No.1
Number one here
1. IA Registered Agent.org: best for companies that only add Iowa
$199 for the service, state fee on top; from year two the agent bills $99 annually
Score9.2out of 10
First place: IA Registered Agent.org. It charges $199 beyond the state fee, including year-one registered agent service, then $99 a year for the agent.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
Its three-year total is below Mainstay Filing's, which carries considerable weight in our scoring.
In the price
- Foreign registration done for you
- A first year as your registered agent
Why pick it
- A $199 service charge plus the registration fee
- Includes your registered agent for the first year
- Agent charge of $99 a year after the first
Weak spots
- Serves Iowa only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.2
Best for expanding companies
2. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses active in several states
Expect $199 plus the state fee ($299 at checkout), then $149 each year for the agent
Score8.9out of 10
Second place: Mainstay Filing. $199 is added to the state fee in any state, and the first year as registered agent is included.
From year two the agent charge is $149 a year, the same in every state.
IA Registered Agent.org costs $100 less over three years, and Mainstay Filing trails it on that criterion.
In the price
- The foreign registration, filed for you
- A free first year as your registered agent
- Same-business-day scanning of legal papers served, free of charge
Why pick it
- Service of process on the company scanned within the same business day, no charge
- A $199 service charge, with the state's fee added
- Year-one registered agent service costs nothing
- One price in each of the fifty states
Weak spots
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 more than IA Registered Agent.org
No.3
Low renewal
3. Iowa Registered Agent.co: best for Iowa registrations only
$199 for the registration work and the state's fee besides; the agent is $99 yearly after year one
Score8.7out of 10
Third place: Iowa Registered Agent.co. It charges $199 beyond the state fee, including year-one registered agent service, then $99 a year for the agent.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The published prices and features of IA Registered Agent.org and Iowa Registered Agent.co are identical, which makes the order between them close.
In the price
- Foreign registration done for you
- Year-one registered agent service
Why pick it
- Twelve months as your registered agent come with it
- Agent charge of $99 a year after the first
- $199 to register, state fee on top
Weak spots
- Serves Iowa only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | IA Registered Agent.org | 9.2 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit IA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Mainstay Filing | 8.9 | $199 | $149/yr | Businesses spread over several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | Iowa Registered Agent.co | 8.7 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit Iowa Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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The Startup Judge assigns each score out of 10 itself, applying the criteria on
How we rank; no customer ratings are used.
Iowa foreign registration service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Agent covered in year one |
|---|
| IA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Free |
|---|
| Iowa Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
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Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Iowa's $100 registration fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
Why IA Registered Agent.org is placed first
The Startup Judge weighs charge over three years at 31% and work taken off the founder at 31%; renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight divide the remaining 38%. In Iowa, charge over three years was the criterion that tipped it.
Over three years IA Registered Agent.org totals $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first year, so the renewal charge carried the ruling.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
Foreign LLC registration in Iowa: the form, the office and the fee
Registration is lodged with the Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services using the Limited Liability Company Foreign Registration Statement (Form 635_0010). The state fee is $100. Iowa also requires certificate of existence (good standing) from the state or country of formation, issued no more than 90 days before the filing.
Once registered, the company's recurring filing is the biennial report, priced at $30, with a due date of January 1 to April 1 of each odd-numbered year.
Items to gather before filing
- Certificate of existence (good standing) from the state or country of formation, no older than 90 days at filing.
- The exact legal name registered in the home state, along with the date it was formed.
- A registered agent whose street address is in the state. Any provider on this page can fill the role.
- The $100 state fee, remitted with the application.
- A date in your calendar for the biennial report, which carries a $30 fee.
Consequences of operating in Iowa unregistered
Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC may not sue in Iowa courts (Iowa Code 489.902). The contracts it makes stay enforceable (Iowa Code 489.902(3)).
Questions on Iowa foreign registration services
Is an out-of-state LLC required to register in Iowa?
Yes, as soon as it conducts business there. Until it registers, it has no standing to sue in that state's courts.
What will foreign registration in Iowa run in total?
The state fee is $100; service charges run $199.
What does Iowa call its foreign registration form?
The Limited Liability Company Foreign Registration Statement (Form 635_0010), lodged with the Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services.
Must the home state vouch for the company before Iowa accepts it?
It must. Certificate of existence (good standing) from the state or country of formation, issued no more than 90 days before filing accompanies the application.
Is a registered agent still needed after the company is registered?
Yes. A registered agent with a street address in the state stays on file for as long as the registration lasts.
Which foreign registration service does the record favor in Iowa?
IA Registered Agent.org, since the Iowa registration costs $199 with the first agent year included, and $99 a year follows.
The record
- Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division, on the record as of August 2026
- Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division, on the record as of August 2026
- Iowa report due date, on the record as of August 2026
- Iowa Code § 489.201, on the record as of August 2026
- Iowa formation fee: Filing fee, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Iowa registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- Iowa Secretary of State, business entity forms and fees, on the record as of October 2026
- LLC Foreign Registration Statement, Form 635_0010, on the record as of October 2026
- Iowa Code 489.902, registration requirement, on the record as of October 2026
- Iowa Code 489.905, activities that do not count, on the record as of October 2026
- Iowa Secretary of State, certificate of existence, on the record as of October 2026
- Iowa Code 489.902, registration to do business, on the record as of November 2026
- Iowa Code 490.1502, registration of a foreign corporation, on the record as of November 2026
- Exhibit: IA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Iowa service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Iowa Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026