How to amend an Ohio LLC's articles of organization, including a name change
An Ohio LLC amends its articles by filing Form 611, Certificate of Amendment or Restatement, with the Secretary of State. The state fee is $50 under ORC 111.16(P), and you can file online through Ohio Business Central. Changing the LLC's name is the most common amendment; adding or removing members usually needs no state filing at all.
When do you need to amend an Ohio LLC's articles?
Only when something actually written in the filed articles changes. Ohio LLC articles say very little. ORC 1706.16 requires only the LLC's name and its statutory agent's name, address, and acceptance. Anything else in your articles, such as a purpose clause or a period of existence, is there because someone chose to include it.
| Change | Amend the articles? | What to file instead |
|---|---|---|
| New legal name | Yes | Form 611 |
| Change or remove a purpose clause or other optional provision in the articles | Yes | Form 611 |
| Add series provisions | Yes | Form 611 |
| Clean up years of amendments into one document | Restate | Form 611, restatement box |
| New statutory agent or agent address | No | Form 521, Statutory Agent Update ($25) |
| Add or remove a member | Usually no | Update the operating agreement; see Ohio LLC member changes |
| New business address | Usually no | Ohio LLC articles do not require an address; update tax accounts and the IRS |
| Fix a typo or error in what was filed | Correct | A certificate of correction, not an amendment |
| New brand name, same legal name | No | A trade name registration ($39) |
The member row trips up a lot of owners. Ohio does not list members on the state record unless your articles happen to name them. If yours do, an amendment may be the cleanest way to keep the record accurate. If they do not, the change lives in your operating agreement and your tax filings.
Which Ohio form amends LLC articles, and what does it cost?
A domestic Ohio LLC uses Form 611, Domestic Limited Liability Company Certificate of Amendment or Restatement. The state fee is $50, set by ORC 111.16(P). The same fee covers an amendment, a restatement, or both together. Form 611 replaced the older Form 543A, so do not use a blank copy saved from years ago.
| Entity | Ohio form | State fee |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic LLC | Form 611, Certificate of Amendment or Restatement | $50 |
| Domestic for-profit corporation | Form 540, Certificate of Amendment | $50, more if authorized shares increase |
| Domestic nonprofit corporation | Form 541, Certificate of Amendment | $50 |
| Foreign corporation licensed in Ohio | Form 565, Certificate of Amendment to Foreign Licensed Corporation Application | $50 |
Expedited processing is available for an added state fee. Regular processing on Secretary of State forms is listed at 3 to 7 business days. A foreign LLC that changes its name at home does not use Form 611; ORC 1706.511(D) has it file a certificate of correction to its Ohio registration.
Step 1: Approve the amendment the way your operating agreement requires
Before anything goes to the state, the people who control the LLC approve the change. Your operating agreement usually says who can amend the articles and by what vote. A single-member LLC's owner signs a one-page written consent. A multi-member LLC follows its agreement, and if there is no written agreement, ask an attorney what vote Ohio's default rules require before you file.
Write the approval down with the exact new wording and the date. That page is the proof, later, that the change was authorized. Our operating agreement guide covers what a good agreement says about amendments.
Step 2: If you are changing the name, clear the new one first
A new LLC name has to pass the same tests as a brand-new LLC name. ORC 1706.07(A) requires "limited liability company" or an accepted abbreviation: LLC, L.L.C., limited, ltd., or ltd. ORC 1706.07(B) requires the name to be distinguishable from names already on the Secretary of State's record.
- Search the core words without the ending, since endings, punctuation, and articles like "the" do not make a name distinguishable.
- If the members need time to approve, reserve the name for 180 days on Form 534B for $39.
- Search beyond the state record. Ohio does not check federal trademarks, and a name the state accepts can still infringe someone else's mark.
Our guide to Ohio LLC name requirements covers the designators, the distinguishability rules, and the rejection messages you may see. The Ohio business name search guide covers how to run the search.
Step 3: Complete Form 611
ORC 1706.161 keeps the certificate short. It gives the LLC's name and registration number and states the changes the amendment makes to the articles as most recently amended or restated.
- Check one box: amendment or restatement. For an amendment, complete only the sections that change. For a restatement, complete every section.
- Enter the LLC's current legal name and its Ohio registration number exactly as the state record shows them.
- Enter the new name, if the name is changing, with its designator.
- Fill in any purpose clause, period of existence, or additional provisions you are adding or changing. Attach extra sheets if needed.
- Have at least one authorized representative sign and print a name.
- Leave Social Security and tax ID numbers off the form.
"As most recently amended" is the phrase to remember. You are changing the current articles, not the originals. Pull the LLC's filing history from the state record before you draft so the new language builds on what is actually on file.
Amendment or restatement?
An amendment changes specific provisions. A restatement replaces the articles with one complete document, with or without changes. Under ORC 1706.161, restated articles supersede the originals and every prior amendment, and the LLC's original formation date stays the same. Restating makes sense when nobody can read the full articles without stacking several filings side by side.
Step 4: File articles of amendment online or by mail
File through Ohio Business Central, the Secretary of State's online filing system, or mail the paper form with a check or money order for $50. Filing online avoids mail time and lets you pay by card. Expedited processing is available on both routes for an added fee.
The amendment takes effect when the Secretary of State files it, unless the certificate sets a later effective date. The filed certificate comes back to the return address you gave. Keep it with the company records; banks and licensing offices ask to see it.
Most rejected amendments come back for three reasons: the registration number or current name does not match the record, the new name is not distinguishable or lacks a designator, or the change is something that should have been a Form 521 or a correction. Check those three before you submit.
Step 5: Update everyone who has the old name
The state record changes when the certificate is filed. Nothing else updates on its own. After a name change, work through this list:
- IRS: a name change alone does not require a new EIN, but the IRS needs to be told. The method depends on how the LLC is taxed, so ask your accountant.
- Ohio Department of Taxation and any city tax administrators where the LLC files.
- Your bank, payment processor, and payroll provider.
- The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, if you have employees.
- Licenses and permits issued in the old name.
- Contracts, leases, insurance policies, and vehicle titles.
- Your statutory agent, so papers addressed to either name reach you.
- Your website, invoices, signs, and directory listings.
The LLC is the same company under a new name. It keeps its registration number, its formation date, its assets, and its debts. Existing contracts generally carry on, but ask your attorney whether any of yours require notice of a name change.
Filing it yourself, or having us file it
A single-member LLC changing its name can file Form 611 online in a few minutes once the new name is clear. The work is in the approval, the name check, and the update list afterward.
If you would rather hand it off, we can file an Ohio amendment for you: we check the new name, draft Form 611 from your approved change, file it, and put the filed certificate in your portal for $75 plus the $50 state fee. When the name changes, we update the name on your statutory agent account too. Our Ohio statutory agent service is $49 a year.
Ohio LLC articles of amendment questions
What is Ohio Form 611?
Form 611 is the Domestic Limited Liability Company Certificate of Amendment or Restatement. An Ohio LLC files it with the Secretary of State to change its articles of organization, including its name, or to restate them as one document. It replaced the older Form 543A. The state fee is $50 under ORC 111.16(P).
Can I file Ohio LLC articles of amendment online?
Yes, the Ohio Secretary of State accepts LLC amendments through Ohio Business Central, its online filing system, with card payment. You can also mail the paper Form 611 with a check or money order. The state fee is $50 either way, and expedited processing costs extra.
How do I change my LLC name in Ohio?
Approve the change as your operating agreement requires, confirm the new name includes LLC or another accepted designator and is distinguishable on the state record, then file Form 611 with the Secretary of State for $50. After it is filed, update the IRS, your bank, tax accounts, licenses, and contracts with the new name.
Does an Ohio LLC name change create a new company?
No. The LLC keeps its Ohio registration number, its original formation date, its assets, and its debts. Only the name on the record changes. Existing contracts generally continue under the new name, though some contracts require notice of a name change, so check yours or ask your attorney.
Do I need to amend my Ohio LLC articles to change my business address?
Usually not. ORC 1706.16 requires the articles to state only the LLC's name and its statutory agent's name, address, and acceptance. If your articles do not list a business address, there is nothing to amend. Update the address with the IRS, the Ohio Department of Taxation, your city, and your bank instead.
What is the difference between an amendment and a certificate of correction in Ohio?
An amendment makes a real change to the articles, such as a new name. A certificate of correction fixes a filed document that was inaccurate or defective when it was filed. If you made a typo in the original articles, a correction is the right tool. If you simply want something different now, file an amendment on Form 611.
How much does it cost to file articles of amendment in Ohio?
The Ohio Secretary of State charges $50 for an LLC certificate of amendment or restatement under ORC 111.16(P). Corporations pay the same base fee under ORC 111.16(B), plus more when they increase authorized shares. Expedited processing costs extra. If we prepare and file it, our fee is $75 plus the state fee.
Do I need to amend my Ohio LLC articles to add a new member?
Usually not. ORC 1706.16 does not require Ohio LLC articles to list members, so most articles say nothing about them. Admit the new member under your operating agreement and update your tax filings. Amend only if your filed articles happen to name the members and you want the record to stay accurate.
Can an Ohio LLC change its name to one that is already taken?
Only with the written consent of the holder of the existing name, under ORC 1706.07(C), filed on the Secretary of State's consent form along with the amendment. A reserved name cannot be consented to, only transferred. Otherwise, pick a name that is distinguishable on the state record.
Should I restate my Ohio LLC articles instead of amending them?
Restate when the articles have been amended several times and you want one clean document. Under ORC 1706.161, restated articles replace the originals and all prior amendments, and the formation date stays the same. Restating uses the same Form 611 and the same $50 fee as a plain amendment.
Related Ohio guides
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