Ohio Business Entity Search
Find a registered business through Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division. Use the official link below, then check the search options and name rules for Ohio.
Official website: businesssearch.ohiosos.gov · Opens in a new tab
Ohio search options and record coverage
Ohio Business Search locates entities by name, entity number, statutory agent, or other public record criteria and displays status, agent, office, filings, and officials where required. Ohio Business Central supports formations, statutory-agent updates, reports, certificates, and copies. Search should be performed by exact or partial legal name and then reviewed at the entity-record level.
Checking a business name in Ohio
Ohio requires entity names to be distinguishable from existing and reserved names and to use a compliant LLC/corporate designator. Capitalization, punctuation, spacing, and generic terms may not cure similarity. Acceptance is not trademark or licensing clearance.
Ohio name reservations
Ohio name reservation costs $39.00 and is valid for 180 days under the current fee information. Reservation protects filing priority only and does not clear trademark or marketplace rights.
DBA, trade names, and fictitious names
Ohio trade names and fictitious names are registered with the Secretary of State through Ohio Business Central. Use https://businesssearch.ohiosos.gov/ and the trade-name filing workflow; current fee and renewal terms are form-specific. A trade name does not create a new entity.
What do you need after the search?
- Official proof of standing — find certificate fees and ordering instructions.
- A missed report or inactive registration — check deadlines and reinstatement rules.
- A new business registration — compare Ohio formation and filing fees.