In Short: Iowa LLC Biennial Report
Every Iowa LLC files a Biennial Report with the Iowa Secretary of State between January 1 and April 1 of each odd-numbered year. Filing online in Fast Track Filing costs $30, which is $15 less than the paper form.
- Who files: every Iowa LLC and every foreign LLC registered in Iowa.
- Due date: between January 1 and April 1 of odd-numbered years. The next window is January 1 to April 1, 2027.
- Fee: $30 online, $45 on paper or in person.
- Late fee: none on the state fee schedule, but a late LLC loses good standing.
- If you never file: the state administratively dissolves the LLC. Reinstatement costs $5 plus the missed reports.
Iowa is one of the cheapest states to keep an LLC current. The report comes due only every other year, the online fee is $30, and the state fee schedule lists no late fee. The catch is the calendar: every Iowa LLC files in the same odd-numbered years, so an LLC formed in an even year can go more than a year before its first report.
This guide covers who files, how the odd-year cycle works, the fee, what the report asks for, how to file in Fast Track Filing, and how to reinstate an LLC the state has dissolved.
Iowa LLC Biennial Report at a Glance
| Official name | Biennial Report |
|---|---|
| Filed with | Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division |
| Who files | Every Iowa LLC and every registered foreign LLC |
| Filing cycle | Every two years, in odd-numbered years |
| Due date | Between January 1 and April 1 |
| First report | The first odd-numbered year after the year the LLC was formed or registered |
| Fee | $30 online, $45 on paper or in person |
| Late fee or penalty | None listed; the LLC becomes delinquent |
| Reinstatement | $5 plus the missed biennial reports |
| Where to file | Fast Track Filing |
Who Must File an Iowa LLC Biennial Report?
Under Iowa Code § 489.212, every LLC formed in Iowa and every foreign LLC registered to do business in Iowa delivers a biennial report to the Secretary of State. Domestic and foreign LLCs pay the same fee.
An Iowa LLC with non-resident owners files the same report as any other. The filing belongs to the LLC, not to its members.
When Is the Iowa Biennial Report Due?
LLCs file in odd-numbered years. The filing window opens January 1 and closes April 1. The first report is due in the first odd-numbered year after the calendar year the LLC was formed or registered.
- An LLC formed in May 2026 files its first report between January 1 and April 1, 2027.
- An LLC formed in February 2025 also files its first report in the 2027 window, because 2027 is the first odd-numbered year after 2025.
- An LLC formed in 2024 filed its first report in 2025 and files again between January 1 and April 1, 2027.
Because every Iowa LLC shares the same cycle, the next filing window for all of them is January 1 to April 1, 2027.
How Much Does the Iowa LLC Biennial Report Cost?
According to the Secretary of State’s forms and fees page, the report costs $30 when filed online through Fast Track Filing and $45 when filed on paper or in person. The same amounts apply to foreign LLCs. Over a two-year cycle, the online fee works out to $15 a year.
Is there a late fee?
The state fee schedule lists no late fee for the biennial report, and § 489.212 sets none. Missing April 1 still has a cost: the LLC becomes delinquent and cannot get a certificate of good standing until it files.
What Information Does the Iowa Biennial Report Ask For?
Much of the form is pre-filled from the state’s records. It asks you to confirm or update:
- The LLC’s name
- Its registered agent and registered office
- The address of its principal office
- Series information, for a series LLC
- Whether the LLC holds an interest in Iowa agricultural land
- Whether it is a family farm LLC
- An electronic signature (the filer’s full legal name)
A foreign LLC also states the jurisdiction where it was formed. The report does not ask for financial statements or a list of members.
How to File the Iowa LLC Biennial Report: Step by Step
- Log in to Fast Track Filing. Create an account if you do not have one. Online filing is the cheaper option.
- Find your LLC. Search the entity and choose the biennial report.
- Review the pre-filled details. Confirm the registered agent, registered office and principal office.
- Answer the land questions. State whether the LLC holds Iowa agricultural land and whether it is a family farm LLC.
- Sign electronically. Type your full legal name.
- Pay the $30 fee. Save the filed copy with your company records.
The Secretary of State’s help page on filing the biennial report walks through the same process.
What Happens If You Miss the Iowa Deadline?
An LLC that misses April 1 receives a delinquency notice and loses access to a certificate of good standing. The Secretary of State says that if the report is still not filed by August, a domestic LLC is administratively dissolved and a foreign LLC’s registration is revoked.
The statute sets the framework. Under § 489.708, the Secretary of State can start administrative dissolution once a report is more than 60 days overdue. Under § 489.709, it serves written notice, and the LLC has 60 days to file or show the ground does not exist. A dissolved LLC continues to exist only to wind up its affairs.
Reinstating a dissolved Iowa LLC
The LLC files an Application for Reinstatement in Fast Track Filing (Business Filings, then File a Document, then Existing Entities) and pays a $5 fee. It must file every missed biennial report as part of the application; if it has been inactive for more than five years, only the two most recent missed reports are required. An LLC reinstated within five years keeps its name, and reinstatement is retroactive to the date of dissolution.
Iowa Biennial Report Tips for Non-Resident Owners
- Note the odd-year cycle. An LLC formed in an even year has no report the following year.
- File online to save $15.
- Keep the registered agent address current so the delinquency notice reaches you.
- Act before August. That is when the state dissolves LLCs that have not filed.
Keep Your Iowa LLC in Good Standing
Filing the Biennial Report on time is what keeps your LLC listed as active in Iowa. Banks, payment processors and new partners ask for proof of that status, and the document that shows it is an Iowa certificate of good standing. For the full picture of what the state charges, see our breakdown of Iowa LLC costs, and if you have not formed the company yet, start with our guide on how to start an LLC in Iowa.
Most missed filings trace back to one problem: the state’s reminder went to an old address. A registered agent service that scans and forwards state mail closes that gap. If a deadline has already passed, our guide on what happens when you miss an annual report deadline walks through the fix, and our LLC annual report guide for every state covers the rules in other states where you are registered.
Form Your Iowa LLC With BusinessAnywhere
BusinessAnywhere forms your Iowa LLC for $0 plus the state filing fee, includes a free first year of registered agent service so state notices reach you, and gets the EIN for non-residents without a Social Security number for $97.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Iowa LLC biennial report due?
Between January 1 and April 1 of each odd-numbered year. The first report is due in the first odd-numbered year after the LLC was formed. The next window is January 1 to April 1, 2027.
How much does an Iowa LLC biennial report cost?
$30 online through Fast Track Filing and $45 on paper or in person, for domestic and foreign LLCs.
Is there a late fee for the Iowa biennial report?
The state fee schedule lists no late fee. A late LLC becomes delinquent and cannot get a certificate of good standing until it files.
What happens if I do not file my Iowa biennial report?
The Secretary of State says LLCs still unfiled by August are administratively dissolved, and foreign LLC registrations are revoked.
How much does it cost to reinstate an Iowa LLC?
The Application for Reinstatement costs $5, and the LLC must also file its missed biennial reports.
Does an Iowa LLC file a report every year?
No. Iowa LLCs file every two years, in odd-numbered years.
This guide summarizes rules published by the Iowa Secretary of State and the Iowa Code as of October 2026. It is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and forms change, so confirm the current figures on the official site before you file.
