United States · Ohio · Department of Taxation
Ohio vendor's license lookup and fee guide.
Ohio does not have a one-number verifier. It publishes a downloadable List of Active Vendors. Here is how to read it, what the four account types mean, and what a license costs.
Estimate the license fee
This is a format and date check only. It cannot tell you a number is active. Only the official verifier can.
Result
Enter how many fixed locations you have and press Check.
How to check an Ohio vendor's license
The Department of Taxation publishes a List of Active Vendors and a one-page set of instructions for it. The report lists active county vendor's licenses, transient vendor's licenses, direct pay permit holders and out-of-state seller's use accounts, each with its account number, name and address as of the time and date the report was run. You use tabs to switch between those four types, sort by number, name or address, pick a county or "all" for county licenses, and download a spreadsheet through the Crosstab option. The Department says the report is updated almost daily, does not keep historical reports, and assumes no liability for errors or omissions.
What a result means
- Appears on the County tab: the business has an active vendor's license for that fixed place of business. A license is required for each fixed place of business.
- Appears on the Transient tab: generally a business with no fixed place, such as one that sets up temporary locations around the state or sells from vending machines.
- Direct pay permit or seller's use: these are different accounts. A direct pay holder pays use tax directly instead of paying vendors sales tax, and a seller's use account is held by an out-of-state seller. Neither is a county license.
- Not on the list: as of the run time, no active license in that name. Ask for the license document, or check the spelling and county.
What an Ohio license costs
Under R.C. 5739.17 a license applicant pays a license fee of $50 for each fixed place of business that will be the situs of retail sales, and a license is issued for each fixed place. The Department's license table lists the vendor and transient vendor licenses at $50 each, and the out-of-state seller license at no fee. The Department announced that new applications rose from $25 to $50 effective April 9, 2025. You can apply through OH|TAX eServices or with the county auditor. The estimator above multiplies locations by $50 and adds $50 if you also sell from temporary locations.
Resale certificates in Ohio
Ohio's exemption certificate page lists the STEC U (single purchase) and STEC B (continuing claim on purchases from the same vendor) certificates. The Streamlined Sales Tax certificate is accepted in place of several Ohio certificates, and the Multistate Tax Commission uniform certificate is accepted for resale and for items incorporated into products for sale.
Do you need an Ohio vendor's license to sell on Etsy?
The Department's license table says an out-of-state seller may need a seller's use license if it has more than $100,000 in sales to Ohio customers in a year or makes 200 or more separate sales, but that if the seller only uses an online marketplace like Amazon or eBay and the marketplace collects and pays the tax, the license is not needed. A seller with a fixed Ohio location or a business of its own is in the vendor's license group: the table includes selling items online within Ohio. When in doubt, check the facilitator is collecting for you.
Worked example
A seller with two storefronts and a summer market stall estimates 2 x $50 + $50 = $150. That is an application-fee estimate under the figures above, not a quote from the state.
Sources
- Ohio Department of Taxation: Sales and Use Tax — license types, fees, List of Active Vendors, April 2025 fee change
- Instructions for the Active Vendor's License List — tabs, update frequency, liability disclaimer
- Ohio Revised Code 5739.17 — license requirement and $50 fee per fixed place
- Ohio Department of Taxation: Exemption Certificates — STEC U, STEC B, streamlined and MTC certificates
All figures and rules above were retrieved October 2026. Agencies revise forms and thresholds, so confirm anything that affects a sale against the current official page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an Ohio vendor's license lookup by number?
The Department publishes a List of Active Vendors, a downloadable report you sort and search, rather than a single-number verifier.
How much is an Ohio vendor's license?
R.C. 5739.17 sets $50 for each fixed place of business, and the Department lists transient vendor licenses at $50. The out-of-state seller license has no fee.
How current is the Ohio active vendor list?
The Department says it is updated almost daily and that it does not maintain historical reports.
Do I need an Ohio license if Etsy collects the tax?
The Department says an out-of-state seller who only uses a marketplace that collects and pays the tax does not need the out-of-state seller license. A fixed Ohio location needs a vendor's license.
Not legal or tax advice
This page explains published agency guidance and runs simple date and format checks. It is not a certificate, a legal opinion or confirmation that any permit is active. Verify with the state before relying on a customer's exemption.