How to Conduct an Iowa Business Entity Search

The Iowa business entity search, sometimes called the Iowa business search, is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about registered businesses in the state. Whether you’re an established business owner who needs to get a Certificate of Registration, a curious consumer who wants to research active business entities, or a soon-to-be entrepreneur who needs to check if your desired business name is available, the business entity search is your go-to resource.

But using the search can feel a bit overwhelming, especially if you’ve never used a tool like this before. That’s where this guide comes in. We’ve assembled a step-by-step guide to using the business search effectively. We’ll also walk you through important Iowa business name guidelines and what to do after searching business names.

Let’s get started.

Iowa Secretary of State Contact Information

Location: First Floor, Lucas Building 321 E. 12th St. Des Moines, IA 50319	Email:  sos@sos.iowa.gov
Telephone: 515-281-5204	Website: https://sos.iowa.gov/

Iowa Business Name Guidelines

When you’re starting a business, one of the most important things you’ll do is pick your business name. And like other states, Iowa has several rules about naming your business. 

First, your name needs to be different from the names of other registered companies in Iowa, including both domestic and foreign corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships, and so on. This is one of the simplest but most important naming standards. 

That said, uniqueness isn’t the only naming guideline to adhere to. Here are a few other rules your Iowa business name should follow: 

• Your business name needs to include a designator. For example, corporations need to include a word like “corporation,” “incorporated,” “company,” “limited,” or an accepted abbreviation of those words. You can also use these words in another language if they have the same meaning. 
• Meanwhile, LLC designator choices include “limited liability company” or “limited company.” The abbreviations “LLC” or “LC” (with or without periods) are also allowed, and you can abbreviate “limited” as “Ltd.” or “Company” as “Co.”
• Business names can’t state or imply that you’re conducting activities that aren’t permitted by state law or by your company’s formation documents.
• LLC names can’t include words that require approval from a state agency unless the business has that agency’s approval.

If you’re in a licensed trade or profession, keep in mind that you’ll need to meet any naming rules that your industry has in place, too. If your business name doesn’t meet these requirements, you’ll need to pick a new one. 

How to Run an Iowa Business Search by Entity Name

Iowa offers two primary ways to search for registered businesses: by entity name and by business number. This guide will walk you through both versions, but in this section, we’ll focus on running a name search.

Step 1: Set up the search

To get started with your first Iowa search, you’ll need to navigate to the search homepage. By default, the search is set to the “Business Name” category (pictured below). We’ll maintain that setting for this search.

Once you’re on this page, it’s time to type your search criteria. Ideally, you’ll type the full business name of the company you’re searching for. But if you don’t know the full name, type as much of it as you know (even if that’s a keyword and the first few letters you remember from the next word). The search will still pull up results for a partial word. Then, click “Search.”

Step 2: Review your search results

The online search database will pull up results for all existing businesses with names that match your search terms. For example, here’s what we saw when we ran a sample search of “America.”

On this first page, you’ll see the full business name and ID number for each business that matches your search terms. You’ll also see the current status for each entity and the legal entity type of that name. This could include legal names, fictitious names, and reserved names. If you’d like to see further details about a specific entity, click on its business number.

On this business summary page, you’ll see a wide variety of information, including the company’s state of incorporation, duration, when its registration went into effect, and the date it filed its paperwork. You can also view its name history, the name and address of its registered agent (or the person making the reservation, if it’s a name reservation), and the office address.

At the top of the page, you’ll see tabs for other business information. For example, if the company is a corporation, the “Stock” tab will show you information about the shares the company has issued. Meanwhile, the “Officers” tab will provide the names and addresses of any officers the company has provided for the public record. This could include a member or manager for an LLC or a director or officer for a corporation.

Another important tab is the “Filings” tab. This tab will let you view the company’s filing history, such as the Articles of Organization, biennial reports, fictitious name registration, and other official documents.

How to Check Business Name Availability

If you’re starting a new business, then it’s your responsibility to ensure that your desired name doesn’t infringe on the names of registered businesses and reserved names in Iowa. That means you’ll need to run a name availability search. Unfortunately, the state doesn’t offer a dedicated name availability search, but you can use the basic search tool to make a preliminary check.

To get started, type in the company name you’re hoping to use. You can leave off entity type designators like “LLC” or “Inc.” Then, click “Search.”

Ideally, you’ll see a message that reads, “Sorry, no results.” If that happens, there’s a good chance that your name isn’t claimed by another business entity in the state. If your name does match the name of an existing entity, the search tool will display any exact matches or names that include your search terms. If this happens, you’ll need to edit your name so it’s distinct (or pick a new name altogether).

Remember: this search is not definitive. It can only give you a preliminary look at availability since the database isn’t 100% up to date at all times. The Secretary of State’s office will have the final say about name availability when you request a name reservation or file formation documents for your business.

How to Search by Business Number

In some cases, the business name search method can show a long list of business structures, especially if you’re searching for a very common keyword. For example, our “America” search from our earlier example yielded over 1,000 results. Odds are, you don’t have time to sift through that many results.

Thankfully, the Iowa search tool allows you to look up a company’s business details by the company’s business number. Since the Secretary of State assigns a unique filing number to each business, searching for that number will take you directly to the company you’re seeking.

To get started, navigate to the search homepage. But instead of typing in the first search bar, click on the bubble beside “Search by Business Number.” Then, type in the business number (be very careful to correctly type the same letters and numbers, or else the search won’t work). Then, click “Search.”

As long as you typed the number correctly, you’ll be taken straight to the business details page for the company with that ID number. On this details page, you’ll see the business entity name for that company, its filing history, registered agent information, and more.

What to Do After Searching Business Names in Iowa

After you’ve come up with a name and searched it, you’re probably feeling like you’ve done a lot of legwork. You’d hate for that hard work to go to waste, right? Here are some steps you can take to protect your Iowa business name and make the most of it. 

Reserve your Iowa business name (optional)

If you’ve picked the perfect business name but you’re not quite ready to file your business formation paperwork, Iowa allows you to reserve a business name.

You can request a name reservation by filing the Application for Reservation of Name form with the Secretary of State. There’s currently a $10 filing fee for this form. You can file a paper form or submit the request online using Fast Track Filing. 

After your paperwork is filed and approved, your name reservation will be valid for 120 days. This step is optional, and you should only pursue it if you’ve picked a name but aren’t ready to file your formation paperwork yet.

Form an LLC or register your business

One of the best ways to protect your business name is to register your business. After you register a business under your chosen name, no one else in the state will be able to register their own company with the same name. 

Registering an Iowa business is an important legal process. Learn more about starting an Iowa LLC. 

Get a domain name that matches

You want your customers to find your business website easily. That means you need a domain name that matches your business name as closely as possible. A matching domain will help your brand maintain consistency both in person and online.

If you’re struggling to come up with a domain name (or the one that matches your name is already taken), try using a domain name generator. A generator can help you come up with a domain that matches your brand image. 

Set up your business online

Today, you can’t run a business without a good digital footprint. A good business website is a decent starting point. But don’t stop there; set up social media accounts like a Facebook page, a TikTok profile, and an Instagram account. Make sure your business name is included on each account so your brand is consistent across your online presence.

Last but not least, set up a Google Business Profile for your business (or claim it if it already exists). This profile will help you direct customers to your website or your store location. Plus, it’ll help you respond to customer reviews and build a good brand reputation in the Hawkeye State.

Trademark your business name (optional)

If you want the most robust protections for your business name, you could pursue trademark registration. Trademarks can be registered at the state or federal level (with federal protections being the strongest). 

Getting a trademark can be pretty complicated and time-consuming. If you go this route, it’s highly recommended to work with a trademark attorney.