Fee to file with the state
$50
From legis.iowa.gov, October 2026
LLC cost guide · Iowa
Starting an LLC in Iowa (2026): Official Costs and the 3 Best Services
Iowa, 2026: IA Registered Agent.org ($199), Iowa Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199) come out on top for forming an LLC, in that sequence. To open an LLC in Iowa you pay the state $50 and, every two years, $30 for the biennial report, a total that ranks 7th of 50.
Iowa state charges at a glance
7th
of fifty for the state side of a three-year budget
Rankings begin with the smallest bill. Fifty states in one table
Biennial report
$30 / 2 yrs
The state sets the deadline as April 1 of odd-numbered years. From help.sos.iowa.gov, October 2026
State charges, years one to three
$80
The year-one filing together with years two and three
Iowa: our recommendations
Five criteria set the order, led by three-year service charges and the filings covered; the methodology has the weights.
1. IA Registered Agent.org: best for a plain Iowa LLC
Formation $199; renewal $99 a year
IA Registered Agent.org is our first choice because a $199 formation charge and a $99 agent renewal.
It comes in under Mainstay Filing on three-year service fees. Cost counts for 34% of the score.
The biennial report is outside the price.
What the price buys
- Formation paperwork taken care of
- First year of agent service
In its favor
- The agent renews at $99
- The first agent year is already paid for
- $199 to form
Against it
- Biennial report is left to the owner
- The EIN application is outside the price ($99)
2. Iowa Registered Agent.co: best for owners who file their own reports
Formation $199; renewal $99 a year
Our second pick, Iowa Registered Agent.co, earns its place since a $199 formation charge and a $99 agent renewal.
The biennial report is outside the price.
IA Registered Agent.org charges the same.
What the price buys
- Formation paperwork taken care of
- First year of agent service
In its favor
- The first agent year is already paid for
- The agent renews at $99
- $199 to form
Against it
- Biennial report is left to the owner
- The EIN application is outside the price ($99)
3. Mainstay Filing: best for one bill for forming and keeping the LLC
$199 a year, with $249 for the state fee at checkout
Our third pick, Mainstay Filing, earns its place since the Iowa formation, a registered agent and the biennial report are all inside a $199 yearly price.
The three-year bill is $200 larger than IA Registered Agent.org's, and cost is the heaviest of our criteria.
At renewal it handles the biennial report, and $30 goes to the state at cost.
What the price buys
- Your formation is prepared and filed
- Registered agent duties covered all year
- Your biennial report is prepared and sent in
- Your EIN application goes in with the rest
- What the state charges is billed as it stands
In its favor
- The EIN application is handled too
- A single $199 yearly price, the biennial report included
- Still $199 at renewal
Against it
- A yearly bill $100 higher than IA Registered Agent.org's
Iowa picks compared
| No. | Service | First-year fee | From year two | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit IA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Iowa Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Iowa Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199/yr | $597 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Every price was copied from its company's page on November 12, 2026. Every row needs the $50 state fee added.
What an LLC costs in Iowa over time
Pick a number of years and a service. The state portion follows the official schedule: $50 to form, then the biennial report from year two.
Iowa next to the states ranked around it
LLC costs by state lists every state, least expensive first.
Iowa LLC filing fee and form (official source)
To create the LLC, submit the Certificate of Organization to the Iowa Secretary of State along with a $50 payment (Iowa Code § 489.201). The services below pass it along without change.
Staying in good standing: the biennial report
Biennial report: every two years, due April 1 of odd-numbered years, fee $30.
Why the list reads this way
Three-year service charge decided first place in Iowa. It counts for 34% of the score; the remaining criteria are paperwork the price takes on, year-two price, match to the state's calendar, fee labeling.
Three years of service fees at IA Registered Agent.org come to $397, which is $200 less than Mainstay Filing.
Iowa: common questions
How much does the state charge to start an LLC in Iowa?
The filing fee at the state is $50. Service fees on this page: $199.
What fee goes with the Iowa biennial report?
$30 every two years, filed April 1 of odd-numbered years.
Where does Iowa stand on LLC fees?
Iowa is 7th of 50 for three-year state fees, at $80; the smallest bill ranks first.
Does Iowa require a registered agent?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which LLC services are recommended on this page?
IA Registered Agent.org ($199), Iowa Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), beginning with our first choice.
Which service should file my LLC?
Start with IA Registered Agent.org: $199 to form in Iowa, agent service paid for in year one, then $99 yearly. After that, Iowa Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.
Sources for this chapter
- For Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division, see help.sos.iowa.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division, see help.sos.iowa.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Iowa report due date, see legis.iowa.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Iowa Code § 489.201, see legis.iowa.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Iowa formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see legis.iowa.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Iowa registered agent statute, see legis.iowa.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Mont, see mca.legmt.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see sosmt.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Montana formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see sosmt.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, see sosmt.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Montana yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, see sosmt.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Hawaii formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see cca.hawaii.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Hawaii formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see cca.hawaii.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Hawaii DCCA Business Registration Division release of July, see cca.hawaii.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Hawaii yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source, see files.hawaii.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Utah Code § 48-3a-201, see le.utah.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Utah formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see commerce.utah.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, see corporations.utah.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, see corporations.utah.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Ohio Rev, see codes.ohio.gov (opened August 2026)
- For Ohio formation fee: Filing fee, official source, see codes.ohio.gov (opened October 2026)
- The pricing page for IA Registered Agent.org, as published November 12, 2026
- The pricing page for Iowa Registered Agent.co, as published November 12, 2026
- The Iowa service page for Mainstay Filing, as published November 12, 2026