Change LLC Name in Ohio

Can I change the name of my LLC in Ohio?

Absolutely! You can easily change your Ohio LLC name.

The first step is to file a form called the Certificate of Amendment with the Secretary of State and wait for it to be approved. This is how you officially change your LLC name in Ohio.

The filing fee for a Certificate of Amendment in Ohio is $50.

After the state approves your company name change, you should then notify the following 3 places:

• the IRS
• state tax department
• your business bank account

And finally, you can update your LLC name in other places like your website and marketing materials.

This page will guide you through the process and include helpful tips along the way.

Note: We’ve changed the names of our own LLCs over the years. So we have first-hand experience with filing the paperwork as well as dealing with the IRS and financial institutions.

What are the steps for changing an LLC name in Ohio?

1. Check if your new LLC name is available
2. File the Amendment form (and wait for approval)
3. Update the IRS
4. Update the Ohio Department of Taxation
5. Update financial institutions (credit card companies, banks)
6. Update business licenses
7. Update other places (branding materials, business accounts, etc.)

How much does it cost to change an LLC name in Ohio?

It costs $50 to change your LLC name in Ohio. This is the required filing fee for the Certificate of Amendment form.

The fee is the same whether you file the form online or by mail.

How do I change my Ohio LLC name?

In order to change your LLC name, you must file a Certificate of Amendment with the Ohio Secretary of State. This officially updates your legal entity (your Limited Liability Company) on the state records.

Note: The Ohio Secretary of State is responsible for LLC formation and administration, including name changes.

We provide step-by-step instructions on how to file the Certificate of Amendment online. (Technically, you can also file by mail. However, it’s slower and the state prefers online filings.)

Our instructions only focus on how to change your LLC’s name. If you want to make other changes like the business structure, the mailing address or the LLC’s registered agent, you may need to use a different form.

Can I change my LLC name myself?

You can file the Certificate of Amendment yourself or you can hire a company to do this for you.

Ohio allows a business owner to file an LLC amendment themselves.

But, because the Amendment filing in Ohio can be confusing and time consuming, many people choose to hire a company for help.

Step 1: Make sure your new Ohio LLC name is available

Before filing your Ohio amendment form (the Certificate of Amendment), you should check that your new LLC name is available in Ohio.

This is important because two businesses in the state can’t have the same name, or be too similar. This is called LLC name distinguishability.

If you file an amendment for a name that’s already taken, the state will reject your filing. And if that happens, you’ll need to re-file with a different name.

To avoid that, look up your desired Ohio LLC name ahead of time using the state’s business entity search.

Step 2: File the Ohio LLC name change form

The Ohio LLC name change form is called the Certificate of Amendment.

(It’s called this because you’re amending your Ohio Articles of Organization.)

How to file a Certificate of Amendment in Ohio

Get Started

Go to the Ohio Business Filings Portal.

Click Submit a Business Filing.

Login, or create an account if you don’t have one.

From the dashboard, click the button Update an Existing Business Record.

Update an Existing Business Record

Now you’ll locate your LLC’s record. You can search by business name at the bottom of the page. Enter the first few words of your LLC’s name and click Search.

Locate your LLC in the search results. Click on its Entity Number to continue.

Registered Business Information

This page shows your LLC’s current business record. Make sure this is the correct company.

Click This is the Correct Business to continue.

Now you’ll see a list of the available forms you can file. Click the form name Domestic Limited Liability Company Certificate of Amendment or Restatement (Form Number 611).

Amend or Restate

Effective Date and Time

Enter an effective date and time.

Most people set this to today’s date and the current time. That means your LLC name change will be effective when its approved by the Secretary of State.

Alternatively, you can choose a date up to 90 days in the future. Your LLC name change won’t be effective until that date.

Choose Type

Click the button for Amendment.

Name of Entity

Enter the new name you want to use. Make sure to include an appropriate designator (like “LLC”) at the end.

Purpose Clause

Leave this blank.

(Unless you want to add or change your LLC’s purpose statement. That’s rare, most people don’t need to do this.)

Click Continue to proceed.

Add Attachments

You can skip this step. LLC name changes don’t require any attachments.

Click No Attachment(s) Needed, Continue to proceed.

Authorize

This page is a little confusing. Basically, the LLC is filing the Amendment form and it’s being signed by you on the LLC’s behalf. So here’s how to complete the fields:

Name (or Business Entity)
In the Name (or Business Entity) field, enter your LLC’s current name.

Don’t put the new LLC name you want to change to. And don’t your name as the person filing.

By (if applicable)
In the By (if applicable) field, enter your first and last name.

Click Add.

You should see a popup confirming that the filing is authorized (in other words, that you’ve signed the filing).

Click Save and Continue to proceed.

Review

This page shows you all the information you’ve entered. Check for any typos, and click the Edit links in any sections where you need to make changes.

Once everything looks good, click Preview Document to continue.

A PDF of the Certificate of Amendment will open in a new tab. Review it to make sure everything still looks correct.

Note: You can print this PDF out, but it won’t count as an approved copy. You can’t use it to change your LLC name anywhere else like the bank or the IRS.

Close the PDF and return to the Business Filings Portal page.

Tip: You might see a popup window with a survey from the Ohio Secretary of State. If you want to answer the questions, you can. Or, you can click the X in the corner to close the survey and return to your filing.

You should see the Review page again. Scroll to the bottom and click Verify For Checkout.

Filings in Progress

Click the box next to the Certificate of Amendment filing. Then click Add Selected Filings to Check Out to proceed.

Check Out

Click Pay for Filing(s) to proceed.

Credit Card Payment

Enter your payment details and billing information.

Click Confirm and Proceed to submit your filing to the state.

Wait for approval from the Secretary of State

After submitting your Certificate of Amendment to the state, please wait for approval.

Approval times vary, but on average, it takes 1 business day for your Ohio business name change to be approved.

When you file online, you’ll receive your name change approval by email.

Step 3: Change your Ohio LLC name with the IRS

After your new LLC name is approved, the next step is to update your Ohio LLC name with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This updates the name connected to your LLC’s EIN number.

We have step-by-step instructions here:
How to change LLC name with IRS

Step 4: Update your LLC’s Account with the Ohio Department of Taxation

After your new LLC name is approved, you need to update your business’s account with the state’s tax department (the Ohio Department of Taxation).

Note: In most states, it’s called the Department of Revenue or Department of Taxation. In Ohio it’s called the Department of Taxation, and this is who you’ll update with your new LLC name.

Typically, you can update your LLC name in one of three ways:

• online
• by mail
• by phone

But it differs from state to state, so we recommend you call the Department of Taxation. You can ask about the process to update your business name.

Step 5: Update financial institutions with your new LLC name

Besides updating your Ohio LLC name with the IRS and Ohio Department of Taxation, you’ll also want to contact the following places and let them know about the name change.

Financial institutions:

• LLC business bank account
• business checks
• business debit card
• business credit cards
• Paypal or other online banking solutions
• business loans or lines of credit
• brokerage accounts
• bookkeeping software, like Quickbooks

Pro Tip: You don’t have to rush to update these the same day or even the same week. Your existing checks and credit cards will still work, but it’s important to eventually get everything updated to your new LLC name.

Step 6: Update or Get a New Business License

If you have a state business license or a local business permit, you’ll need to change the name on that license.

Sometimes that means applying for a new license and canceling the old one. Or sometimes you can just change the name on your existing license.

Ohio doesn’t have a general state business license requirement. But your LLC might have an industry- or occupation-specific license.

If that’s the case, contact your state licensing agency or licensing board for information on how to update the state business license: Ohio Licenses and Permits.

And contact your local government (like a city clerk or county clerk) for the process to update any local business permits. You can find your county clerk on the Ohio.gov Local Government. And you’ll need to look up your town or city too, so check out the Ohio Municipal League’s Website Links page.

Step 7: Update marketing materials and other places with your new LLC name

Below are some examples of places to update with your new LLC name.

Branding and online presence:

• online stores (like eBay, Shopify, Amazon)
• website, domain registrar, hosting company
• letterhead, logos, invoices, contracts, and important documents
• social media accounts

Professional services:

• Registered Agent Service (if you hired one)
• accountant
• attorney

Other government agencies:

• local tax office (ex: city, county, township)
• business licenses and permits
• sales tax permit
• utility companies
• Department of Labor (if you have employees)

Stay calm: Don’t stress out thinking you have to change your LLC name everywhere right away. That’s not the case. Take your time and do the important ones first. Give yourself a few days or a few weeks to get them all done. Technically, your old business name will still work for quite some time.

Update your Ohio LLC Operating Agreement

It’s a good idea to update the name on your LLC’s Operating Agreement. Don’t worry, this is a simple process. You can either:

• You can make a new version of the Operating Agreement you already have. Update the document with your new LLC name, and have the LLC Member(s) sign.
• Or, you can use our free template on Ohio LLC Operating Agreement to create a new Operating Agreement with the new LLC name.

Tip: This is a good opportunity to review the other sections in your Operating Agreement and make any needed updates there, too. Have the LLC Member(s) sign, and distribute copies like you did with your initial LLC Operating Agreement.

Change LLC Name in Ohio FAQs

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz is the leading expert on LLC education, and has been teaching for 15 years. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.