No.1
Our top pick
1. Mainstay Filing: best for the formation, the agent and the biennial report under one charge
$199 a year plus the state fee ($249 due at checkout)
Score9.3out of 10
First place: Mainstay Filing. A single yearly charge of $199 covers the Iowa formation, a year as your registered agent and the biennial report, then renews at $199.
At renewal Mainstay prepares and files the biennial report for you. Iowa charges $30 every two years for it, due April 1 of odd-numbered years; Mainstay passes the state fee along at cost.
Its three-year total exceeds Iowa Registered Agent.co's by $200; the broader coverage outweighs that difference in our scoring.
In the price
- The LLC formation, handled for you
- Year-round service as your registered agent
- Biennial report prepared and filed on your behalf
- EIN application prepared
Why pick it
- Covers the EIN application
- One yearly charge of $199 that covers the biennial report
- Iowa's fee is passed along at cost
- Renews at $199 with nothing added
Weak spots
- Its agent charge after year one is $100 a year above Iowa Registered Agent.co's
No.2
Best value here
2. Iowa Registered Agent.co: best for an Iowa LLC that intends to stay put
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score8.9out of 10
Second place: Iowa Registered Agent.co. The formation charge is $199 over the state fee, then $99 annually 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 biennial report lies outside its published prices, so you file it with Iowa every two years.
In the price
- Articles prepared and filed
- The first year of registered agent service
Why pick it
- $199 to form the LLC, state fee on top
- The agent renews at $99 annually
- Twelve months as your registered agent come with it
Weak spots
- The biennial report is not prepared for you
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.3
Best for an Iowa-only company
3. IA Registered Agent.org: best for a filing made only in Iowa
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, with the state fee extra
Score8.6out of 10
Third place: IA Registered Agent.org. The formation charge is $199 over the state fee, then $99 annually 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 biennial report lies outside its published prices, so you file it with Iowa every two years.
Iowa Registered Agent.co and IA Registered Agent.org publish the same price and the same features, so either is a defensible choice.
In the price
- Articles prepared and filed
- A first year as your registered agent
Why pick it
- Agent charge of $99 a year after year one
- Includes your registered agent for the first year
- Forms the LLC for $199 and the state's fee
Weak spots
- The biennial report is not prepared for you
- 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 | Mainstay Filing | 9.3 | $199 | $199/yr | The formation, the agent and the biennial report under one charge | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Iowa Registered Agent.co | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | A Iowa business holding down its costs | Visit Iowa Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | IA Registered Agent.org | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | A Iowa business holding down its costs | Visit IA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Scores out of 10 are editorial marks set by The Startup Judge from the criteria on
How we rank. They are not customer ratings.
Iowa LLC service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Files the biennial report |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Yes |
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| Iowa Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
|---|
| IA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
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Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. Iowa's $50 filing fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
The basis for the order
The method behind these rulings gives 31% to charge over three years and 31% to work taken off the founder, with renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight dividing 38%. What settled Iowa was work taken off the founder.
Iowa requires a report every second year at a state fee of $30. Mainstay's price includes the filing and Iowa Registered Agent.co's does not, and that coverage outweighed Iowa Registered Agent.co's lower three-year cost.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
The Iowa LLC filing fee and form (official figures)
To file the Certificate of Organization with the Iowa Secretary of State, budget $50. Each provider on this page adds that state fee at cost to its own charge.
Obligations after the Iowa filing is accepted
File the biennial report every two years; the date is April 1 of odd-numbered years. $30 goes to the state. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Questions on Iowa LLC services
What does it take, in dollars, to form an LLC in Iowa?
The state filing fee is $50; service charges run $199.
What is filed to bring the company into existence?
The Certificate of Organization, lodged with the Iowa Secretary of State.
Does an Iowa LLC have to name a registered agent on its formation paperwork?
Yes. The company names a registered agent when it forms and keeps one on file afterward, with a street address in Iowa.
Which recurring filings follow formation?
One: the biennial report, filed every two years, due April 1 of odd-numbered years, at a state fee of $30.
Does the quoted price cover the EIN application?
At Mainstay Filing it does; the application sits inside the yearly price. Iowa Registered Agent.co and IA Registered Agent.org add $99 for the application. Applying directly with the IRS carries no fee.
Which Iowa LLC service does the record favor?
Mainstay Filing, since $199 a year buys the Iowa filing, registered agent service and the biennial report, and renewal is $199.
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
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, Iowa service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Iowa Registered Agent.co, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: IA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026