Quick answer
- Ohio's official term
- Statutory agent
- Term in most states
- Registered agent
- Legal difference
- None
- Ohio's change form
- Statutory Agent Update (Form 521)
Same job, different names
| Term | Where you will see it |
|---|---|
| Statutory agent | Ohio statutes, Ohio Secretary of State forms, Arizona |
| Registered agent | Most other states, and most national providers' websites |
| Resident agent | A few states, such as Maryland and Michigan |
| Agent for service of process | California, and general legal usage |
If a national company sells you "Ohio registered agent service," it is selling statutory agent service. When you fill out an Ohio form, the box will say statutory agent.
Why Ohio says "statutory"
The agent is required by statute, and Ohio's business laws named the role that way. You will find it in ORC 1706.09 for LLCs, ORC 1701.07 for corporations, and ORC 1702.06 for nonprofits.
Why it matters when you shop
Providers that use each term tend to be different kinds of company. Ohio-only agents usually say statutory agent and charge $49 a year. National providers say registered agent and charge $125 or more. Searching only one term can hide half the market. Our comparison table puts both kinds side by side.
| Provider | Year one | Renewal | 5 years | Files Form 521 | Ohio office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Registered Statutory Agent, LLC | $49 | $49 | $245 | Yes | Litchfield, Medina County (3416 Erhart Road, Litchfield, OH 44253) |
| Ohio Statutory Agent LLC | $49 | $49 | $245 | No | North Canton (6545 Market Avenue N., Suite 100) |
| Ohio Registered Agent | $49 | $49 | $245 | Yes | North Canton (6545 Market Avenue N., Suite 100) |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $125 | $125 | $625 | Yes | North Canton (street not listed on its Ohio page) |
| Harbor Compliance | $99 | $159 | $735 | Add-on | North Canton |
| InCorp | $129 | $129 | $645 | Yes | Cincinnati |
| CT Corporation | $436 | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Ohio location not named on its Ohio page |
Read from each provider’s Ohio page on October 31, 2026. How we compare.
On Ohio forms
- Articles of Organization (Form 610) for a new LLC ask for the statutory agent's name and address and the agent's signed acceptance.
- Statutory Agent Update (Form 521) changes the agent, updates the agent's address, or records an agent's resignation. The fee is $25.
Nothing on these forms uses the phrase registered agent, which confuses people who learned the term elsewhere. They are asking for the same thing.