A registered office is a physical site where a company must be registered legally and is in charge of receiving crucial legal documents, including tax forms, lawsuits, and other official notices. Many companies that work remotely or without an actual office space may ponder if a PO box can act as their registered office. The response to this query is not simple, though.
A PO box cannot be used as a corporate entity’s registered office in the majority of states, including Ohio. Ohio law mandates that an LLC’s or corporation’s registered office be a physical location where the business can receive official legal documents. As a PO box does not offer a physical location for a firm to receive these crucial documents, it cannot be utilized as a registered office address.
Additionally, domestication of LLCs—the process of moving an LLC from one state to another—is permitted in Ohio. The LLC must submit articles of domestication to the Ohio Secretary of State in order to do this. However, Ohio must still be the location of the LLC’s physical registered office.
Trade names and invented names are frequently used interchangeably in Ohio. A fake name is a name that is not the legal name of the firm but is used for marketing or branding purposes. A trade name is the name under which a business operates. Businesses operating in Ohio must register any fictitious or trade names they use with the Ohio Secretary of State.
You can check the online database of the Ohio Secretary of State to learn who owns an LLC. All of the registered businesses in Ohio are listed in this database along with information about them, including the owner or owners’ names. You can conduct a search using either the LLC’s name or the registered agent’s name.
Finally, you must register your company with the Ohio Secretary of State if you are opening a business in Ohio. This includes registering any trade names or fake names you intend to employ, as well as filing articles of incorporation or articles of organization for your LLC. To run your business in Ohio, you will also need to secure the essential licenses or permissions.
Therefore, a PO box cannot be used in Ohio as a registered office location. A physical location where businesses can receive official legal documents is required. Additionally, Ohio permits domestication of LLCs, mandates the registration of trade names or fake names, and offers an online database for researching registered enterprises. Make sure to register your business with the Ohio Secretary of State and acquire all essential licenses or permissions if you intend to launch a business in Ohio.
You can get in touch with the Secretary of State’s office in the state where your LLC is registered to find out its current status. To check the status of your LLC, you can also go to the state’s online business entity search portal.
Yes, in order to protect your brand and stop others from using a similar name, it is typically advised to trademark your business name before founding your LLC. To decide on the best course of action for your unique business needs, it is crucial to speak with a legal expert.