Foreign registration · Form CSCL/CD 760

Iowa LLC Foreign Registration in Michigan

An LLC formed in Iowa that wants to do business in Michigan files Form CSCL/CD 760, with $50 in state fees. Michigan also asks for Iowa's Certificate of Existence ($5), no older than 30 days. We file it with the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division using your Iowa records and act as your resident agent there for the first year.

Iowa vs Michigan: the paperwork

	Iowa formed here	Michigan registering here
Document	Iowa Certificate of Existence	Form CSCL/CD 760, Application for Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Michigan
State fee	$5	$50 at order
How it is handled	Iowa: online as a printable PDF right after payment	Filed with Michigan
Paid expedite		24-hour $50, same-day $100, 2-hour $500, 1-hour $1,000
Office	Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services	Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations Division
Official page	sos.iowa.gov	michigan.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 30 days
Yearly filing	Biennial Report, $30, every two years	Annual Statement, $25, every year
Due	April 1 of odd-numbered years	February 15
Agent	Your Iowa registered agent	Our Michigan resident agent

From Iowa to Michigan, step by step

Order the Iowa certificate
The Certificate of Existence ($5) is ordered from Iowa separately; it is not part of our Michigan order. An instant Iowa certificate reaches Michigan only hours old, well inside the limit of 30 days.
We prepare and file Form CSCL/CD 760
It lists us as your Michigan resident agent, next to your Iowa name and formation date, with the certificate attached. With the certificate issued on the spot, nothing from Iowa delays the Michigan filing. Once Michigan approves it, the Iowa company can do business there.

First-year cost, Iowa to Michigan

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$50
Certificate of Existence, paid to Iowa	$5
Our service, with a year of Michigan resident agent service	$199
First-year total, Iowa certificate included	$254

Michigan's paid expedite is optional and not in the total.

Your Iowa name and Michigan's rules

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

Agents: Michigan and Iowa

Michigan calls it a resident agent; Iowa says registered agent. Michigan papers come to us; Iowa's agent is unchanged.

Staying in good standing in Iowa and Michigan

Iowa wants the Biennial Report every two years ($30); Michigan wants the Annual Statement every year ($25). Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, Iowa to Michigan

A corporation formed in Iowa files Form CSCL/CD 560 with Michigan ($60 in state fees). After that come Iowa's Biennial Report ($60) and Michigan's Annual Report, Form CSCL/CD-2500 ($25). See the corporation filing.

The other way: Michigan into Iowa

An LLC formed in Michigan that registers with Iowa files Form 635_0010 with $100 in state fees, plus the Certificate of Good Standing ($10) dated within 90 days. See that filing.

Questions Iowa owners ask about Michigan

Does my Iowa company need to register in Michigan?

Yes, once an Iowa business operates there; Michigan law lists 11 activities that do not count on their own.

How much does the Michigan registration cost?

$249 at checkout plus $5 to Iowa for the Certificate of Existence, $254 in all (checkout is $50 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Iowa's certificate of good standing?

Yes: Michigan wants Iowa's Certificate of Existence ($5), no more than 30 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Iowa and Michigan?

Our resident agent renewal ($149 a year), Iowa's report ($30, every two years) and Michigan's report ($25).

What if I don't register with Michigan?

An Iowa company cannot sue in court there until it registers.

Does Michigan require a registered agent?

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

Can I form a new Michigan LLC instead?

Yes, but Iowa keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Michigan's Annual Statement ($25), and the original keeps Iowa's Biennial Report.

How do I withdraw from Michigan later?

Iowa companies leave by filing a Certificate of Withdrawal ($10); until then, Michigan's report stays due alongside Iowa's filings.

Official sources

People also search

LLC into Michigan, by home state (48)

Iowa into other states (47)

The same move for a corporation