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Filing Verdict

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Foreign registration verdict · Ohio

2 Best Foreign Registration Services in Ohio (2026)

Filing Verdict's 2026 verdict on foreign registration services in Ohio: OH Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), in that order. OH Registered Agent.org takes first place: $199 plus the state fee, with a year of statutory agent service included, then $99 a year for the agent.
The Filing Verdict editorial team
Our top pick in Ohio
Spot 1

1. OH Registered Agent.org: best for companies adding only Ohio

$199 service fee, state fee added; $99 a year from year two

9.6Editorial score
out of 10

OH Registered Agent.org wins here: the Ohio registration for $199 with the first agent year included, then $99 a year.

The plan gives the company an in-state street address as its registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned to your online account.

The three-year total beats Mainstay Filing's, and that cost advantage carries real weight in our method.

What you get

  • Filing with the state
  • One year of statutory agent service

What we like

  • Year-two agent cost of $99
  • Includes the first year as your statutory agent
  • Service fee $199, state fee extra

Cons

  • Covers Ohio only; your home state needs its own agent
  • The EIN application is billed separately ($99)
Visit OH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full OH Registered Agent.org verdict
Fifty-state coverage
Spot 2

2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies working in several states

$199 service fee, state fee added ($298 today); $149 a year from year two

9.3Editorial score
out of 10

Second place goes to Mainstay Filing: $199 plus the state's own fee, with the statutory agent free for the first year and one price in every state.

The first agent year is free; from then on it runs $149 a year anywhere.

Over three years OH Registered Agent.org is $100 cheaper, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

What you get

  • The registration filing, done for you
  • Free same-business-day scans of service of process

What we like

  • Service fee of $199, plus the state's fee
  • Same-business-day scans of served papers, free
  • One price in all fifty states

Cons

  • After year one its agent runs $149 a year, $50 above OH Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full Mainstay Filing verdict

The 2 verdicts at a glance

No.ServiceVerdict scoreService feeYear twoBest forVisit
1OH Registered Agent.org9.6$199$99/yrThe lowest agent renewal here Visit OH Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing9.3$199$149/yrCompanies registered in several states Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each mark out of 10 is our own judgment from the weighted criteria on How we rank. None of it comes from customer ratings.

Ohio foreign registration service prices for 2026: year one, renewals and three years

ServiceYear 1Year 2Year 3Total, 3 yearsAgent covered in year one
OH Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397Included
Mainstay Filing$199$149$149$497Not stated
Prices were read from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. Ohio's $99 registration fee goes on top of every row and is not counted in these totals.

How the order was set

What settled Ohio: total over three years. The method puts 35% on total over three years, 35% on paperwork the price handles and spreads 30% across renewal behavior, match to the state and up-front pricing.

OH Registered Agent.org totals $397 over three years, $100 under Mainstay Filing. Year one is covered by both services, so the renewal price decided the order.

The full list of criteria and weights is on How we rank.

Ohio foreign LLC registration: the fee, the form and the filing office

The company registers with the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services by filing the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617). The state fee is $99.

Ohio has no yearly report for foreign LLCs.

Before you file: a checklist

  • The exact legal name from the home state, and the date the company was formed there.
  • A statutory agent with a street address in the state; each service on this page can act in that role.
  • The $99 state fee, paid with the filing.

What skipping Ohio registration can cost

Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC cannot bring suit in Ohio courts (R.C. 1706.515(A)). Contracts it signs stay valid (R.C. 1706.515(E)).

Ohio foreign registration service: questions answered

Does Ohio require an out-of-state LLC to register?

Yes, once it transacts business there. Until it registers, it cannot bring suit in the state's courts.

What does foreign registration cost in Ohio?

The state fee is $99, and the service fee is $199.

Which form does Ohio use for foreign registration?

Use the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617), filed with the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services.

Is a statutory agent required once I have registered?

Yes. The company still needs a statutory agent here, with a street address in the state.

Which foreign registration services are ranked on this page?

OH Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), from first place to last.

Which foreign registration service is the best pick in Ohio?

OH Registered Agent.org, because $199 over the state fee to register in Ohio, with the agent renewing at $99.

Read next

Sources and dates

  1. Ohio Rev. Code § 1706.16, confirmed August 2026
  2. Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, official source, confirmed October 2026
  3. Ohio registered agent statute, confirmed October 2026
  4. Ohio Secretary of State, filing forms and fee schedule, confirmed October 2026
  5. Form 617, Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company, confirmed October 2026
  6. R.C. 1706.511, registration of foreign LLCs, confirmed October 2026
  7. R.C. 1706.515, effect of failing to register, confirmed October 2026
  8. Checked November 12, 2026: OH Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages
  9. Checked November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, Ohio service page