The Iowa tally
Rows ranked by value from company price pages. The $50 state fee is kept out of the rows.
1. IA Registered Agent.org: best for staying in one state
Best value
Year one $199, year two on $99
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $99/yr
- Three-year tally
- $397
IA Registered Agent.org tops the Iowa tally: its $99 renewal brings the three-year tally to $397.
Its three-year total nets under Mainstay Filing's, and the three-year column carries 39% of the sort.
Put aside your own time for the biennial report.
Included lines
- State filing prepared and sent
- Agent service, year one
Gains
- No agent charge in year one
- A modest renewal of $99
- Forms the LLC for $199 plus the state fee
Minus column
- The biennial report stays on your list
- The EIN application costs $99 more
2
2. Mainstay Filing: best for a single bill for filing and upkeep
Any state
$199 yearly and $50 to the state
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $199/yr
- Three-year tally
- $597
Mainstay Filing takes line 2 since one $199 line covers formation, the registered agent and every biennial report.
On the three-year tally it trails IA Registered Agent.org by $200.
It files the biennial report and books the state's $30 at cost.
Included lines
- State filing prepared and sent
- Registered agent, full year
- Biennial report, filed each cycle
- EIN application
- State fee booked at cost
Gains
- EIN step handled
- Renewal entry is $199
- Pay $199/yr and the filing, agent and report are covered
Minus column
- A $100 annual premium compared with IA Registered Agent.org
3
3. Iowa Registered Agent.co: best for owners who file their own reports
One-state plan
Year one $199, year two on $99
- First year
- $199
- Later years
- $99/yr
- Three-year tally
- $397
Iowa Registered Agent.co is third: its $99 renewal brings the three-year tally to $397.
Put aside your own time for the biennial report.
IA Registered Agent.org posts the same prices.
Included lines
- State filing prepared and sent
- Agent service, year one
Gains
- Forms the LLC for $199 plus the state fee
- No agent charge in year one
- A modest renewal of $99
Minus column
- The biennial report stays on your list
- The EIN application costs $99 more
Running tally by year
Company prices on November 13, 2026, summed year by year. Within ten years no line passes another.
Break-even check
Set the years and the calculator adds year one and the renewals for every row, plus the EIN application if you tick it.
Iowa state fees (official)
To reproduce the bottom line, add the filing, the year-two report, the year-three report and any minimum tax. Costs without a fixed amount stay out of it.
Reading the ranking
Three-year tally put IA Registered Agent.org in row one. That column carries 39% of the sort, and jobs ticked off, renewal step, break-even tally and price on the page make up the rest.
IA Registered Agent.org nets $397 after three years, $200 less than Mainstay Filing.
With the EIN application included, Mainstay Filing's running total passes IA Registered Agent.org's in year 2.
Iowa LLC filing fee and rules (official)
To start the LLC, send the Certificate of Organization to the Iowa Secretary of State and pay $50. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Source: see legis.iowa.gov, entered October 2026 in the ledger
Skipping the service
Filing yourself leaves only the state's fees, $80 over three years. A service adds $397 to $597 to take on the paperwork and the agent role.
Quick answers
What does an LLC service cost in Iowa?
Year one runs $199 before the $50 filing fee.
What do three years of service add up to?
$397 to $597 across the rows, with state fees left out.
How much does Iowa charge to file an LLC?
$50, which accompanies the Certificate of Organization.
What does Iowa charge each year after formation?
$30 biennially for the biennial report, filed by the cutoff April 1 of odd-numbered years.
Is the EIN application included?
It varies by row: IA Registered Agent.org ($99 extra), Mainstay Filing (included) and Iowa Registered Agent.co ($99 extra).
When does one service turn into the lower total?
Within ten years, never: the order of the totals does not change.
Which LLC service is the best value in Iowa?
The Iowa tally reads IA Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing and Iowa Registered Agent.co from top to bottom.
What each entry rests on
- help.sos.iowa.gov supplies Iowa Secretary of State, Business, entered August 2026
- help.sos.iowa.gov supplies Iowa Secretary of State, Business, entered August 2026
- legis.iowa.gov supplies Iowa report due date, entered August 2026
- legis.iowa.gov supplies Iowa Code § 489.201, entered August 2026
- legis.iowa.gov supplies Iowa formation fee: Filing fee, entered October 2026
- legis.iowa.gov supplies Iowa registered agent statute, entered October 2026
- IA Registered Agent.org, pricing page: entered November 13, 2026
- Mainstay Filing, Iowa service page: entered November 13, 2026
- Iowa Registered Agent.co, pricing page: entered November 13, 2026