Iowa business entity search and name check

What the Iowa search covers

The official search covers entities filed with the Secretary of State: corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, LLPs, nonprofits, cooperatives and out-of-state entities registered in Iowa. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships don't have to register, so they aren't in it. The state also publishes a free monthly dataset of active entities only; dissolved and withdrawn businesses are left out of it.

Each record has a Corp Number (for example 662502). Search by number on the Iowa Business Entities Search.

How to read Iowa results

Iowa uses its own status labels. We always show the official wording; here is what the common ones mean according to the state:

A status describes the registry filing only. It isn’t evidence of a license, tax compliance or reputation, and a record with the same name as a company you know may be a different business. More on statuses.

Iowa business name rules

An LLC name must include one of: limited liability company, limited company, L. L. C., LLC, L. C., LC, Ltd. (for Limited), Co. (for company). A corporation uses one of: corporation, incorporated, company, limited, corp., inc., co., ltd..

Your name must be distinguishable on the Secretary of State's records from existing entities (including ones administratively dissolved in the past five years), reserved names, registered names and registered fictitious names. (Iowa Code 489.112(2),(4); 490.401(2)) Source: legis.iowa.gov

When comparing names, Iowa disregards: entity-type words and abbreviations (corporation, corp., incorporated, inc., limited, ltd., limited liability company, L.L.C., LLC, L.P., LLP, cooperative). Our name check applies these same rules.

Words that need approval or are restricted

Using a similar name with consent

Yes. The holder of the existing name can consent in a signed record and must agree to change its own name to something distinguishable (LLCs: Iowa Code 489.112(3); corporations: 490.401(3)(a), with a $10 application fee). A court judgment establishing your prior right to the name also works.

Reserving a name in Iowa

Iowa lets you reserve a name before you form the business for $10, held for 120 days. The LLC law doesn't say whether it can be renewed; a corporate name reservation can't be renewed (Iowa Code 490.402(1)).

Send the Secretary of State an application with the applicant's name and address and the name you want. A reservation can be transferred to someone else by filing a signed notice ($10).

Iowa name reservation Source: legis.iowa.gov

Searching on this site doesn’t reserve anything. Only Iowa Secretary of State can.

Forming an LLC in Iowa

Document

Certificate of Organization

State filing fee

$50
This is the fee set by statute (Iowa Code 489.122(1)(c)). We couldn't confirm whether filing online adds a surcharge.

Registered agent

Every Iowa LLC, and every out-of-state LLC registered here, must keep a registered agent with a place of business in Iowa (Iowa Code 489.115).

Out-of-state LLC registering here

$100 (Application for Certificate of Registration (foreign LLC))

Fees change. Confirm them on the official Iowa fee schedule before you file.

Keeping a Iowa LLC in good standing

Biennial Report. Due between January 1 and April 1 of each odd-numbered year, starting with the first odd-numbered year after you form or register (Iowa Code 489.212(3)). Source: legis.iowa.gov

We found no state LLC franchise or privilege tax in the business statutes we reviewed.

The LLC biennial report fee is set by the Secretary of State rather than by statute (Iowa Code 489.122(4), 489.212(3)). For corporations the statute sets the biennial report fee at $60 (Iowa Code 490.122(1)(ad)).

Proof of status: Certificate of Existence (domestic) / Certificate of Registration (foreign) ($5). Source: legis.iowa.gov

Assumed names (DBAs)

An LLC that does business under a fictitious name files a certified copy of the member or manager resolution adopting it with the Secretary of State (Iowa Code 489.112(8)); a corporation files a certified board resolution (490.401(5)). The fee for this kind of filing is $5. Source: legis.iowa.gov

Good to know about Iowa

• LLCs and corporations file a biennial report, not an annual one, between January 1 and April 1 of odd-numbered years. Source: legis.iowa.gov
• The statutory fee to form is $50 for both an LLC Certificate of Organization and corporate Articles of Incorporation. Source: legis.iowa.gov
• Besides LLC and limited company, Iowa accepts the shorter designators L.C. and LC. Source: legis.iowa.gov
• An administratively dissolved entity's name stays protected for five years, and reinstatement costs only $5 in filing fees. Source: legis.iowa.gov
• The Secretary of State publishes every active entity as a free monthly dataset (about 348,000 records) under a CC BY license. Source: data.iowa.gov

Sources and accuracy

We checked this page against official Iowa sources on October 30, 2026. Our monitor rechecks the official search, filing portal and fee pages daily and flags changes for review.

See something wrong? Tell us. We can fix how we present information, but only Iowa Secretary of State can change an official record.