Last updated May 30, 2020
Iowa LLC
Business Licenses and Permits
Quick Start Guide
This Quick Start Guide is a brief overview of how to form an LLC in Iowa.
Detailed Lessons:
1. Name Search
2. Registered Agent
3. Filing Forms
4. Operating Agreement
5. Tax ID Number (EIN)
6. Biennial Report
7. Licenses and Permits ← you are here
8. Taxes
Iowa LLC Costs:
Iowa state fee: $50
Biennial Report fee: $45 online or $60 by mail (paid every 2 years)
Need to save time?
Hire a professional to form your LLC in Iowa:
Northwest ($39 + state fee) or LegalZoom ($149 + state fee)
★ Check out Northwest vs LegalZoom
After you form your Iowa LLC, you’ll need to comply with local government (county and city) license and permit requirements.
Your requirements are determined by the industry you are in and where your business is located.
Not complying with license and permit requirements is risky and can result in penalties and fines, or worse, not being able to conduct business in Iowa.
Types of licenses & permits you may need in Iowa
Below are some license and permits examples:
- City business licenses/tax permits
- Building permit
- Health permit
- Occupational permit
- Signage permit
- Alarm permit
- Zoning permit
- Alcohol & tobacco permit
- Liquor license
- Sales and use tax permit
- Seller/reseller permit
Do it yourself in Iowa
Depending on your business, you may need licenses and permits at the city and/or county, level. You can contact your city/county directly or use some of the links below.
City/County Finder
https://connect.iowaleague.org/iloc/Contact_Management/CityDirectory.aspx
Iowa Source Link
You can also access Iowa Business License Information Center’s Licensing Resources for Small Business guide. It has information on the different licenses and permits you may need and how to contact the state’s departments and agencies.
Sales Tax Permit and Tax ID Number
For a Sales Tax Permit or Tax ID Number, you can contact the Iowa Department of Revenue at [email protected] or 515-281-3114.
If You Have Employees
Please see page 2 of this IA Source Link Guide.
Small Business Development Centers
You can also contact your regional Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for assistance: http://www.iowasbdc.org/regional-centers/
Our Recommendation
There are nearly 20,000 licensing and permit jurisdictions in the United States and each has its own rules and regulations.
If you want to save time, we recommend hiring a professional service company (like IncFile) to do the research and prepare your applications.
They will provide you with a comprehensive package of all the licenses, permits and tax registrations required for your Iowa LLC, as well as the necessary application forms.
Next Step
After you’ve researched and obtained the proper licenses and permits for your Iowa LLC, you can then proceed to the next lesson: Iowa LLC Taxes.
References
