Are you unsatisfied with your Iowa registered agent? Or perhaps you’re currently serving as your own registered agent, but would rather hire a professional registered agent service instead?
The state of Iowa makes it rather easy to change your registered agent, but there are some details involved in the process that are worth reviewing.
In this guide, we’ll discuss all the relevant details of changing a registered agent in Iowa.
Guru Tip: If you would prefer to have a professional service deal with the paperwork and take over registered agent duties, hire a Iowa registered agent service. It’s just a small annual fee.
What Is an Iowa Registered Agent?
Why is a registered agent required for every limited liability company (LLC) or corporation? It all comes down to the fact that the state needs to be able to contact an official representative of your business if they need to deliver important documents to you, especially service of process.
Without a registered agent, you could remain unaware of a lawsuit against your business progressing through the court system.
Who Can Be an Iowa Registered Agent?
If you’re looking to change your company’s registered agent, it’s a good idea to know who is eligible to serve as one.
In Iowa, a registered agent may be either an individual who resides in the state or a corporation (either foreign or domestic) that is authorized to do business in the state. Registered agents are permitted to be either nonprofit or for-profit organizations, as long as they meet all other requirements.
If your registered agent’s address will also serve as your registered address, it must be a physical street address rather than a P.O. box.
In some cases, the Iowa Secretary of State is able to act as a registered agent and perform services of process. For more information on who qualifies to be a registered agent, check out our full guide on Iowa registered agents.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in Iowa
If you would like to change your registered agent for any reason, the process is simple.
First, you must complete the Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent form which can be found here as a pdf. To file the document, the following information is required:
- Name of the business entity
- The name and address of the current registered agent
- The name and address of the new registered agent (as well as an email)
- The new registered agent’s signature
It’s important to note that because this form can be used for several types of business entities, it’s essential that you include all information in its most complete form including suffixes and punctuation.
After completion, the form may be printed and mailed to the Business Services Division at the following address:
Iowa Secretary of State
Business Services Division
Lucas Building, 1st Floor
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Change of Registered Agent Fee: Changing your registered agent in Iowa has no filing fee.
Should You Hire a Professional Iowa Registered Agent Service?
Hiring a registered agent service like Northwest Registered Agent has some distinct advantages. First and foremost, compared to serving as your own agent, professional registered agent services allow you to keep your personal address private. They’re also much less expensive than hiring a lawyer or accountant to provide registered agent service.
An often-overlooked benefit is how easy it is to expand your Iowa business into other states if you choose a professional registered agent. They typically have offices in all 50 states, so if you begin transacting business in an additional state, your same registered agent service can handle that for you.
If you’re interested in hiring a professional registered agent service, take a look at our guide to the top service providers.
Conclusion
The process for changing a registered agent in Iowa isn’t a complicated one, but it’s certainly advisable to know exactly what you want to do ahead of time. If you know what you want going in, you’ll find that the process is really quite painless.
We hope this article answered your questions about changing your Iowa registered agent!