Business formation

Form your business in Iowa

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in Iowa with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

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Forming an LLC in Iowa costs $50 in state filing fees, which is among the cheapest in the country: 3 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $50 and a nonprofit for $20. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

Iowa state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Iowa Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$50
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$50
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$20

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the Iowa Secretary of State before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in Iowa

Biennial Report

$30, $45 by paper

By April 1 of odd-numbered years (filing opens January 1) An LLC that does not file can be administratively dissolved.

State tax on the LLC

Iowa charges no franchise or privilege tax on LLCs. An LLC taxed as a partnership or disregarded entity pays no entity-level income tax. A sales tax permit is needed if the LLC sells taxable goods or services.

How long Iowa takes

Fast Track online filings are processed in as little as five minutes and no more than two days. Expedite charges per document: five business days $15, two business days $50, same day $125, one hour $200.

What is different about Iowa

• LLCs file biennial reports in odd-numbered years and corporations in even-numbered years.
• Iowa offers a paid preclearance review of a document before it is filed.
• Both formation and the biennial report can be filed online through Fast Track Filing.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Iowa Secretary of State and the tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Iowa street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Iowa. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Iowa

How much does an LLC cost per year in Iowa?: $30 every two years for the online biennial report ($45 by paper), which works out to $15 a year.
When is the Iowa LLC biennial report due?: By April 1 of each odd-numbered year. Filing opens January 1.
How fast can I form an LLC in Iowa?: Online Fast Track filings are processed in as little as five minutes and no more than two days. Paid expedite options are available for other submissions.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Iowa?: The Iowa state filing fee for an LLC is $50, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the cheapest in the country: 3 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in Iowa?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Iowa who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the Iowa Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your Iowa formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in Iowa? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

Iowa state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the Iowa Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$50
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$50
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$20

What an LLC costs every year in Iowa

Biennial Report

$30, $45 by paper

By April 1 of odd-numbered years (filing opens January 1) An LLC that does not file can be administratively dissolved.

State tax on the LLC

How long Iowa takes

What is different about Iowa

• LLCs file biennial reports in odd-numbered years and corporations in even-numbered years.

• Iowa offers a paid preclearance review of a document before it is filed.

• Both formation and the biennial report can be filed online through Fast Track Filing.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the Iowa Secretary of State and the tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a Iowa street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by Iowa. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about Iowa

How much does an LLC cost per year in Iowa?

$30 every two years for the online biennial report ($45 by paper), which works out to $15 a year.

When is the Iowa LLC biennial report due?

By April 1 of each odd-numbered year. Filing opens January 1.

How fast can I form an LLC in Iowa?

Online Fast Track filings are processed in as little as five minutes and no more than two days. Paid expedite options are available for other submissions.

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Iowa?

The Iowa state filing fee for an LLC is $50, paid once when you file the formation document. That is among the cheapest in the country: 3 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in Iowa?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in Iowa who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the Iowa Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.