Every limited liability company operating in the United States needs to designate a registered agent. Even after you identify your initial registered agent in your formation paperwork, there are several reasons for why you may need to change the registered agent for your LLC in Iowa.
Your registered agent could be moving out of state, or they could be a former co-owner or employee who no longer works for your organization. Maybe you want to switch from an individual registered agent to a professional service that operates in all 50 states, or perhaps you’re simply unsatisfied with your current registered agent’s service.
Whatever the reason may be, each state allows you to change your registered agent at any time, and in most states the process is both simple and inexpensive. Let’s dive into the specifics of how to change your LLC’s registered agent in Iowa.
NOTE: If you need help changing registered agents, the same services that are known for offering online LLC services — like LegalZoom and Zen Business — can also take over registered agent duties and file the needed paperwork.
Who Can Be an Iowa Registered Agent?
An Iowa registered agent is a person or business entity that has a physical address in the state. You or one of your co-owners can serve as your own registered agent, you can designate a friend or family member for this role, you can hire a lawyer or accountant as your agent, or you can hire an online business services company to provide registered agent service.
No matter who you choose to be your registered agent, they need to be physically present at the address provided to the state during all standard business hours. This person or entity does not need to have any prior experience being a registered agent, but it’s wise to choose a registered agent who is familiar with the serious responsibilities that come with this role.
There is no minimum age requirement regarding who can be a registered agent in the state of Iowa, although Iowa does have rather specific rules and regulations for serving as an agent. The Iowa Secretary of State outlines the following requirements for registered agents in the state:
- “A registered agent is an individual (or a corporation depending on the business organization) designated by the entity to accept service of process if a lawsuit is filed against the entity.”
- “The registered agent may be an Iowa resident, an Iowa profit or nonprofit corporation, or a foreign profit or nonprofit corporation qualified to do business in Iowa. Most business organizations that transact business in the state of Iowa are required to have a registered agent for service of process.”
- “In certain instances as provided by law, the Iowa Secretary of State acts as an agent for service of process.”
- This usually pertains to some highly specific and specialized industries, like athlete agents, mobile home park landlords, non-resident pesticide applicators, non-resident vehicle operators, real estate appraisers, and travel agents.
- “The registered office address must be a street address, and not merely a post office box. Also, the registered agent’s business office address must be the same as the registered office address.”
For more general information regarding the role of a registered agent with an Iowa LLC, we encourage you to check out our full guide on the topic.
What Is the Procedure for Changing Your LLC Registered Agent in Iowa?
While the role of the registered agent is vitally important for any American business entity, this role can always be changed, and there are different rules for how to change your agent depending on which state your business operates in.
In Iowa, a limited liability company may change its registered agent by filing a Statement of Change form, or by updating the agent info in the LLC’s biennial report.
Option 1) Filing a Statement of Change Form
The most common way for an LLC to change its registered agent in Iowa is to file the Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent form. There is no fee for LLCs to file this form, and it can be filed online, via mail, fax, or in person.
Option 2) Updating the Agent Information in Your Biennial Report
LLCs in Iowa can also change their registered agent in their required biennial report, which is due by April 1 of each odd-numbered year. You can access this form through the Iowa Secretary of State’s online portal, which allows you to either complete your filing on their website for $45, or to print off a biennial report form that you can fill out and submit via mail, fax, or in person for $60.
Processing Times
Online filings are processed immediately in Iowa, whereas documents submitted via paper forms typically take at least seven business days.
Prefer to Have a Registered Agent Service Handle Your Requirements?
A registered agent service is a company that specializes in being a registered agent for a wide variety of businesses across the country, bringing tons of expertise and a healthy dose of reliability to the role.
Most professional registered agent services operate on a national basis, meaning there’s no restrictions on which states you can operate your business in. They also tend to charge affordable rates, as you can find several registered agent services that charge around $10/month or even less for this service. In addition, most of these companies will also offer to handle the process of changing a registered agent for you.
If you’re interested in this option, we highly recommend Northwest Registered Agent.
The Law for Changing Your LLC Registered Agent in Iowa
It’s always important to be well-informed regarding the specific laws for changing your registered agent. Iowa has specific state laws regarding registered agent changes for limited liability companies. Specifically, in Section 489 of the Iowa Code, we learn that an LLC can change its registered office or registered agent by providing the Secretary of State with a document that outlines the following information:
- “The name of the company,
- If the current registered office is to be changed, the street and mailing addresses of the new registered office.
- If the current registered agent is to be changed, the name of the new registered agent and the new agent’s consent to the appointment. The agent’s consent may be on the statement or attached to it.”
Conclusion
If you operate a limited liability company in the state of Iowa, you need to designate a registered agent to receive important government document deliveries on your behalf. If you decide at any time that you would rather change your registered agent to a different individual or business entity, it’s important to know what that process looks like.
In Iowa, an LLC may change its registered agent by filing a Statement of Change form, or by updating the agent info in the LLC’s biennial report. They’re both simple documents with reasonable filing fees, but if you’d rather have a registered agent service handle this task for you, you certainly have that option.
We hope this article helped you improve your understanding of changing a registered agent in Iowa, and as always we thank you for choosing Registered Agent Ready!