EIN Registration

Iowa Business Search

Look up any Iowa company in the state's official business search.

Find any Iowa LLC or corporation, check whether it is active, and see where to get proof of good standing.

Last updated November 5, 2026

Look up a Iowa company

Search Iowa records

Iowa only allows its search on its own site, so this opens in a new tab. It finds the company, not usually its EIN.

What the Iowa business search shows

The Iowa Secretary of State business entities search finds a company by business name or business number. It finds a company by business name or business number. Use it to confirm a company exists and is active, not to get its federal number.

The Iowa business number

The Iowa Secretary of State gives every company a business number when it is formed. It identifies the company in state records, and it is not the company’s EIN.

Check if an Iowa LLC is active

Search the company in the Iowa business search and open its record. The status tells you whether the state counts the company as active. Words such as dissolved, revoked, forfeited, inactive or delinquent mean it is not in good standing, usually because an annual filing or fee was missed, and the company may need to be reinstated before it can do business there.

To prove a company is in good standing to a bank, a lender or another state, order a Certificate of Existence from the Iowa Secretary of State. Our LLC status check reads the status from public data where a state publishes it.

Good to know in Iowa

  • Iowa splits its biennial reports by entity type: LLCs file in odd-numbered years and for-profit corporations in even-numbered years, in both cases between January 1 and April 1. An LLC formed in 2026 files its first report in 2027, while one formed in 2027 does not file until 2029.
  • The Iowa Department of Revenue gives every taxpayer an IDR ID, which the department describes as generated by the department, unlike an SSN or FEIN. Registration letters list the IDR ID alongside the account or permit number for each tax, so an Iowa LLC ends up with an EIN, an IDR ID and one or more permit numbers, each used in different places.
  • Iowa sales tax reaches services only when Iowa law lists them, but the list is long: lawn care and landscaping, pet grooming, non-residential janitorial work, vehicle repair, barber and beauty services and photography are all on it. Many Iowa service LLCs therefore need a sales tax permit even though they sell no goods.

Found your Iowa company but it has no EIN yet? We prepare and file the application and email you the number.

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Questions

How do I search for a business in Iowa?

Use the Iowa Secretary of State business entities search, which finds a company by business name or business number. Search by the main words of the name, without LLC or Inc, so small differences do not hide the company.

Does the Iowa business search show a company's EIN?

Generally not. The EIN comes from the IRS, and Iowa's business records are kept for the state's own purposes. A Form W-9 from the company is the reliable way to get it.

How do I check if an Iowa LLC is active?

Search the company by name and open its record. The status shows whether Iowa counts it as active. Words like dissolved, revoked, forfeited, inactive or delinquent mean it is not in good standing, often because an annual filing or fee was missed.

How do I get proof that an Iowa company is in good standing?

Order a Certificate of Existence from the Iowa Secretary of State. Banks, lenders and other states ask for it as proof the company exists and is current.

What is an Iowa business number?

It is the number the Iowa Secretary of State gives a company when it is formed, and it identifies the company in state records. It is not the company's EIN, which comes from the IRS.

More for Iowa companies

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