Ohio Revised Code Title XVII. Corporations Partnerships § 1703.06

Any person intending to organize a corporation under the laws of another state, or any foreign corporation intending to transact business in this state or intending to change its name, may file in the office of the secretary of state, in writing and on a form prescribed by the secretary of state, an application for the exclusive use of a name to be used by that proposed or existing foreign corporation. If the secretary of state finds that such a name is proper under section 1703.04 of the Revised Code, the secretary of state shall indorse the secretary of state's approval upon the application, and from the date of that indorsement the applicant shall have the exclusive use of that name for a period of one hundred eighty days. The rights so secured may be transferred by the holder of the rights by filing in the office of the secretary of state a written transfer setting forth the name and address of the transferee. Every application under this section shall be accompanied by a fee of fifty dollars, which shall be returned in the event that the application is not approved.