Mainstay Filing takes the top spot because $199 prepares the Ohio registration and the statutory agent role costs nothing in year one, then $149 a year.
When the complimentary year ends, the agent charge becomes $149 a year in any state.
Its three-year total is $100 above OH Registered Agent.org's, and what the price covers justifies that gap for us.
In the price
- The foreign registration handled on your behalf
- Legal papers served on the company scanned and uploaded the same business day at no charge
Good
- Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day at no charge
- The same price in each of the fifty states
- $199 service fee, with the state's fee added
Watch for
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 above OH Registered Agent.org
OH Registered Agent.org makes the list at number two because $199 above the state fee gets the company registered in Ohio, and the agent renews at $99.
The registered office is an in-state street address supplied by the plan, and any papers served on the company show up as scans in your online account.
In the price
- Ohio registration filed for you
- A first year as your statutory agent
Good
- An agent price of $99 in year two
- Covers your first year of statutory agent service
- $199 for the service, state fee extra
Watch for
- Ohio only; your home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application is an extra charge ($99)
The 2 picks side by side
The 10-point scores come from Filing Shortlist's editors and the criteria on How we rank. They are not customer ratings.
Ohio foreign registration service pricing in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total
Every price comes from the company's own pages as of November 12, 2026. The $99 Ohio registration fee comes on top of each row and is left out of the totals.
How the cut was made
What the price covers separated the picks in Ohio. The method gives three-year price 28%, gives what the price covers 28% and splits 44% over renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity.
Registering in a second state touches two states, and one provider with one price in both scored highest on coverage, ahead of OH Registered Agent.org.
Every criterion and weight is set out on How we rank.
Registering a foreign LLC in Ohio: fee, form and office
Registration goes to the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services on the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617). The state fee is $99.
Ohio does not ask foreign LLCs for a yearly report.
What to have ready before you file
- The company's exact legal name and its formation date in the home state.
- A statutory agent at a street address in the state. Every company on this shortlist can be that agent.
- Payment of the $99 state fee with the filing.
The cost of skipping Ohio registration
An unregistered out-of-state LLC cannot sue in Ohio courts (R.C. 1706.515(A)). Its contracts remain valid (R.C. 1706.515(E)).
Common questions about Ohio foreign registration services
Must an LLC from another state register in Ohio?
It must, once it does business in the state. An unregistered company cannot sue in the state's courts until it does.
What is the full price of a foreign LLC registration in Ohio?
The state fee is $99, and service fees run $199.
What is the Ohio foreign registration form called?
It is the Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (Form 617), submitted to the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services.
Does a registered foreign LLC still need a statutory agent?
Yes. The company keeps a statutory agent in the state, at a street address there, for as long as it stays registered.
Which foreign registration services made this shortlist?
Mainstay Filing ($199) and OH Registered Agent.org ($199), listed from the top pick down.
Which service leads the Ohio foreign registration shortlist?
Mainstay Filing, because the fee is $199 plus the state's own, with a free first year as statutory agent, and the price is identical in every state.