Iowa quote board
Ranked by the
lab method. No quote includes the $50 state fee.
1. IA Registered Agent.org: best for no-frills formations
Best reading
$199 plus the state's fee, then $99 yearly
- Opening quote
- $199
- Quote from year 2
- $99/yr
- Reading at year 3
- $397
Top quote: IA Registered Agent.org. Forming costs $199, year-one agent included, and later years read $99.
A three-year reading under Mainstay Filing's earns the top quote.
The biennial report is not part of its quote.
Quote includes
- Formation paperwork, completed
- Agent service for the first year
Reads well
- Then $99 a year
- First agent year included
- $199 over the state fee
Reads poorly
- Quote leaves out the biennial report
- It bills $99 for the EIN application
2
2. Mainstay Filing: best for the most filings handled per dollar
Nationwide
Opening $199; renewal $199; state fee separate
- Opening quote
- $199
- Quote from year 2
- $199/yr
- Reading at year 3
- $597
Mainstay Filing ranks second. Reading: only this quote folds the biennial report into its $199 yearly price.
A $200 difference from IA Registered Agent.org at year three sets its position.
Iowa bills $30 for the biennial report, and the service passes that fee through at cost.
Quote includes
- The LLC formation filing
- Registered agent, for twelve months
- Biennial report, filed as it falls due
- The EIN application, prepared
- State fee passed straight through
Reads well
- No extra fee for the EIN application
- Same $199 after year one
- One yearly quote, $199
Reads poorly
- Renews $100 above IA Registered Agent.org
3
3. Iowa Registered Agent.co: best for companies rooted in the state
In-state provider
$199 plus the state's fee, then $99 yearly
- Opening quote
- $199
- Quote from year 2
- $99/yr
- Reading at year 3
- $397
Iowa Registered Agent.co ranks third. Reading: forming costs $199, year-one agent included, and later years read $99.
The biennial report is not part of its quote.
Year one and renewal both equal IA Registered Agent.org's.
Quote includes
- Formation paperwork, completed
- Agent service for the first year
Reads well
- First agent year included
- $199 over the state fee
- Then $99 a year
Reads poorly
- Quote leaves out the biennial report
- It bills $99 for the EIN application
Running totals at 1, 2, 3 and 5 years
Year one plus renewals, using prices sampled November 13, 2026. No break-even appears inside ten years.
Bench calculator
Change the years to take a new reading, with the EIN application as an option.
State fees with citations
Filing fee, plus the recurring report in years two and three, plus any minimum tax: that is the three-year state reading.
Notes on the order
Measured three-year cost put IA Registered Agent.org first. That term is 36% of the ranking; filings handled per dollar, renewal drift, break-even year and price clarity make up the rest.
On the three-year column IA Registered Agent.org sits at $397, a $200 difference from Mainstay Filing.
Add the EIN application to the math and the crossing moves to year 2, when Mainstay Filing passes IA Registered Agent.org.
Iowa LLC filing fee and requirements, quoted from the source
The Certificate of Organization, plus $50, is delivered to the Iowa Secretary of State (Iowa Code § 489.201). Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Quoted text: legis.iowa.gov (logged October 2026) for the record
If you skip the service
With no service, three years read $80 in state fees. Each service adds its own quote, $397 to $597 over the same period.
Common questions
What do LLC formation services charge in Iowa?
Budget $199 plus $50 in state fees.
What do the quotes add up to over three years?
Service readings after three years: $397 to $597.
How much does Iowa take to file an LLC?
Filing costs $50, using the Certificate of Organization.
What does Iowa bill each year after formation?
$30 biennially for the biennial report, deadline described as April 1 of odd-numbered years.
Is the EIN application part of the quote?
$99 extra at IA Registered Agent.org, it is part of Mainstay Filing and $99 extra at Iowa Registered Agent.co.
When does one quote pass another in total cost?
They hold the same order for ten years.
Which LLC formation service ranks best in Iowa?
IA Registered Agent.org, which wins on measured three-year cost. Then Mainstay Filing and Iowa Registered Agent.co.
Logged references
- August 2026 log entry for Iowa Secretary of State, Business, from help.sos.iowa.gov.
- August 2026 log entry for Iowa Secretary of State, Business, from help.sos.iowa.gov.
- August 2026 log entry for Iowa report due date, from legis.iowa.gov.
- August 2026 log entry for Iowa Code § 489.201, from legis.iowa.gov.
- October 2026 log entry for Iowa formation fee: Filing fee, from legis.iowa.gov.
- October 2026 log entry for Iowa registered agent statute, from legis.iowa.gov.
- IA Registered Agent.org pricing page, sampled November 13, 2026
- Mainstay Filing Iowa service page, sampled November 13, 2026
- Iowa Registered Agent.co pricing page, sampled November 13, 2026