Iowa · Renters' rights · Updated Oct 2026
Iowa tenant rights
Security deposits, repairs, landlord entry, notices and evictions in Iowa, in plain English from official sources, with free tools to get your deposit back and ask for repairs.
Guides for Iowa renters
Security deposit
Limit, deadline, deductions, penalty and the calculator.
Repairs
The landlord's duty, repair and deduct, withholding rent and a repair letter.
Eviction
Notice periods, court deadlines, illegal lockouts and a timeline tool.
Security deposit in Iowa
- Limit
- Two months' rent.
- Deadline to return it
- Within 30 days after your tenancy ends AND the landlord has your mailing address or delivery instructions. Give your new address in writing. If you give no address within 1 year after the tenancy ends, you lose the deposit.
- Itemized list
- Yes. If the landlord keeps any part, they must give you a written statement with the specific reason. For damage, the statement must describe the damage. A landlord who misses the 30-day deadline loses the right to keep any of the deposit. In court the landlord must prove the reasons. Receipts are not required by the statute.
- What may be deducted
- Only amounts reasonably needed to: cover unpaid rent or other money owed under the lease; restore the unit to its move-in condition, except ordinary wear and tear; and cover the cost of getting the unit back from a tenant who did not leave in good faith after notice.
- Interest
- No. Interest earned during the first five years of the tenancy belongs to the landlord.
- Separate account
- Yes. The deposit must be held in a federally insured bank, savings and loan or credit union and must not be mixed with the landlord's personal money (a common trust account is allowed).
- If the landlord keeps it wrongly
- If the landlord keeps the deposit in bad faith, you can recover your actual damages plus punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent. The court may also award attorney fees to the winner.
How to get your deposit back
- Before you move out, clean, take dated photos and video of every room, and return all keys.
- Give your landlord your new address in writing. In Iowa: Within 30 days after your tenancy ends AND the landlord has your mailing address or delivery instructions.
- Wait for the deadline: Within 30 days after your tenancy ends AND the landlord has your mailing address or delivery instructions.
- If the money or an itemized list doesn't come, or the deductions are wrong, send a demand letter (below). Keep proof of mailing.
- If that doesn't work, sue in small claims court. Limit: $6,500, not counting interest and court costs. Evictions are also handled as small claims. Small claims court in Iowa on Small Claims Map
Repairs in Iowa
- The landlord's duty
- The landlord must follow building and housing codes, make all repairs needed to keep the home fit and habitable, keep common areas clean and safe, keep electrical, plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and appliances working, provide trash containers, and supply running water, hot water and reasonable heat. Iowa Code § 562A.15.
- How to ask for repairs
- Give the landlord written notice describing the problem. For serious violations affecting health and safety, your written notice can say the lease will end on a date at least 7 days after the landlord receives it if the problem is not fixed within 7 days. If the same problem comes back within 6 months, you can end the lease on 7 days' written notice. Iowa Code § 562A.21.
- Repair and deduct
- Limited. (1) Essential services: if the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply running water, hot water, heat or other essential services, you can give written notice and then buy reasonable amounts of them and deduct the actual cost from rent (§ 562A.23). (2) Other repairs, as a defense to eviction for nonpayment: if the landlord broke the lease or its repair duties under § 562A.15, you told the landlord in writing at least 7 days before rent was due that you would fix the problem at the landlord's expense, the reasonable cost was no more than one month's rent, and you had it fixed in good faith before getting a termination notice, then what you spent is subtracted from the rent the landlord claims (§ 562A.27(4)). Get legal advice before relying on this.
- Withholding rent
- Not as a self-help step. If the landlord sues to evict for nonpayment, you can counterclaim for the landlord's violations, and the court may order you to pay rent into court while it decides. Iowa Code § 562A.24.
- Law
- Iowa Code §§ 562A.15, 562A.21, 562A.23, 562A.24, 562A.27(4)
Landlord entry in Iowa
At least 24 hours' notice, and entry only at reasonable times. No notice is needed in an emergency or when notice is impracticable. Otherwise the landlord may enter only with a court order or if you abandoned or surrendered the unit. If the landlord enters unlawfully, enters in an unreasonable way, or harasses you with repeated entry demands, you can get a court order or end the lease and recover your actual damages (at least one month's rent) plus attorney fees. Iowa Code §§ 562A.19, 562A.35.
Eviction in Iowa
- Notice for unpaid rent
- 3-day written notice to pay the rent or the lease will end. If you do not pay within 3 days, the landlord can file an eviction case.
- Notice for a lease violation
- 7-day written notice to fix the problem. If you fix it within 7 days, the lease does not end. If the same violation happens again within 6 months, the landlord can end the lease with 7 days' written notice without a chance to fix. A 3-day notice to quit can be used for a clear and present danger to others.
- Ending a month-to-month tenancy
- Landlord or tenant: at least 30 days' written notice before the rent due date named in the notice. Week-to-week: at least 10 days. Iowa Code § 562A.34.
- Time to respond to an eviction lawsuit
- No written answer deadline is set. The court must set a hearing no later than 8 days after the landlord files (up to 15 days if the landlord asks), and you must be served at least 3 days before the hearing. Go to the hearing. Iowa Code § 648.5.
- Lockouts and utility shutoffs
- Yes. If the landlord locks you out or deliberately cuts off electricity, gas, water or another essential service, you can get back in through court or end the lease, and recover actual damages, punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent, and attorney fees. Iowa Code § 562A.26.
- Court self-help
- The court's eviction self-help page
- Law
- Iowa Code §§ 562A.26, 562A.27, 562A.34, 648.3, 648.5
Rent increases and rent control in Iowa
- Notice of a rent increase
- At least 30 days' written notice, and the increase cannot take effect before your lease (or renewal) ends. Iowa Code § 562A.13(5).
- Rent control
- No statewide rent cap. Cities are not allowed to limit rents. Iowa Code § 364.3(9).
Late fees in Iowa
If rent is $700 a month or less, the late fee may not exceed $12 a day or $60 a month total. If rent is more than $700, no more than $20 a day or $100 a month total. No grace period is set by statute. Iowa Code § 562A.9.
Retaliation in Iowa
The landlord may not raise rent, cut services, or file or threaten eviction because you complained to a housing code agency, complained to the landlord about repairs, or joined a tenants' union. A good-faith complaint within 1 year before the landlord's action creates a presumption of retaliation. You can recover actual damages and attorney fees and use it as a defense. The presumption does not arise if you complained after getting notice of a rent increase or service cut, and higher costs can justify a matching rent increase. Exceptions include rent default and code problems you caused. Iowa Code § 562A.36.
Small claims court in Iowa
Deposit disputes usually go to small claims court, where you don't need a lawyer.
Limit: $6,500, not counting interest and court costs. Evictions are also handled as small claims.
Where to get free help in Iowa
Good to know in Iowa
- A landlord who misses the 30-day deposit deadline loses the right to keep any part of it.
- Late fees are capped by statute: $12/day up to $60/month for rents of $700 or less; $20/day up to $100/month above $700.
- Cities in Iowa cannot adopt rent control.
Recent law changes
None found: the Iowa Code 2026 (current through the 2025 session) shows no amendments to ch. 562A or ch. 648 in 2024-2025. Changes from the 2026 legislative session (effective July 1, 2026) could not be confirmed.
Free tools for Iowa renters
Pre-set for Iowa. They run in your browser and send nothing.
Deposit return calculator for Iowa
Find your state's deadline for returning a security deposit, whether your landlord is late and what you may be owed. Nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Security deposit demand letter for Iowa
A short, firm and polite letter asking your landlord to return your deposit by a date. It cites your state's deposit law. Many landlords pay at this step, and the letter is proof that you asked. Fill this in, download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it), sign it, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove, such as certified mail with a return receipt.
Repair request letter for Iowa
Ask your landlord in writing to fix the problem by a date. A written, dated request is the first step in almost every state, and it is proof that the landlord knew. Check the problems, add dates, then download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it). Sign it, keep a copy and photos, and send it in a way you can prove.
Eviction notice timeline for Iowa
Got a notice from your landlord? Enter the kind of notice and the day you got it to see the dates that follow from your state's rule, what your landlord may not do, and where to get free help fast.
This is not legal advice. Eviction deadlines are short and missing one can cost you your home. Read your notice carefully and contact legal aid or your court's self-help center right away.
Questions about renters' rights in Iowa
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Iowa?
Two months' rent.
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Iowa?
Within 30 days after your tenancy ends AND the landlord has your mailing address or delivery instructions. Give your new address in writing. If you give no address within 1 year after the tenancy ends, you lose the deposit.
What can I do if my landlord won't return my deposit in Iowa?
If the landlord keeps the deposit in bad faith, you can recover your actual damages plus punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent. The court may also award attorney fees to the winner.
What can a landlord deduct from a security deposit in Iowa?
Only amounts reasonably needed to: cover unpaid rent or other money owed under the lease; restore the unit to its move-in condition, except ordinary wear and tear; and cover the cost of getting the unit back from a tenant who did not leave in good faith after notice.
Does a landlord have to pay interest on a security deposit in Iowa?
No. Interest earned during the first five years of the tenancy belongs to the landlord.
How do I ask my landlord for repairs in Iowa?
Give the landlord written notice describing the problem. For serious violations affecting health and safety, your written notice can say the lease will end on a date at least 7 days after the landlord receives it if the problem is not fixed within 7 days. If the same problem comes back within 6 months, you can end the lease on 7 days' written notice. Iowa Code § 562A.21.
Can I repair and deduct the cost from rent in Iowa?
Limited. (1) Essential services: if the landlord deliberately or negligently fails to supply running water, hot water, heat or other essential services, you can give written notice and then buy reasonable amounts of them and deduct the actual cost from rent (§ 562A.23). (2) Other repairs, as a defense to eviction for nonpayment: if the landlord broke the lease or its repair duties under § 562A.15, you told the landlord in writing at least 7 days before rent was due that you would fix the problem at the landlord's expense, the reasonable cost was no more than one month's rent, and you had it fixed in good faith before getting a termination notice, then what you spent is subtracted from the rent the landlord claims (§ 562A.27(4)). Get legal advice before relying on this.
Can I withhold rent for repairs in Iowa?
Not as a self-help step. If the landlord sues to evict for nonpayment, you can counterclaim for the landlord's violations, and the court may order you to pay rent into court while it decides. Iowa Code § 562A.24.
How much notice does a landlord need to enter in Iowa?
At least 24 hours' notice, and entry only at reasonable times. No notice is needed in an emergency or when notice is impracticable. Otherwise the landlord may enter only with a court order or if you abandoned or surrendered the unit. If the landlord enters unlawfully, enters in an unreasonable way, or harasses you with repeated entry demands, you can get a court order or end the lease and recover your actual damages (at least one month's rent) plus attorney fees. Iowa Code §§ 562A.19, 562A.35.
How much notice does a landlord have to give for unpaid rent in Iowa?
3-day written notice to pay the rent or the lease will end. If you do not pay within 3 days, the landlord can file an eviction case.
How much notice for a lease violation in Iowa?
7-day written notice to fix the problem. If you fix it within 7 days, the lease does not end. If the same violation happens again within 6 months, the landlord can end the lease with 7 days' written notice without a chance to fix. A 3-day notice to quit can be used for a clear and present danger to others.
How much notice is needed to end a month-to-month lease in Iowa?
Landlord or tenant: at least 30 days' written notice before the rent due date named in the notice. Week-to-week: at least 10 days. Iowa Code § 562A.34.
How long do I have to respond to an eviction lawsuit in Iowa?
No written answer deadline is set. The court must set a hearing no later than 8 days after the landlord files (up to 15 days if the landlord asks), and you must be served at least 3 days before the hearing. Go to the hearing. Iowa Code § 648.5.
Can my landlord lock me out or shut off utilities in Iowa?
Yes. If the landlord locks you out or deliberately cuts off electricity, gas, water or another essential service, you can get back in through court or end the lease, and recover actual damages, punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent, and attorney fees. Iowa Code § 562A.26.
How much notice is needed for a rent increase in Iowa?
At least 30 days' written notice, and the increase cannot take effect before your lease (or renewal) ends. Iowa Code § 562A.13(5).
Is there rent control in Iowa?
No statewide rent cap. Cities are not allowed to limit rents. Iowa Code § 364.3(9).
Is there a limit on late fees in Iowa?
If rent is $700 a month or less, the late fee may not exceed $12 a day or $60 a month total. If rent is more than $700, no more than $20 a day or $100 a month total. No grace period is set by statute. Iowa Code § 562A.9.
Can my landlord retaliate if I complain in Iowa?
The landlord may not raise rent, cut services, or file or threaten eviction because you complained to a housing code agency, complained to the landlord about repairs, or joined a tenants' union. A good-faith complaint within 1 year before the landlord's action creates a presumption of retaliation. You can recover actual damages and attorney fees and use it as a defense. The presumption does not arise if you complained after getting notice of a rent increase or service cut, and higher costs can justify a matching rent increase. Exceptions include rent default and code problems you caused. Iowa Code § 562A.36.
What is the small claims limit in Iowa?
$6,500, not counting interest and court costs. Evictions are also handled as small claims.