Toll Free: 877.767.3453  |  Central Ohio: 614.466.3910  
                                   OhioSoS.gov  |  business@OhioSoS.gov 
                                   File online or for more information: OhioBusinessCentral.gov

                                   Filing Form Cover Letter

Please return the approval certificate to:

Name (Individual or Business Name):

To the Attention of (if necessary):

Address:

City:

State                                                                    ZIP Code:

Phone Number:                             E-mail Address:

Check here if you would like to receive important notices via e-mail from the Ohio Secretary of State's office regarding 
Business Services.

Check here if you would like to be signed up for our Filing Notification System for the business entity being created or 
updated by filing this form. This is a free service provided to notify you via e-mail when any document is filed on your 
business record.

Please make checks or money orders payable to: "Ohio Secretary of State" 
Type of Service Being Requested:  (PLEASE CHECK ONE BOX BELOW)

Regular Service: Only the filing fee listed on page one of the form is required and the filing will be 
processed in approximately 3-7 business days.  The processing time may vary based on the volume of 
filings received by our office.

Expedite Service 1:  By including an Expedite fee of $100.00, in addition to the regular filing fee on page 
one of the form, the filing will be processed within 2 business days after it is received by our office. 

Expedite Service 2:  By including an Expedite fee of $200.00, in addition to the regular filing fee on page 
one of the form, the filing will be processed within 1 business day after it is received by our office. This 
service is only available to walk-in customers who hand deliver the document to the Client Service Center.

Expedite Service 3:  By including an Expedite fee of $300.00, in addition to the regular filing fee on page 
one of the form, the filing will be processed within 4 hours after it is received by our office, if received by 1:00 
p.m.  This service is only available to walk-in customers who hand deliver the document to the Client Service Center.

Preclearance Filing:  A filing form, to be submitted at a later date for processing, may be submitted to be 
examined for the purpose of advising as to the acceptability of the proposed filing for a fee of $50.00. The 
Preclearance will be complete within 1-2 business days.

Form 534A                                 Page 1 of 4                                      Last Revised: 06/2019

Form 534A Prescribed by:
                                                                                                 Mail this form to one of the following: 
                          Toll Free: 877.767.3453 
                                                                                                        Regular Filing (non expedite) 
                          Central Ohio: 614.466.3910                                                    P.O. Box 670 
                                                                                                        Columbus, OH  43216 
                          OhioSoS.gov 
                                                                                                        Expedite Filing (Two business day processing time. 
                          business@OhioSoS.gov                                                                                    Requires an additional $100.00) 
                                                                                                        P.O. Box 1390 
                          File online or for more information: OhioBusinessCentral.gov                  Columbus, OH  43216
For screen readers, follow instructions located at this path.

                                           Name Registration 
                                                             Filing Fee: $39 
                                                             Form Must Be Typed 
CHECK ONLY ONE (1) Box
                                                                                        
         Trade Name     Date of first use:                                              Fictitious Name 
         (167-RNO)                                                                      (169-NFO)
                                                                 MM/DD/YYYY

    Name being Registered or Reported
  
    Name of the Registrant
  
   Note: If the registrant is a partnership, please provide the name of the partnership.  Individual partner names are  
   not permitted but are required on page 2 of the form.

    Registrant's Entity Number (if registered with Ohio Secretary of State):

  All registrants must complete the information in this section
  
The general nature of business conducted by the registrant: 
  
Business address: 
  
    Mailing Address
  
    City                                                                                State           ZIP Code

Form 534A                                                                  Page 2 of 4                                            Last Revised: 06/2019

  Complete the information  in this section if registrant is a partnership NOT registered in Ohio pursuant to  
  ORC 1776, if partnership is registered, provide registration number on page one.
  
Provide the name and address of at least one general partner: 
  
    Name                                         Address 
  
NOTE: Pursuant to OAG 89-081, if a general partner is a foreign corporation/limited liability company, it must be licensed to 
transact business in Ohio; if a general partner is a foreign corporation/limited liability company licensed in Ohio under an 
assumed name, please provide the assumed name and the name as registered in its jurisdiction of formation.

By signing and submitting this form to the Ohio Secretary of State, the undersigned hereby certifies that he or she has the 
requisite authority to execute this document.  
  
Required       
Application must be 
signed by the registrant or   Signature
an authorized representative. 
  
If authorized representative  By (if applicable)
is an individual, then they 
must sign in the "signature" 
box and print their name 
in the "Print Name" box.      Print Name
 
If authorized representative is a business entity, not an individual, then please print the business name in the "signature" 
box, an authorized representative of the business entity must sign in the "By" box and print their name in the "Print Name" 
box.

Form 534A                                        Page 3 of 4                      Last Revised: 06/2019

                      Instructions for Name Registration

This form should be used to register a trade name or report the use of a fictitious name.  
           
To register a trade name, please select box 1. Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §1329.01(B)(4),   
please provide the date on which the registrant first used the trade name, which must be prior to the date of 
filing.  Examples of "use" include opening a business account in the trade name, placing the trade name on 
products, advertisements using the trade name or business cards and letterhead.  
           
To report the use of a fictitious name, please select box 2. Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §1329.01(D), any 
person who does business under a fictitious name not registered as a trade name must report the use of that 
name to the Secretary of State.  
 
A trade name is a name used in business or trade to designate the business of the user and to which the user 
asserts a right to exclusive use.  A trade name must be distinguishable upon the record from other previously 
registered business names.  See our Name Availability Guide at www.OhioSecretaryofState.gov, for more 
information regarding name requirements and restrictions. 
  
A fictitious name is a name used in business or trade that the user has not registered as a trade name or is not 
entitled to register as a trade name.  Registration of a fictitious name does not give the user any exclusive right 
to use the name. 
  
Name Being Registered or Reported     
State the trade name or fictitious name to be registered or reported. Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §1329.02 a 
trade name cannot indicate or imply that the registrant is incorporated unless the registrant is incorporated.  
Specifically, only a corporation can file a trade name which includes entity words such as: "company," "co.," 
"corporation," "corp.," incorporated," or "inc."  
           
Registrant Information        
State the name of the registrant on the line provided. If the registrant is a foreign corporation licensed in Ohio 
under an assumed name, the assumed name must be provided as well as the corporation's name as registered 
in the jurisdiction of formation. If the entity is registered with our office, it must provide the charter/registration/
license number.   
           
Provide the complete business address of the registrant. Also, please provide the general nature of business 
conducted by the registrant. 
           
Information if Registrant is a General Partnership         
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code § 1329.01(B)(1)(a), if the registrant is a general partnership, please   
provide the registration number assigned to the partnership by our office. If the general partnership is not 
registered in our office, please provide the name and address of at least one general partner.  
           
Additional Provisions         
If the information you wish to provide for the record does not fit on the form, please attach additional provisions 
on a single-sided, 8 1/2 x 11 sheet(s) of paper.  
           
Signature(s)  
After completing all information on the filing form, please make sure that the form is signed by an authorized 
representative.   
           
**NOTE: Our office cannot file or record a document that contains a social security number or    
tax identification number.  Please do not enter a social security number or tax identification         
number, in any format, on this form. 

Form 534A                                        Page 4 of 4                               Last Revised: 06/2019