Minnesota

Foreign registration · no form number

Iowa Corporation Foreign Registration in Minnesota

A corporation formed in Iowa that wants to do business in Minnesota files an online registration (no form number), with $220 in state fees. Minnesota may ask for Iowa's Certificate of Existence ($5). We file it with the Secretary of State, Business Services using your Iowa records and act as your registered agent there for the first year.

Iowa vs Minnesota: the paperwork

	Iowa formed here	Minnesota registering here
Document	Iowa Certificate of Existence	Foreign Corporation or Cooperative Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Minnesota (no form number)
State fee	$5	$220 at order (filing fee $200 plus charges collected at filing)
How it is handled	Iowa: online as a printable PDF right after payment	Filed online with Minnesota
Office	Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services	Minnesota Secretary of State, Business Services
Official page	sos.iowa.gov	sos.mn.gov
Yearly filing	Biennial Report, $60, every two years	Annual Renewal, $115, every year
Due	April 1 of even-numbered years	December 31
Turnaround	Certificate issued instantly online	Online processing: 2 to 5 business days
Agent	Your Iowa registered agent	Our Minnesota registered agent

From Iowa to Minnesota, step by step

We prepare and file the registration
It names us as your Minnesota registered agent, with your Iowa name and formation date. If Minnesota wants the Iowa certificate, it is ordered first. After approval, your Iowa corporation is registered with Minnesota.

Will your Iowa name work for Minnesota?

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

Agents: Minnesota and Iowa

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

Staying in good standing in Iowa and Minnesota

Iowa wants the Biennial Report every two years ($60); Minnesota wants the Annual Renewal every year ($115). The new registration does not replace any home-state filing.

LLC or corporation, Iowa to Minnesota

An LLC formed in Iowa files its own registration with Minnesota ($205 in state fees; no home-state certificate is needed). After that come Iowa's Biennial Report ($30) and Minnesota's Annual Renewal (no fee). See the LLC filing.

The other way: Minnesota into Iowa

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

Common questions: Iowa to Minnesota

Does my Iowa company need to register in Minnesota?

Yes, once an Iowa business operates there; Minnesota law lists 8 activities that do not count on their own.

Is this a certificate of authority?

Yes: Minnesota issues one to Iowa corporations once the filing is approved.

How much does the Minnesota registration cost?

$419 at checkout; Minnesota may also want Iowa's Certificate of Existence, at extra cost.

How long does the Minnesota registration take?

Minnesota's online processing takes 2 to 5 business days, plus time for Iowa's certificate if Minnesota asks for it.

What are the yearly costs for Iowa and Minnesota?

Our registered agent renewal ($149 a year), Iowa's report ($60, every two years) and Minnesota's report ($115).

What if I don't register with Minnesota?

An Iowa company cannot sue in court there until it registers, and Minnesota can add a penalty of $100 for each month and a civil penalty of up to $1,000.

Does Minnesota require a registered agent?

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

Can I form a new Minnesota corporation instead?

Yes, but Iowa keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Minnesota's Annual Renewal (no fee), and the original keeps Iowa's Biennial Report.

How do I withdraw from Minnesota later?

Iowa companies leave by filing an Application for Withdrawal of a Foreign Corporation; until then, Minnesota's report stays due alongside Iowa's filings.

Official sources

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The same move for an LLC