How to Get Your GED in Ohio: Cost, the $80 Voucher and 6 Steps

Getting your GED in Ohio comes down to four tests. You can take them one at a time, at a test center or online from home.

The catch? Ohio asks for a bit of paperwork. You must live in Ohio, and if you’re 16, 17 or even 18, you mail in a school withdrawal form before you test.

If it’s been years since school, that’s normal. You don’t need the whole plan today, only the next step.

Ohio GED at a glance

Want to compare? See GED cost by state and GED requirements by state.

Who can take the GED in Ohio

To take the GED in Ohio, you must be 18, live in Ohio, and not have a high school diploma. GED.com’s Ohio page is direct about residency: “Yes, you are required to be a resident to take the test in Ohio.”

At 18, there’s one extra form. If you’re 18, you also send a copy of the current school year’s withdrawal form, signed by your school administrator.

Under 18? At 16 or 17, you need two forms:

• A current school-year withdrawal form, signed by a school official
• The original Ohio parental consent form, signed and notarized by a parent, a guardian or a court official (include guardianship or court papers if they apply)

Mail them to the State of Ohio HSE Office, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, 25 S. Front Street, MS 622, Columbus, OH 43215. The consent form has to be the original, not a copy.

On test day, bring a non-expired, government-issued photo ID. No class is required, and you don’t need GED Ready to test in person.

How much the GED costs in Ohio

Ohio charges $36 a subject, at a test center or online. That’s $144 for all four (checked October 2026).

First time testing? Get the state voucher. Ohio gives first-time testers who live in Ohio a voucher worth up to $80. With it, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) lists all four subjects at $64 instead of $144, in person or online.

You get the voucher code from your local Career-Technical Planning District (CTPD) office before you schedule. Each person gets one code, it covers first attempts only, and a no-show counts against it.

Two ODEW pages give different expiry dates for the codes, June 30, 2026 and June 30, 2027. So ask the CTPD office whether codes are still being issued before you count on one.

Retakes. At a test center, GED Testing Service waives its $26 fee when you retake a subject you failed, and GED.com lists a $10 test center fee for that retake. ODEW’s updates page says that since July 1, 2024, you get one free retake per subject within 12 months. Ask your test center which applies when you book.

Online retakes cost the full $36. You get one, then a 60-day wait.

To add up your own total, with or without GED Ready, use our GED cost calculator.

Can you take the GED online in Ohio?

Yes. Ohio has offered online testing since January 11, 2021, at $36 a subject, and you can test online from age 16 (GED.com’s online testing table, checked October 2026).

You must take and pass GED Ready first, with a green score from the last 60 days in each subject you book. You also need a private room with a door you can close, and a computer with a webcam and reliable internet.

Under 18? A parent or guardian must be at your online check-in.

Which should you pick? A test center gives you cheaper retakes and doesn’t require GED Ready. Testing online saves you the trip.

How to get your GED in Ohio, step by step

Free GED classes in Ohio

Ohio’s Aspire programs offer free adult education, including high school equivalency prep and English classes, in all 88 counties. Every student starts with an orientation.

ODEW also keeps a list of HSE preparation centers by county.

A class isn’t required. You can study on your own and book each test when you’re ready.

Your Ohio diploma and transcript

Pass all four subjects and you earn the Ohio High School Equivalency Diploma.

Ohio handles every diploma and transcript through DiplomaSender, and has since February 2018. There are no walk-in requests.

If you earned your credential in Ohio since February 5, 2018, your first diploma and transcript are free. Extra copies cost $20 each, and a verification sent to someone else, like an employer, costs $30.