Iowa Code » Chapter 490 — BUSINESS CORPORATIONS
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 490.504 (2026)

Service on corporation

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. A corporation’s registered agent is the corporation’s agent for service of process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served on the corporation.

2. If a corporation has no registered agent, or the agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, the corporation may be served by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the secretary at the corporation’s principal office. Service is perfected under this subsection at the earliest of the following:

a. The date the corporation receives the mail.

b. The date shown on the return receipt, if signed on behalf of the corporation.

c. Five days after its deposit in the United States mail, as evidenced by the postmark, if mailed postpaid and correctly addressed.

3. a. The secretary of state shall be an agent of the corporation upon whom process, notice, or demand may be served, if any of the following applies:

(1) The process, notice, or demand cannot be served on a corporation pursuant to subsection 1 or 2.

(2) The process, notice, or demand is to be served on a registered foreign corporation that has withdrawn its registration pursuant to section 490.1507 or 490.1509, or the registration of which has been terminated pursuant to section 490.1511.

b. Service of any process, notice, or demand on the secretary of state as agent for a corporation may be made by delivering to the secretary of state duplicate copies of the process, notice, or demand. If process, notice, or demand is served on the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall forward one of the copies by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the corporation at the last address shown in the records of the secretary of state. Service is effected under this subsection at the earliest of the following:

(1) The date the corporation receives the process, notice, or demand.

(2) The date shown on the return receipt, if signed on behalf of the corporation.\n\nTue Dec 09 22:07:43 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 490 (142, 1) 33 BUSINESS CORPORATIONS, §490.601\n\n (3) Five days after the process, notice, or demand is deposited with the United States mail by the secretary of state.

4. This section does not prescribe the only means, or necessarily the required means, of serving a corporation. 89 Acts, ch 288, §35; 96 Acts, ch 1170, §7; 2021 Acts, ch 165, §42, 230 Referred to in §490.1421, 490.1422, 490.1423, 490.1507, 490.1509, 490.1511, 624.23\n\n 490.505 through 490.600 Reserved.\n\n SUBCHAPTER VI SHARES AND DISTRIBUTIONS\n\n PART 1 SHARES \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2000–2025 · leading case: Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Bd. v. Larry Alan Stoller, 879 N.W.2d 199 (Iowa 2016).
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Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Bd. v. Larry Alan Stoller, 879 N.W.2d 199 (Iowa 2016). “§ 490.504(1). Additionally, even if Chaplin retained an ownership interest in OCI, Stoller must have known that Chaplin did not have the authority to transfer all of-the corporate assets of OCI to the Martens.”
In Re Quad City Minority Broadcasters, Inc., 252 B.R. 773 (Bankr. S.D. Iowa 2000). · cites it 8× “If the corporation does not correct each ground for dissolution or demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of the secretary of state that each ground determined by the secretary of state does not exist within sixty days after service of the notice is perfected under section…”
Harley Kelchner, an individual, individually & on behalf of all others similarly situated v. CRST Expedited, Inc., CRST Specialized Transp., Inc., CRST Lincoln Sales, Inc., & John Smith, an individual (Iowa 2025). · cites it 14× “See Iowa Code §§ 490.504, .1502. To decide whether that registration and appointment involve consent to personal jurisdiction, we must interpret chapter 490.”
Amended July 28, 2016 Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Bd. v. Larry Alan Stoller (Iowa 2016). “§ 490.504(1). Additionally, even if Chaplin retained an ownership interest in OCI, Stoller must have known that Chaplin did not have the authority to transfer all of the corporate assets of OCI to the Martens.”
— Iowa Code § 490.504(1) — 3 cases
Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Bd. v. Larry Alan Stoller, 879 N.W.2d 199 (Iowa 2016). “§ 490.504(1). Additionally, even if Chaplin retained an ownership interest in OCI, Stoller must have known that Chaplin did not have the authority to transfer all of-the corporate assets of OCI to the Martens.”
Harley Kelchner, an individual, individually & on behalf of all others similarly situated v. CRST Expedited, Inc., CRST Specialized Transp., Inc., CRST Lincoln Sales, Inc., & John Smith, an individual (Iowa 2025). “See Iowa Code §§ 490.504, .1502. To decide whether that registration and appointment involve consent to personal jurisdiction, we must interpret chapter 490.”
Amended July 28, 2016 Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Bd. v. Larry Alan Stoller (Iowa 2016). “§ 490.504(1). Additionally, even if Chaplin retained an ownership interest in OCI, Stoller must have known that Chaplin did not have the authority to transfer all of the corporate assets of OCI to the Martens.”
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