Iowa Certificate of Authority / Agent and office

The Iowa registered agent or office your authority needs, by entity type

After the $100 registration or the $25 nonprofit application, every outside entity in Iowa names someone to receive legal papers. An LLC names a registered agent with a place of business here, and a corporation or nonprofit names a registered office and an agent at that office. Changing either is free to file, and when the state itself is served it charges $5. This page compares the three rules.

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The three rules compared

Point	LLC	Business corporation	Nonprofit
What is required	A registered agent	A registered office and agent	A registered office and agent
Location	Agent has a place of business in Iowa	Agent's business office is the registered office	Agent's office is the registered office
Who can serve	Any agent with a place of business in Iowa	An Iowa-resident individual, or a corporation or eligible entity	An Iowa-resident individual, or a domestic or authorized foreign corporation
Change fee	None	None	Ask us
Resignation fee	None	None	Ask us

The LLC rule

Naming an agent affirms that the agent has consented to serve, and the agent has to operate from an Iowa business location. A registered agent's duties under the LLC chapter are to forward process, notices and demands to the address the company last supplied, to give notice if it resigns, and to keep its own details current in the statement.

The corporation rule

A corporation keeps a registered office, which may be the same as a place of business, and a registered agent who is an Iowa-resident individual with a business office identical to the registered office, or a corporation or eligible entity whose business office is identical to it. Changing the office or agent takes a signed statement; a corporation changes its registered office or agent by a signed statement naming the corporation, the current office and agent and the new details, with the new agent's written consent; it can also change them in the biennial report.

The nonprofit rule

A foreign nonprofit corporation keeps a registered office with the same address as its registered agent, who may be an Iowa-resident individual or a domestic or authorized foreign business or nonprofit corporation at that office. The corporation must keep both continuously while it is authorized.

Changing and resigning

For an LLC, a company changes its agent or the agent's address by delivering a statement of change naming the company and the new information; the members or managers need not approve it, and it takes effect when filed. Resignation is by statement: an agent resigns by statement of resignation, which takes effect on the earlier of the thirty-first day after filing or the designation of a new agent; the agent must promptly tell the company the filing date, and may resign whether or not the company is in good standing. Neither filing carries a state fee.

How process reaches each type

For an LLC: an LLC is served through its registered agent; if it has none or the agent cannot be served with reasonable diligence, by registered or certified mail to the principal office shown on its latest biennial report; and failing that by handing the papers to the person in charge of a regular place of business. For a corporation: a corporation is served through its registered agent, then by registered or certified mail to the secretary at its principal office, and then on the Secretary of State, who forwards a copy by registered or certified mail.

What a gap costs

After sixty days or more with no agent or registered office, an LLC or corporation can have its registration terminated, and a nonprofit can have its certificate revoked on the same ground. Name a replacement the week an agent says it is leaving.

Choosing between a volunteer, a colleague and a firm

A small nonprofit may be able to use a board member who lives in Iowa and has a suitable office, which costs nothing but depends on reliability. An LLC or corporation with no Iowa presence needs an agent who has a business location here. In every case, keep one note saying who the agent is, where, and who at your end is the contact, and reread it when the report window opens.

Having us serve

We can serve as your Iowa registered agent or office if you pick that at checkout. If you would rather keep your own, say so and we will enter their details.

Agent questions

Does the office have to equal the agent's address?

For corporations and nonprofits, yes. The registered office is the agent's business office.

Does swapping the agent cost anything?

Not at the state, for LLCs and corporations. Iowa shows the statement of change as free.

Can a nonprofit use a volunteer?

An Iowa-resident individual whose office doubles as the registered office is eligible under the Code.

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Our fee and Iowa's

We tell you which Iowa fee applies before you pay. An LLC and a nonprofit pay different amounts. $199 plus the state fee, including your first year of registered agent service; after that the agent service renews at $149 a year.

Get Iowa authority to operate

$199

+ the Iowa fee for your entity type, from $25

The Iowa paper that fits your entity type, drafted from what you tell us
The certificate of existence from home, ordered so it lands inside Iowa's ninety days
An Iowa registered agent or office: ours, or your current one
The filing sent and the state's record returned, with your report year marked
Renewal: after the first year, the agent service renews at $149 a year

Order Iowa authority

Sources

Not sure which Iowa paper you need?

Name your entity type and home state and we will say what Iowa asks.

Order Iowa authority