Ohio is a favorable state for starting a business of any size or type. Nationally, it ranks number 7 on the list of the states with the largest GDP. The cost of living and doing business in Ohio is lower compared to most other states. LLCs and corporations have no obligation for filing corporate income tax or annual reports. It is important to register your business entity in Ohio to protect your assets. It is a requirement by law that all business entities operating in the state be registered. The law requires you to create a unique business name for registration and then register it.

Business entity search in Ohio is done through the Secretary’s Business Services Division website. The Secretary’s office maintains an updated record of all businesses registered in the state. You can access the website and perform a business entity search to find out if your desired business name is available for registration. If the name is available, you can start the registration process or reserve the name to register later. Name reservation costs $39 for up to 120 days.  To conduct an LLC or Corporation search in Ohio, visit the Ohio Secretary of State Website. The types of organizations that you can search include:

  • Corporation
  • Limited Liability Company
  • Limited Partnership
  • Limited Liability Partnership
  • General Partnership
  • Sole Proprietorship

Ohio Secretary of State Business Lookup Contact Details

Websitehttps://www.ohiosos.gov/
Phone(614) 466-3910 (Voice)
Address  OFFICE ADDRESS: Business Services Division
180 E. Broad St., 16th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215   MAILING ADDRESS: Business Services Division P.O. Box 250
Columbus, OH 43216
HoursMonday — Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST)
EmailBusiness: [email protected].

Ohio Business Entity & Corporation Search

Lookup Ohio Corporation Search

Step 1 – Visit the Ohio State Business Services Division Website

Ohio Business Search Step 1
Ohio Business Search Step 1

Information for the Ohio corporation search is available at the official website of the Ohio Secretary of State. The business entities you can search for include Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Limited Partnership, Limited Liability Partnership, and General Partnership.

Criteria for Business Name search in Ohio is done using: Business Name, Exact Business Name, Prior Business Name, Agent / Registrant, Organizer / Incorporator, or Number Search. If you want a more detailed report, contact the Ohio State Business Services Division through email or telephone.

Step 2: Select Your Entity

After keying your options, click the search icon to generate your search results. If the name is registered, a list of names will be displayed as shown below.

Ohio Business Search Step 2
Ohio Business Search Step 2

Go through the matching results one by one and sort them out. To make your lookup easier, the search results table displays the active, inactive, canceled, or dead entities from the database. It consists of the Entity Number, Name, Type, Filing Date, Expiry Date, Status, Location, County, State, and View Report columns. Once you have located the listing you are looking for, check the View Report column and click the link. You will be redirected to the Ohio Corporation Search/Information Page, showing the details of the specific entity.

Step 3: Download the information

This is the last step of the lookup LLC Ohio. You now have all the registration details, including:

  • Entity Number
  • Filing Type
  • Original Filing Date
  • Business Name
  • Status
  • Expiry Date
  • Agent Registration Information
  • Filing information
Ohio Business Search Step 3
Ohio Business Search Step 3

The Ohio Secretary of State allows the viewing and printing of business entity details of all documents registered in its database. You are allowed to copy the URL containing the details to share with other stakeholders in your business. If you need certified copies, request an email.

References

File Business Documents

Business Search

Ohio Business Resource Connection

Business Services Contacts

FAQs

Find a business entity in another state