How to Start a Moving Company in Ohio: PUCO Household Goods Certificate

If you are searching for an Ohio moving company license, the short answer is that Ohio does not issue one general license for movers. Ohio has no general state business license, and counties issue no business license. For a household goods mover, the approval that matters comes from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO): a certificate of public convenience and necessity as a for-hire motor carrier, plus a separate household goods certificate. This guide walks through those approvals, the business setup and insurance you need first, and the rules you follow after you are authorized.

This article is informational, not legal or tax advice. Fees, tiers, and deadlines change, so confirm every figure with the agency named before you spend money. For a new company, talk with a qualified business attorney about your entity and contracts, and with a CPA about taxes.

What you need before you start

Gather these items before you file anything. A missing document usually means your application waits in a queue while you chase paperwork.

• A business name checked against the Ohio Secretary of State business search at businesssearch.ohiosos.gov
• A registered agent (Ohio calls it a statutory agent) with an Ohio street address
• Articles of Organization for a Domestic Limited Liability Company (Form 610), or the corporate formation document if you incorporate
• A federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS
• A commercial insurance broker who places cargo and public liability coverage for household goods movers
• Workers' compensation coverage bought from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) state fund
• Titles or registrations for every truck, and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of each one
• Funds for the state filing fees, the household goods application fee, and the vendor's license fee

Step 1: Decide which kind of authority you need

PUCO regulates intrastate moves, which begin and end inside Ohio. A move from Dayton to Akron is intrastate. A move from Dayton to Indianapolis crosses a state line and falls under federal rules instead. Many companies need both, and each needs its own authority. Settle your service area before you buy insurance or print trucks, because your coverage, filings, and advertising all depend on it.

Step 2: Form the business

Most movers form a limited liability company (LLC). File Articles of Organization (Form 610) through Ohio Business Central at ohiobusinesscentral.gov. The filing fee is $99. Regular service takes 3 to 7 business days from receipt, and filing online is the fastest standard route. Expedited options cost more. Expedite Service 1 adds $100 to the filing fee and is processed within 2 business days. Expedite Service 2 costs $200 and is processed within 1 business day. Expedite Service 3 costs $300, requires in-person delivery, and is processed within 4 hours if received by 1:00 p.m., otherwise by noon the following business day.

Your LLC name must contain the words limited liability company or one of these abbreviations: L.L.C., LLC, limited, ltd., or ltd. It must be distinguishable on Secretary of State records from other domestic or foreign LLCs, corporations, limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, and registered trade names, unless the prior holder consents in writing. You can reserve a name for 180 days for $39.

Ohio requires every LLC to appoint and maintain a statutory agent. The agent must be an Ohio resident with a street address in Ohio, or an entity with a business address in Ohio. A post office box does not qualify, even when a street address is attached to it. The Secretary of State will not accept Articles of Organization without a signed appointment for the company and the agent's signed acceptance on the prescribed form. Changing an agent, an agent's address, or filing a resignation costs $25. A resignation takes effect 30 days after it is filed, so plan for that gap.

Ohio LLCs file no annual or biennial report. Ohio also has no franchise tax and no LLC annual tax. Your recurring state obligations come from the tax and PUCO side instead, covered below.

Step 3: Register a trade name if you will not use your legal name

If your public brand differs from your LLC name, register a trade name or fictitious name (Form 534A) with the Ohio Secretary of State. Trade names are registered with the Secretary of State, not the county. The registration fee is $39.00. Renewal is $25.00 every five years, and an update or change of registrant name is $25.00. Use the same name on your PUCO application, your truck lettering, and your contracts.

Step 4: Buy the insurance PUCO requires

For household goods movers, the PUCO minimums in OAC 4901:2-13-03 are:

• Cargo: $5,000 per vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence for household goods
• Public liability: $750,000, or $300,000 if every truck in your fleet is under 10,001 pounds GVWR

The $300,000 option is only available when every truck qualifies, so one heavier vehicle in the fleet puts you at $750,000. Ask your broker to confirm the GVWR of each vehicle in writing before you buy the policy. Buy workers' compensation from the BWC state fund, and enroll early so your first hire is not delayed.

Step 5: Apply for your PUCO certificates

You need two approvals from PUCO:

1. A certificate of public convenience and necessity as a for-hire motor carrier, under ORC 4921.03.
2. A household goods certificate, under ORC 4921.30 to 4921.38 and the rules in OAC chapter 4901:2-21.

Apply through PUCO at puco.ohio.gov. Expect to provide your entity documents, your insurance certificates, your vehicle information, and your company contact details. Pay the household goods application fee as well. That fee is annual. PUCO sets it based on your prior-year intrastate household goods revenue, within the ranges established under ORC 4921.19(H). A 2025 summary from J.J. Keller reports tiers of $100, $200, and $300 by revenue range. Treat those figures as a reference only. Confirm the current tier amounts with PUCO, and ask how a company with no prior-year revenue is placed in a tier.

Movers may also file tariffs with PUCO under ORC 4921.03(C). A tariff is a published rate structure. Ask PUCO how tariff filing works and whether your pricing needs one before you start quoting customers.

Step 6: Handle state and local taxes

Ohio has no corporate income tax and no franchise tax. Most moving companies still deal with three tax items.

Commercial Activity Tax (CAT). The CAT is a gross receipts tax of 0.26% (.0026) on Ohio taxable gross receipts. For tax year 2025 and later, only businesses with more than $6 million in Ohio taxable gross receipts owe the CAT or must register. CAT returns are filed quarterly. Check your revenue projections against that threshold rather than assuming the tax will not apply.

Vendor's license. Every Ohio retailer selling taxable goods or services must obtain a vendor's license before making taxable sales. The county auditor issues this license under state law, and as of April 9, 2025 the application fee for a county vendor's license is $50. You can apply through the Ohio Business Gateway or your county auditor. The Ohio Department of Taxation at tax.ohio.gov decides which of your services are taxable, so confirm that before you collect sales tax. Boxes and packing supplies you sell to customers are a common question, so ask the Department how to report those sales.

Municipal income tax. Cities and villages tax business net profit under their own rates. That tax sits on top of state rules, so check the rate and filing requirements for every city where you keep an office, garage, or yard.

Step 7: Follow the consumer rules on every job

PUCO's consumer rules apply to every household goods move, not only the first one.

• Show your PUCO certificate number on all advertising, written estimates, and contracts (ORC 4921.36).
• Give each customer the PUCO consumer rights form (ORC 4921.36).
• Follow PUCO rules on estimates, bills of lading, and claims (OAC chapter 4901:2-19).

Build these into your templates before your first booking. Fixing a contract after a customer complaint is the hard way to learn the rule.

Step 8: Calendar the annual update

File your annual update with PUCO between May 1 and June 30 each year (OAC 4901:2-21-06). The annual tax under ORC 4921.19 is $30 per passenger or tractor and $20 per other truck vehicle. Confirm the current amounts with PUCO when you file. Set a reminder in April, and renew your insurance on time as well, because the coverage minimums apply to every move you make.

Step 9: Add federal authority if you cross state lines

Interstate household goods moves require a USDOT number and FMCSA household goods authority. Start at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website at fmcsa.dot.gov and confirm the current registration steps and any fees there. Your PUCO certificates do not cover interstate work, so you need the federal filing separately.

Timeline and expected results

A complete LLC filing usually moves through regular Secretary of State processing in about 3 to 7 business days, though that timing is not guaranteed. PUCO's review time is not something this guide can confirm, so ask PUCO when you file and plan your launch date around its answer. Outcomes depend on the accuracy of your filings and on each agency's review, and nothing here guarantees approval. A complete and accurate package is the part you control.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using a post office box as the registered agent address. Ohio does not accept it.
• Looking for a county business license. Counties issue none, and the county auditor issues the vendor's license.
• Registering a trade name with the county. Trade names go to the Secretary of State.
• Buying insurance at the minimum without checking your contracts. Some customers or brokers may require more than the PUCO floor.
• Assuming the $300,000 liability minimum applies when any truck in the fleet is 10,001 pounds GVWR or heavier.
• Advertising or quoting without your certificate number on the materials.
• Booking household goods jobs before your PUCO certificates are issued.
• Missing the May 1 to June 30 annual update window.
• Treating intrastate and interstate authority as the same thing. Each requires its own filing.
• Filing an annual report for your LLC. Ohio requires none.

Where to get free help

The Ohio Small Business Development Centers network offers advising at clients.ohiosbdc.ohio.gov, and the SBA's Ohio district page at sba.gov/district/ohio lists local resources. Neither replaces an attorney or a CPA, but both can help you organize your plan before you file. For the state basics, start with the Ohio Secretary of State at ohiosos.gov, the Ohio Department of Taxation at tax.ohio.gov, and PUCO at puco.ohio.gov.

Use this guide as a checklist, then verify each figure on the agency page before you file. For complex situations, such as multistate operations, employee classification, or a purchase of an existing mover, consult a qualified attorney and CPA.