Commercial Compliance Hub

Ohio · 14 jurisdictions covered

Business licenses and permits in Ohio

Ohio charges $99 to form a company and then asks for nothing further — no annual report, no annual fee. It licenses no general contractors, and a restaurant license is priced by the local board of health on top of a fixed $28 state share.

What applies everywhere in Ohio

10 requirements are set by Ohio itself and apply whichever city you open in. Local permits sit on top of them.

Requirements set by Ohio that apply in every jurisdiction in the state, with the issuing agency, the published fee and the date each was last checked against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)Ohio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filingOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Child Care Centre LicenseOhio Department of Children and Youth$50 one-time applicationTo every business2026-09-03
Commercial Trade Contractor LicenseOhio Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Industrial Compliance$25 application, per trade; a further $25 on issue and $60 a year to renewOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Food Service Operation LicenseOhio Department of Health, Food Safety Program$28 state fee for a commercial operation ($14 non-commercial, $6 per vending machine location), plus a license fee set independently by the local board of healthTo every business2026-09-03
Initial Articles of IncorporationOhio Secretary of State, Business Services Division$99 one-time filing, minimum — see notes on authorised sharesOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Manager Certification in Food ProtectionOhio Department of Health, Food Safety ProgramNo feeOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Salon or Barbershop LicenseOhio State Cosmetology and Barber Board$85 new license; $75 to renewTo every business2026-09-03
Transient Vendor's LicenseOhio Department of Taxation$50 one-time, valid statewideOnly in some cases2026-09-03
Vendor's LicenseOhio Department of Taxation$50 one-time, per fixed locationTo every business2026-09-03
Veterinary Business Facility LicenseOhio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board$300 application, plus a $3.50 transaction feeOnly in some cases2026-09-03

Sources

Every statewide figure above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Ohio Secretary of State form 610, Articles of Organization for a Domestic Limited Liability Company (Internet Archive capture of the official form, 4 March 2026)Ohio Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  2. Ohio Department of Children and Youth transmittal letter 48 — filed text of OAC 5180:2-12-02, child care centre licensingOhio Department of Children and Youth · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  3. Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board — contractors and contracting companiesOhio Department of Commerce · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  4. OAC 3701-21-02 — the state amounts a licensor collects and remits: twenty-eight dollars for food service and retail food licenses, fourteen dollars for the mobile-discount category and six dollars for vending machine locationsOhio Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-30
  5. Ohio Secretary of State — filing forms and fee schedule (Internet Archive capture of the official page, 29 November 2025; the live host blocks all automated access)Ohio Secretary of State · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  6. Ohio Department of Health — food safety certificationOhio Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  7. Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board — feesOhio State Cosmetology and Barber Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  8. Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board — business license pamphletOhio State Cosmetology and Barber Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  9. Ohio Department of Taxation — sales and use tax, vendor's license types and feesOhio Department of Taxation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  10. Ohio Department of Taxation — vendor's license fee change, House Bill 366Ohio Department of Taxation · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
  11. Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board — business facility permitOhio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03

Which Ohio city are you opening in?

These are the 12 Ohio jurisdictions where we publish the most. All 14 jurisdictions we cover lists the other 2.

Is there a single Ohio business license?

No. Ohio has no single license that covers every business. What you need depends on your industry, your city and your county, and most of the obligations that matter are issued locally rather than at state level.

The state-level registrations that do apply to nearly everyone are tax accounts rather than licenses — which is why they are easy to miss.

Who issues permits in Ohio?

By industry

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.