Ohio lesson 2 of 6
Appoint your Ohio statutory agent
Ohio law calls this role the statutory agent rather than registered agent. Every Ohio LLC must appoint one on the Articles of Organization and keep the appointment current for as long as the LLC exists.
Who can serve
The statutory agent is either a natural person who lives in Ohio, or a domestic or foreign entity authorized to transact business in Ohio, with a street address in the state where service of process can be delivered. The address goes on the public record with the Secretary of State.
Consent and ongoing duty
The person or entity named must have agreed to accept the appointment. Ohio's statute makes the statutory agent the point of contact for lawsuits and official state notices, so an agent who is unreachable puts the LLC at risk of a default judgment or of losing good standing.
Because Ohio has no annual report, the statutory agent update is one of the few filings you are likely to make again after formation, whenever the agent or address changes.
Key takeaways
- Ohio calls the role a statutory agent, not a registered agent.
- The agent needs a real Ohio street address; PO boxes are not accepted.
- Update the Secretary of State promptly whenever the agent or address changes.
Official sources
Or let us file your Ohio LLC for you
Everything above is yours to use for free. If you would rather hand it over, we prepare and file the Articles of Organization (Form 610), act as your registered agent, and track your ongoing deadlines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team