How Do I Change My Iowa Registered Agent?

In Iowa, you may change your registered agent by submitting a Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent to the Secretary of State.

When transferring registered agent services, when an agent resigns or goes out of business, or if they choose to function as their own registered agent, a company owner may opt to change their registered agent.

File a Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent Statement.

The easiest approach to update your registered agent all year is to file a Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent form with the Iowa Secretary of State.

This may be done through email, mail, in person, or fax.

Online submission of a Statement of Change of Registered Agent is recommended.

A Statement of Change of Registered Agent form may be completed and submitted electronically via the Iowa Secretary of State’s Fast Track Filing website. This procedure includes the following steps:

Access the Fast Track Filing webpage.
Select “File a Document” from the menu’s “Business Filings” section.
Select “Change of Registered Agent” under the “Existing Entities” section.
Look for and choose your company.
Fill out the form and have your new agent electronically sign it.
Please include payment details while submitting.

Mail, in person, or by fax, a Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent.

To submit a Statement of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent by mail, in person, or by fax, first download and fill out the form from the Iowa Secretary of State website.
After your new agent has signed the paperwork, return it using one of the alternatives listed below:

Whether via mail or in person:
State Department
Division of Business Services
1st Floor, Lucas Building
50319 Des Moines, Iowa

Fax:
(515) 242-5953

Partnerships pay a $5 charge, whereas all other organizations pay nothing.

Partnerships may make their payments via check, money order, or credit card.

Please submit a Biennial Report.

If your business’s Iowa Biennial Report filing date is approaching, you may take advantage of this filing to change your registered agent without having to complete extra paperwork. This is the most straightforward method of changing your registered agent, but it must be done during the filing time.

Make sure to include the information for your new registered agent on the report. Once you submit that report, your registered agent will be changed.

Why Should You Change Registered Agents?

A firm may choose to change its registered agent for a variety of reasons, including:

Changing from an Individual Agent to a Registered Agent Service: While people (even a company’s own executives or employees) may operate as registered agents, they will be publicly listed in the state’s database. Some individuals may see this as an invasion of their privacy. Registered agents must also be accessible in their office between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, which might be inconvenient. These concerns are resolved by switching to a registered agent service.
Expanding Your Business Into New States: Limited liability companies (LLCs), corporations, and other formal business entities are required to have a registered agent in each state where they do business. Not all registered agents are authorized to act as a registered agent in every state. Some companies would rather have the same registered agent in each state than multiple separate ones.
Customer Satisfaction: Whether it’s about pricing, customer service, or job quality, some changes occur simply because a company is dissatisfied with its present registered agent.