What do the status labels mean in an Ohio search?

The state defines 1 of the 5 labels listed on this page, and this page restates those definitions with a link to the state page each comes from. For any label the state does not define, check the search page rather than guessing from the word.

Business entity search · Ohio

Ohio Business Entity Search

By Edmond Hui · Last updated October 5, 2026

The short answer. The Ohio Secretary of State keeps Ohio's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Business Search” page, on businesssearch.ohiosos.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself.

Search Ohio's register

Ohio Business Entity Search at a Glance

Register kept by	The Ohio Secretary of State
Official search	Business Search
Cost to search	Not confirmed
Search by	Entity name; registered agent or registered office; entity or filing number
Filed documents online	Yes
Copy fee	Not confirmed
Certifying a copy	Not confirmed
Name reservation	Not required by any rule we found
Name reservation fee	$39.00
Bulk data	Available, for a fee

Read from the government sources listed at the foot of this page, last checked October 5, 2026. See the sources.

How to Search Ohio's Register

The official search is the state's “Business Search” page, on businesssearch.ohiosos.gov. We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself. Open the official search.

On the main search page you can search by:

Entity name
Registered agent or registered office
Entity or filing number

What a Search Result Shows

An Ohio result includes the items below, according to the state's own pages or a result page we read. It may show more.

Entity type
Formation or registration date
Status
Registered agent or registered office
Filing history
Images of filed documents

What Each Ohio Status Means

The status is the label the register puts on each entity. Where the state defines a label, the meaning below restates that definition, with a link to the state page it comes from. Where it does not, we do not guess from the word, because the same word can mean different things in different states.

Status label	What it means	Applies to
“Active” Named on ohiosos.gov	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
“Held” Named on ohiosos.gov	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
“Canceled” Named on ohiosos.gov	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
“Dissolved” Named on ohiosos.gov	The state does not define this label on the page we reviewed. Check the search page for what it means.	All entities
Dead In the search tool	The search's glossary describes a Dead business as on file as no longer engaging in business after a voluntary dissolution, and its name is not protected. Based on the definition at businesssearch.ohiosos.gov (archived copy)	All entities

This list is not complete. It holds the labels we found in the filing office's own pages, and the register may show others.

If the search shows that your own LLC was dissolved, see how to reinstate an LLC in Ohio.

A search result is not a certificate of good standing. If a bank or another state asks for one, see how to get an Ohio certificate of good standing.

Viewing and Ordering Documents

Filed documents can be viewed online. We have not confirmed whether viewing them is free.

We have not confirmed what copies or certified copies cost; check the search page or the filing office's fee schedule.

Is the Name Available?

We have not confirmed how Ohio wants you to check whether a name is available.

The state's naming standard, in its own words: “distinguishable upon the record.”

The state lets you reserve a name; we have not found a rule requiring one before you file. A name reservation costs $39.00.

Our free LLC name checker looks up domain and social media handle availability for a name. It does not search Ohio's register, so check the state's search as well.

Bulk Business Entity Data

Ohio offers bulk business entity data for a fee. The Secretary of State sells a one-time download of business filing data for $62.50, and posts free monthly reports of new business filings and amendments. See the state's bulk data page.

Worth Knowing in Ohio

Ohio's FAQ says a name shown as Canceled or Dissolved is available first-come, first-served, and an Active or Held name needs consent.

Ready to form? See what goes on the Ohio articles of organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

: The Ohio Secretary of State keeps Ohio's register of business entities. The official search is the state's “Business Search” page, on businesssearch.ohiosos.gov.
: We have not confirmed whether the state charges to search, so check the search page itself.
: The state defines 1 of the 5 labels listed on this page, and this page restates those definitions with a link to the state page each comes from. For any label the state does not define, check the search page rather than guessing from the word.
: Filed documents can be viewed online. We have not confirmed whether viewing them is free.
: The state lets you reserve a name; we have not found a rule requiring one before you file. A name reservation costs $39.00.

This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state's business entity filing office publishes about searching its register, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you whether a particular business is active, authorized or reliable: read the state's own record for that, and search tools, status labels and fees change between our reviews. Confirm anything you rely on with the filing office named on this page before you act on it.

Sources

Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Ohio sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so. Where we hold the citation but no stable public link, the citation is printed on its own rather than pointed at a guessed address.

ohiosos.gov/businessBusiness Services
businesssearch.ohiosos.govOhio Secretary of State Business Search (archived copy)
ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/frequently-asked-questionsOhio Business FAQ
ohiosos.gov/business/ohio-business-roadmap/starting-a-business/guide-to-name-availabilityGuide to Name Availability
codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-1706.07Ohio Rev. Code 1706.07, Naming of limited liability company
ohiosos.gov/assets/534b.pdfForm 534B, Name Reservation / Transfer / Cancellation (Last Revised 06/2025)
ohiosos.gov/business/business-reportsOhio Business Reports
ohiosos.gov/assets/200.pdfForm 200, Business and UCC Data Purchase Order Form
Name standard: Ohio Rev. Code 1706.07(B); Secretary of State's Guide to Name Availability

Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC

Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.