Ohio Foreign Qualification

Oct 17, 2025

Foreign qualification with the Secretary of State in Ohio is the process by which a business that was originally formed in another state obtains the legal authority to operate in Ohio. This is necessary for out-of-state businesses to conduct business in Ohio and ensures compliance with state regulations.

There are 4 different ways to foreign qualify in Ohio depending on your legal entity type and tax classification. Follow the guide below to help you register with the Secretary of State in Ohio or use Mosey to do it.

Use Mosey to register with the Secretary of State in Ohio.

Ohio Foreign Qualification for Corporation

Foreign nonprofits "transacting business" in Ohio must register with the Ohio Secretary of State by filing a Foreign Nonprofit Corporation Application For License (Form 530B). Ohio does not define activities that do or do not constitute "transacting business" for foreign nonprofits. However, Ohio does provide a list of activities considered not "transacting business" for foreign limited liability companies.

  1. Establish a Statutory Agent

    You must have a statutory agent in Ohio designated to accept service of process. Your statutory agent must have an Ohio address. It can be any Ohio resident or a corporation qualified to do business in the state.

  2. Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing

    Ohio requires a Certificate of Good Standing (also known as a Certificate of Existence) from your home state issued within 90 days.

  3. Create an Ohio Business Central Account

    Create an Ohio Business Central Account to submit online business filings with the Ohio Secretary of State.

  4. File Foreign Nonprofit Corporation Application For License Online

    Log in to your Ohio Business Central account to file your Foreign Nonprofit Corporation Application For License (Form 530B) online.

Ohio Foreign Qualification for LLP

Foreign limited liability partnerships "transacting business" in Ohio must register with the Ohio Secretary of State by filing a Statement of Foreign Qualification (Form 537). Ohio, like most states, provides a list of activities not considered "transacting business."

  1. Establish a Registered Agent

    You must continuously maintain a registered agent, also referred to as a statutory agent, in Ohio designated to accept service of process. Your agent can be an individual who resides in Ohio or a domestic or business authorized to "transact business" in Ohio.

  2. Create a Profile on Ohio Business Central

    Create an online Ohio Business Central Account.

  3. File Statement of Foreign Qualification

    Log in to your Ohio Business Central account to file a Statement of Foreign Qualification, Limited Liability Partnership (Form 537) and pay the filing fees with the Ohio Secretary of State.

Ohio Foreign Qualification for PLLC, LLC

Foreign limited liability companies "transacting business" in Ohio must register with the Ohio Secretary of State. Ohio, like most states, provides a list of activities not considered "transacting business."

  1. Establish a Registered Agent

    You must continuously maintain a registered agent, also referred to as a statutory agent, in Ohio designated to accept service of process. Your agent can be an individual who resides in Ohio or a domestic or business authorized to "transact business" in Ohio.

  2. Create a Profile on Ohio Business Central

    Visit Ohio Business Central to create a profile.

  3. Register Your Limited Liability Company

    Log in to your Ohio Business Central account to register with the Ohio Secretary of State.

Ohio Foreign Qualification for Professional Corporation, Corporation

Foreign corporations "transacting business" in Ohio must register with the Ohio Secretary of State by filing a Foreign For-Profit Corporation Application for License (Form 530A). For foreign corporations, Ohio does not define activities that do or do not constitute "transacting business." However, Ohio does provide a list of activities considered not "transacting business" for foreign limited liability companies. Note: Annual reports are not required in Ohio.

  1. Establish a Statutory Agent

    You must have a statutory agent in Ohio designated to accept service of process. Your statutory agent must have an Ohio address. It can be any Ohio resident or a corporation qualified to do business in the state.

  2. Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing

    Ohio requires a Certificate of Good Standing (also known as a Certificate of Existence) from your home state issued within 90 days.

  3. Create an Ohio Business Central Account

    Create an Ohio Business Central Account to submit online business filings with the Ohio Secretary of State.

  4. File Foreign For-Profit Corporation Application for License Online

    Log in to your Ohio Business Central account to file your Foreign For-Profit Corporation Application for License (Form 530A) online.

What else do I need to know?

Once you are registered with the Secretary of State, you may have additional requirements to maintain your "good standing" in the state. Failing to do so can result in fines, back taxes, and forfeiting certain priveleges within the state.

Maintaining a Registered Agent

Most states require that you have a registered agent that can receive important mail from the Secretary of State should they need to contact you. There are many commercial options available or you can use Mosey to be your registered agent and keep your information private in Ohio.

Annual Reports and Taxes

In addition to maintaining a registered agent, most states require you to file a report annually. Registration can also trigger state taxes such as a franchise tax or income tax. You can use Mosey to identify these additional requirements to maintain good standing in Ohio.

Ohio's Foreign Qualification Agencies

Review your compliance risks, free.

Agencies in Ohio

See all

More from the blog

Learn how to keep your business compliant in all 50 states across payroll, HR, Secretary of State, and tax.

Client Reporting States: 8 Steps To Maintain Compliance on a PEO

Managing compliance for state and local reporting can feel like a never-ending task, even with the help of a professional employer organization (PEO). For example, client reporting states can add an extra layer of confusion to the payroll and reporting process. When you’re on a PEO, there are two types of payroll reporting: client reporting states and PEO reporting states. In client reporting states, you are still responsible for managing your payroll accounts under your own employee identification number (EIN). In these states, you do not file under the PEO’s payroll tax accounts, and your company will have to handle any corporate tax filings or business registrations.

Gabrielle Sinacola | Nov 25, 2024

Should I Be My Own Registered Agent for an LLC?

When starting out as an entrepreneur, an essential but often overlooked detail is the role of a registered agent in your business. A registered agent acts as the official contact for your LLC, tasked with a responsibility that might seem mundane but is crucial for legal compliance and smooth operation. This role is the gateway for crucial government and legal communications. With that in mind, consider the possibility of being your own registered agent.

Gabrielle Sinacola | Mar 28, 2024

Mosey Announces Sales Tax Registration Beta

We’re very excited to introduce the Mosey sales tax registration beta! Since we went GA earlier this year (can you believe it’s almost been a year??), startup founders, controllers, and finance teams have been asking us to help them with sales tax. There are three critical parts of sales tax: registration, collection, and reporting—some providers will help with collection and/or reporting, but no sales tax provider wants to touch registration. That leaves a lot of grueling work to get your sales tax accounts set up across all 50 states (and the District of Columbia).

Alex Kehayias | Dec 1, 2023

Ready to get started?

Schedule a free consultation to see how Mosey transforms business compliance.