Quick answer
- Also called
- Registered agent, resident agent, agent for service of process
- Who needs one
- Ohio LLCs, corporations, nonprofits, and registered foreign entities
- Who can serve
- An Ohio resident, or a business with an Ohio address
- Typical cost
- $0 if you serve yourself; $49 to $436 a year for a service
What a statutory agent does
When someone sues a business, the court papers have to be delivered to the business in a way the law recognizes. A statutory agent gives the public and the courts one reliable place to do that. The agent's job is to:
- Keep a physical street address in Ohio where papers can be delivered
- Accept service of process, meaning lawsuits, subpoenas, and similar court documents
- Receive official notices from the state
- Get those documents to the business promptly
That is the whole legal role. A statutory agent does not run the business, own any part of it, or give legal advice.
Who has to have one
- Ohio LLCs (ORC 1706.09)
- Ohio for-profit corporations (ORC 1701.07)
- Ohio nonprofit corporations (ORC 1702.06)
- Out-of-state companies registered to do business in Ohio
Sole proprietors and general partnerships that have not filed to form an entity do not appoint one.
Who can be a statutory agent
Either an individual who lives in Ohio, or a business that is authorized to operate in Ohio and has an Ohio business address. A P.O. box does not qualify. The agent has to sign an acceptance of the appointment, which is filed with the state.
That means you have three choices: serve as your own agent if you live in Ohio, ask an Ohio resident you trust, or hire a commercial agent. Our guide on being your own statutory agent compares the first and last.
Why it matters who you pick
A lawsuit served on your agent counts as served on your business. If the agent is slow or unreachable, you can lose time to respond, or miss the case entirely and face a default judgment. The agent's name and address are also public, so a commercial agent keeps your home address off that part of the record.
Statutory agent vs. registered agent
They are the same thing. Ohio's statutes and Secretary of State forms say "statutory agent." National companies selling the service usually say "registered agent" because most states do. More in statutory agent vs. registered agent.
Finding and choosing one
You can see any Ohio business's current agent on the Secretary of State business search. To pick one for your own business, start with our side-by-side comparison or the checklist of questions to ask.