Ohio Corporation

You can get an EIN directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a social security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form. Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

Corporate bylaws cover basic policies and procedures for issues such as company finances and management. Bylaws should cover a range of topics, answering key questions like those below:

• Meetings: When and where will meetings for shareholders and directors be held? How many attendees are required to transact business? What are the procedures for voting or proxy voting? How do you call a special meeting? What actions can be taken without a meeting?

• Stock: How are stock certificates issued and transferred? How is voting affected by issues such as corporate stock owners or fractional shares?

• Directors and officers: How many directors must there be? Which officer positions are required? What powers do they have? How do you fill a vacancy or remove a director or officer?

• Finances: What are the procedures for retaining profits, issuing dividends, and paying bills? Who can withdraw money from the corporate bank account or sign checks?

• Records: Where is the corporate book to be kept? What information will be maintained? How are requests for review or access honored? Can records or copies be kept or distributed digitally?

• Amendments and emergencies: Who can amend bylaws and how? Can emergency bylaws be adopted in the case of disaster?

Ohio bylaws can make other provisions as well, assuming additions are in accordance with state law. However, per Ohio Rev Code § 1701.11 (2019) there are also specific requirements as to how bylaws are adopted, amended, or repealed if they are used by your corporation.

Creating bylaws can be overwhelming—where do you start? Northwest can help. We give you free corporate bylaws when you hire us to form your Ohio corporation. We know what kinds of topics and questions corporations need to address, and we’ve spent years refining and improving our forms. We offer many other free corporate forms as well, including templates for resolutions and meeting minutes.

Ohio is one of the few states that doesn’t have a corporate net income tax. Instead, Ohio has a gross receipts tax called the commercial activity tax (CAT). The CAT applies to all business types with over $150K in gross receipts. The CAT rate is a flat $150 for up to $1 million in gross receipts but increases substantially thereafter.

Ohio’s sales tax rate is 5.75%. However, there are also county and specialty sales tax rates in some areas. To get an idea of what customers actually pay at the counter, below are the total sales tax rates for the 5 largest cities in Ohio:

Columbus: 7.5%
Cleveland: 8%
Cincinnati: 7.8%
Toledo: 7.25%
Akron: 6.75%

Yes, if you conduct business in Ohio, you’re required to register with the Ohio Department of Taxation. You can register via the Ohio Business Gateway or by filing an Application for Registration. You’ll need your EIN before you can register.

The minimum filing fee for Ohio Articles of Incorporation is $99 for up to 990 shares. Have more than 990 shares? There’s a per share fee that varies from 10 cents a share to a quarter cent a share.

Hire Northwest to form your Ohio corporation and your total out-the-door cost is $324 for up to 990 shares, including state fees, a year of registered agent service and loads of useful tools and forms.

It takes around 5-7 days without expediting. Want it sooner? Add $100 for 3-day expediting, $200 for 1-day expediting, or $300 for 4-hour expediting.

The state itself doesn’t have a general business license (and neither do most cities or counties). Local licensing requirements typically depend on your corporation’s specific business activities. For example, Cincinnati requires specialty licenses for a variety of businesses, from antique dealers to theaters.

For some license applications you may need an EIN or a certified copy of your Articles of Incorporation. At Northwest, we can streamline the process and get these for you—simply add on these items during checkout.

A corporation formed outside of Ohio—but which conducts business in the state—is considered a foreign Ohio corporation. For example, if you incorporated in Indiana but decide to open a storefront in Ohio, you would be a foreign Ohio corporation. This also means you would need to register with the state by filing an Ohio Foreign Corporation Application for License with the Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division.

Absolutely! We’re happy to start a nonprofit corporation for you. Note that incorporating an Ohio nonprofit requires a different form. The filing fee is the same. Ohio nonprofits are required to file a Statement of Continued Existence every five years.

It’s a conundrum: you need a local number to display on your website and give to customers, but you don’t want to make your personal number quite so…public. We get it. And we’ve got you covered with Northwest Phone Service. We can provide you with a virtual phone number in any state—plus unlimited call forwarding and tons of easy-to-use features. You can try Phone Service free for 60 days when you hire us to form your corporation, and maintaining service is just $9 monthly after that. No contract required.