Foreign registration · Form MBCA-12

Iowa Corporation Foreign Registration in Maine

A corporation formed in Iowa that wants to do business in Maine files Form MBCA-12, with $250 in state fees and a $50 required expedite. Maine may ask for Iowa's Certificate of Existence ($5). We file it with the Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions from your Iowa records, then serve as your registered agent there for year one.

Iowa vs Maine: the paperwork

	Iowa formed here	Maine registering here
Document	Iowa Certificate of Existence	Form MBCA-12, Application for Authority to do Business
State fee	$5	$250 at order
How it is handled	Iowa: online as a printable PDF right after payment	Filed with Maine
Required expedite		$50 at order (24 hours)
Faster options		same-day $100
Office	Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services	Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions
Official page	sos.iowa.gov	maine.gov
Yearly filing	Biennial Report, $60, every two years	Annual Report, $150, every year
Due	April 1 of even-numbered years	June 1
Turnaround	Certificate issued instantly online	Required expedite processing: 24 hours
Agent	Your Iowa registered agent	Our Maine registered agent

How Iowa companies register with Maine

We prepare and file Form MBCA-12
It names us as your Maine registered agent, with your Iowa name and formation date. If Maine wants the Iowa certificate, it is ordered first. Once Maine approves it, the Iowa company can do business there.

Will your Iowa name work for Maine?

We check your exact Iowa name against Maine's records before filing.

Your Maine agent and the Iowa one

Iowa and Maine both call it a registered agent. Maine papers come to us; Iowa's agent is unchanged.

Staying in good standing in Iowa and Maine

Iowa wants the Biennial Report every two years ($60); Maine wants the Annual Report every year ($150). Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Iowa to Maine

An LLC formed in Iowa files Form MLLC-12 with Maine ($250 in state fees and the $50 required expedite, the same, plus the Certificate of Existence ($5)). After that come Iowa's Biennial Report ($30) and Maine's Annual Report ($150). See the LLC filing.

Registering a Maine company in Iowa

A corporation formed in Maine that registers with Iowa files Form 635_0110A with $100 in state fees. See that filing.

Questions Iowa owners ask about Maine

Does my Iowa company need to register in Maine?

Yes, once an Iowa business operates there; Maine law lists 13 activities that do not count on their own.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Yes: Maine issues one to Iowa corporations once the form is approved.

How much does it cost to register an Iowa corporation in Maine?

$499 at checkout, including the $50 required expedite; Maine may also want Iowa's Certificate of Existence, at extra cost.

How long does the Maine registration take?

24 hours with Maine's required expedite, plus time for Iowa's certificate if Maine asks for it. Faster state options: same-day $100.

What are the yearly costs for Iowa and Maine?

Our registered agent renewal ($149 a year), Iowa's report ($60, every two years) and Maine's report ($150).

What if I don't register with Maine?

An Iowa company cannot sue in court there until it registers, and Maine can add up to $500 for each year or part of a year.

Does Maine require a registered agent?

Yes: the Iowa registered agent stays, and ours covers Maine for year one.

Can I form a new Maine corporation instead?

Yes, but Iowa keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Maine's Annual Report ($85), and the original keeps Iowa's Biennial Report.

How do I withdraw from Maine later?

Iowa companies leave by filing an Application of Withdrawal; until then, Maine's report stays due alongside Iowa's filings.

Official sources

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