An Iowa Secretary of State business search is free on the Secretary of State’s business entity search. Enter the main words of your proposed name and check that it is distinguishable from every active entity, reserved name and registered name on the state’s records.
If the name is open, Iowa law lets you reserve it for 120 days. Trade names work differently: a sole proprietor or partnership using a name other than the owners’ surnames records a verified statement with the county recorder, while LLCs and corporations are exempt from that county filing.
Updated October 2026.
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Best LLC Formation Services in Iowa (2026)
If you’d rather not handle forming your LLC once your name is clear in Iowa yourself, these are the services we recommend, in order. The table compares price and what’s included.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Forming an LLC with the agent, EIN and annual report included | $199/year + state fee at cost | LLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing |
| 2 | IA Registered Agent.org | Iowa registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Iowa Registered Agent.co | Iowa registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Iowa. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. IA Registered Agent.org
IA Registered Agent.org is a Iowa registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Iowa Registered Agent.co
Iowa Registered Agent.co is a Iowa registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Iowa business name search at a glance
| Topic | Iowa (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services |
| Search tool | Business entity search (free) |
| Online filing | Fast Track Filing |
| Name reservation | $10; 120 days (Iowa Code § 489.113); transfer $10 |
| LLC Certificate of Organization | $50; amendment $50 |
| Articles of Incorporation | $50 |
| Dissolved names | Protected for five years after administrative dissolution |
| Trade names (sole props, partnerships) | Verified statement recorded with the county recorder (§ 547.1) |
| LLC biennial report | $30 online, $45 by mail |
| Full formation costs | See Mainstay Filing’s Iowa LLC cost guide |
How to do an Iowa Secretary of State business search
Iowa keeps entity records with the Secretary of State’s Business Services division. Searching takes a few minutes and doesn’t require an account.
Step 1: Open the business entity search
Go to the Secretary of State’s business search. Filings themselves are made through Fast Track Filing, Iowa’s online filing system.
Step 2: Search the distinctive words
Type the key words of your name without the LLC or Inc. ending. For “Prairie Lantern Coffee LLC,” search “Prairie Lantern” and review every result that starts with or includes those words.
Step 3: Check status, including dissolved companies
Open close matches to see each one’s status. Iowa adds a twist here: under Iowa Code § 489.112, a name stays unavailable while the company exists and for five years after an administrative dissolution. So a recently dissolved company can still block your name.
Step 4: Look for reserved and registered names
Reserved names and names registered by out-of-state companies count too. If a close match is a reservation, it may become available when the 120 days run out, but you can’t count on that.
Searching doesn’t hold anything. A reservation or a filed formation document is what secures the name.
Iowa LLC and corporation name rules
Iowa’s Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, renumbered effective January 1, 2024, sets the LLC rules in § 489.112:
- Designator: the name must contain “limited liability company” or “limited company,” or the abbreviation “L.L.C.,” “LLC,” “L.C.” or “LC.” “Limited” may be shortened to “Ltd.” and “company” to “Co.”
- Distinguishable on the records from: existing entities (and administratively dissolved ones for five years), limited liability partnerships with an effective statement of qualification, names registered to do business in Iowa, and reserved names.
- Corporations: follow parallel rules in the Iowa Business Corporation Act and need a corporate word such as “corporation,” “incorporated,” “company” or “limited,” or an abbreviation.
- Indistinguishable names: Iowa’s corporate fee schedule includes an “application for use of indistinguishable name” ($10), which applies in limited situations such as written consent from the existing holder (§ 490.122).
Want more options? Namechk’s business name generator can suggest names to test in the Iowa search.
How to reserve a business name in Iowa
Under Iowa Code § 489.113, anyone may reserve the exclusive use of a name that meets the LLC naming rules by filing an application with the Secretary of State. The application states the applicant’s name and address and the name to be reserved.
- Length: if the Secretary of State finds the name available, it’s reserved for the applicant’s exclusive use for 120 days.
- Transfer: the owner of a reserved name can transfer the reservation by filing a signed notice naming the new holder.
- Fee: $10 under § 489.122 (the corporate fee in § 490.122 is also $10); a transfer is $10.
- How: file online through Fast Track Filing.
Check trademarks, domains and social media
The Iowa database covers state filings only. Search the USPTO trademark database to make sure no one holds a federal trademark on the same or a similar name in your field.
Then confirm the name works online. Namechk checks domains and social media usernames in one search; the domain name generator helps if the .com you want is taken.
We created a tool that makes it easy.
Trade names (DBAs) in Iowa
Iowa’s trade name law is in Iowa Code chapter 547. Section 547.1 says a person may not conduct a business under a trade name, or an assumed name other than the true surname of each owner, unless they first record a verified statement with the county recorder of the county where the business is conducted.
- What the statement lists: the business name, the post office and residence address of each owner, and the address where the business is conducted.
- Who files: sole proprietors and general partnerships using a trade name.
- Who’s exempt: Iowa LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, cooperatives and other entities organized in Iowa or registered to do business here are not covered by the county filing requirement.
- Fees: set by each county recorder.
If an LLC or corporation wants to operate under a different brand, contact the Secretary of State’s Business Services division about the options for its entity type, and keep its legal name on contracts and tax filings.
After the search: forming your Iowa business
With a clear name, the rest of the process is covered in our Iowa LLC guide:
- File a Certificate of Organization (LLC, $50) or Articles of Incorporation ($50) through Fast Track Filing.
- Name a registered agent with an Iowa address. Mainstay Filing includes registered agent service with formation; our Iowa registered agent guide covers the requirements.
- Get an EIN and register with the Iowa Department of Revenue if you’ll collect sales tax or have employees.
- File the biennial report required by § 489.212 ($30 online, $45 by mail). Our Iowa start-a-business guide lists local licenses.
FAQs
How do I search for a business name in Iowa?
Use the Iowa Secretary of State’s free business entity search. Enter the distinctive words of your name without LLC or Inc., then open close matches to check their status. Remember that Iowa protects the names of administratively dissolved companies for five years, so a recently dissolved business can still block your name.
How long does an Iowa name reservation last?
Under Iowa Code section 489.113, if the Secretary of State finds a name available, it is reserved for the applicant’s exclusive use for 120 days. The reservation can be transferred to another person by filing a signed notice. The reservation fee is $10 under Iowa Code section 489.122.
Where do I file a DBA in Iowa?
Sole proprietors and general partnerships using a trade name record a verified statement with the county recorder in the county where the business is conducted, under Iowa Code section 547.1. Iowa LLCs, corporations and other registered entities are exempt from that county filing. County recorders set their own fees.
What does an Iowa LLC name need?
An Iowa LLC name must contain limited liability company or limited company, or an abbreviation such as L.L.C., LLC, L.C. or LC; Limited may be shortened to Ltd. and company to Co. The name must be distinguishable from existing, recently dissolved, registered and reserved names on the Secretary of State’s records.
Can I use the name of a dissolved Iowa company?
Not right away if it was administratively dissolved. Iowa Code section 489.112 keeps such a name unavailable for five years after the effective date of the administrative dissolution. Names of companies that dissolved in other ways, or longer ago, may be available, but the Secretary of State decides when it reviews your filing.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Iowa?
Iowa Code section 490.122 sets the fee for Articles of Incorporation at $50, and section 489.122 sets the LLC Certificate of Organization fee at $50 as well. Name reservations cost $10 and amendments $50. LLCs then file a biennial report, $30 online or $45 by mail.
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