business website and email as well.
Two: Choose a Statutory Agent
Ohio requires that you nominate a statutory agent,
more commonly known as a registered agent for your LLC,
who is your business's point of contact with the state.
The registered agent can be an individual within the company including yourself
or you can hire professional service authorized to do business in Ohio
Three: File The Articles of Organization
To register your LLC you will need to file the articles of organization with the Ohio Secretary of State.
This can be done online by mail or in person.
When forming your LLC it's a good time to consider whether
your LLC will be member-managed or manager-managed.
Member-managed means all members of the LLC manage the company.
This is good for small organizations where everyone is involved in day-to-day operations.
The second option is manager managed where individuals are appointed to manage the LLC.
This is appropriate for larger organizations where not everyone is
involved in the day-to-day affairs of the business.
Four: Create an Operating Agreement
You should also create an operating agreement
to establish ownership terms and member roles.
This is an internal document for reference
and does not need to be filed with the state of Ohio.
This foundational document is the core of your LLC and will help you maintain
your organization as well as further establish your LLC as a separate legal entity.
Five: Obtain an EIN
Lastly you'll need to get an Employer Identification Number or EIN from the IRS.
Also known as a Federal Tax Identification number your EIN
is like a Social Security Number for your LLC and is important for taxes and banking.
EIN's are free of charge and can be obtained from the IRS
online or through the mail.
And with that you will have formed an Ohio LLC on your own.
Option Two: Hire a Professional Service
The second way to create an Ohio LLC is to hire professional service
to create your LLC for you.
Hiring a professional service to file your forms and act as your registered agent
for the LLC will cost you an additional fifty to one hundred and fifty dollars.
However there are several benefits to working with a pro.
A hired registered agent helps with getting your reports filed on time
helps you stay organized by keeping your business mail separate
and is available at all regular business hours to accept official mail and legal papers on your LLC's behalf.
A final and important additional benefit of using a service is privacy.
A professional service will provide a level of privacy by
withholding your personal name and home address from the LLC's contact information.
There are many reasons you might not want your personal information
easily accessible and associated with your business.
Hiring a professional LLC formation service is an easy way to accomplish this.
Now that you've seen the different requirements and ways you can form an LLC in Ohio
visit our site and take some time to research your options
and establish a solid foundation for your business activities.
Click on the links in the description below to research the top five professional formation services
or get more information on how to form an Ohio LLC on your own.
We offer a host of free templates and tools to help accelerate your small business
from operating agreements to business plans
all free of charge.
Visit us at Howtostartanllc.com