Ohio Revised Code
Chapter 1703 | Foreign Corporations
Section 1703.04 | Application for License.

Effective: April 12, 2021
Latest Legislation: Senate Bill 276 - 133rd General Assembly
(A) To procure a license to transact business in this state, a foreign corporation for profit shall file with the secretary of state a certificate of good standing or subsistence, dated not earlier than ninety days prior to the filing of the application, under the seal of the secretary of state, or other proper official, of the state under the laws of which said corporation was incorporated, setting forth the exact corporate title and the fact that the corporation is in good standing or is a subsisting corporation.
(B) To procure such a license, such corporation also shall file with the secretary of state an application in such form as the secretary of state prescribes, verified by the oath of any authorized officer of such corporation, setting forth, but not limited to:
(1) The name of the corporation and, if its corporate name is not available, the trade name under which it will do business in this state;
(2) The name of the state under the laws of which it was incorporated;
(3) The location and complete address of its principal office;
(4) The name of the county and the municipal corporation or township in which its principal office within this state, if any, is to be located;
(5) The appointment of a designated agent and the complete address of such agent;
(6) The irrevocable consent of such corporation to service of process on such agent so long as the authority of such agent continues and to service of process upon the secretary of state in the events provided for in section 1703.19 of the Revised Code;
(7) A brief summary of the corporate purposes to be exercised within this state.
(C)(1) No such application for a license shall be accepted for filing if it appears that the name of the foreign corporation is prohibited by law or is not distinguishable upon the records in the office of the secretary of state from the name of any other corporation, whether nonprofit or for profit and whether that of a domestic corporation or of a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state, the name of a limited liability company registered in the office of the secretary of state pursuant to Chapter 1705. or 1706. of the Revised Code, whether domestic or foreign, the name of any limited liability partnership registered in the office of the secretary of state pursuant to Chapter 1775. or 1776. of the Revised Code, whether domestic or foreign, the name of any limited partnership registered in the office of the secretary of state pursuant to Chapter 1782. of the Revised Code, whether domestic or foreign, or a trade name to which the exclusive right at the time in question is registered in the manner provided in Chapter 1329. of the Revised Code, unless there also is filed with the secretary of state, on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, the consent of the other entity or person to the use of the name, evidenced in a writing signed by any authorized officer of the other entity or authorized representative of the other person owning the exclusive right to the registered trade name.
(2) Notwithstanding division (C)(1) of this section, if an application for a license is not acceptable for filing solely because the name of the foreign corporation is not distinguishable from the name of another entity or registered trade name, the foreign corporation may be authorized to transact business in this state by filing with the secretary of state, in addition to those items otherwise prescribed by this section, a statement signed by an authorized officer directing the foreign corporation to make application for a license to transact business in this state under an assumed business name or names that comply with the requirements of this division and stating that the foreign corporation will transact business in this state only under the assumed name or names. The application for a license shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of state.
Last updated September 9, 2021 at 11:45 AM

Structure Ohio Revised Code

Ohio Revised Code

Title 17 | Corporations-Partnerships

Chapter 1703 | Foreign Corporations

Section 1703.01 | Foreign Corporation Definitions.

Section 1703.02 | Corporations Excepted.

Section 1703.03 | License Required.

Section 1703.031 | Notice of Transaction of Business.

Section 1703.04 | Application for License.

Section 1703.041 | Designated Agent.

Section 1703.05 | License Certificate.

Section 1703.06 | Exclusive Use of Name.

Section 1703.07 | Certificate of Merger or Consolidation.

Section 1703.08 | Certificate of Amendment to Articles.

Section 1703.12 | Supplemental License Certificate.

Section 1703.13 | Temporary License.

Section 1703.15 | Cancellation of License.

Section 1703.16 | Expiration or Cancellation Not to Affect Pending Actions.

Section 1703.17 | Surrender of License.

Section 1703.19 | Service of Process on Secretary of State.

Section 1703.191 | Service of Process on Secretary of State in Action Against Unlicensed Foreign Corporation.

Section 1703.20 | Freedom From Attachment.

Section 1703.21 | Evidence.

Section 1703.22 | Recording of Amendment and Certificate for Change of Name.

Section 1703.23 | Notice to Foreign Corporations.

Section 1703.24 | Secretary of State to Keep Records and Make Monthly Report to Tax Commissioner.

Section 1703.25 | Action to Recover Fees Paid Under Protest.

Section 1703.26 | Appeals.

Section 1703.27 | Foreign Nonprofit Corporations.

Section 1703.28 | Forfeiture for Transacting Business Without License.

Section 1703.29 | Unlicensed Foreign Corporation Contracts Not Affected - Corporation Cannot Maintain an Action.

Section 1703.30 | Officer of Unlicensed Foreign Corporation Shall Not Transact Business.

Section 1703.31 | Registration of Corporate Name.

Section 1703.99 | Penalty.