Iowa security deposit law
- Most you can take
- 2 months’ rentIowa Code § 562A.12(1)
- Back to the tenant within
- 30 daysIowa Code § 562A.12(3)Counted from termination and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions.
US landlord tenant law
Iowa landlord tenant law: the rules a landlord meets
What Iowa statutes require of a landlord, rule by rule: the security deposit, rent and late fees, rent increases, entering the property, ending a tenancy and the disclosures a lease carries, each with the section it comes from.
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- Security deposit cap
- 2 months’ rent
- Iowa Code § 562A.12(1)
- Deposit back within
- 30 days
- Iowa Code § 562A.12(3)
- Notice before entry
- 24 hours
- Iowa Code § 562A.19(3)
- Month-to-month notice
- 30 days
- Iowa Code § 562A.34(2)
In the order you meet them
Iowa landlord tenant laws, rule by rule
From the deposit you take at signing to the notice that ends the tenancy. Every figure names its statute; where none sets it, the page says so.
Rent and late fees
- Late fee
- $100Iowa Code § 562A.9(4)Rent up to $700: max $12 a day and $60 a month. Rent over $700: max $20 a day and $100 a month.
Iowa rent increase laws and rent control
- Notice before a rent increase
- 30 daysIowa Code § 562A.13(5); §§ 364.3(9), 331.304(10)Each tenant must get written notice of a rent increase at least 30 days before it takes effect, and the increase cannot take effect before the current lease or renewal ends. Cities and counties may not limit rent.
- Rent control
- Local rent control bannedIowa Code § 562A.13(5); §§ 364.3(9), 331.304(10)
Entering the property: notice to the tenant
- Notice before you enter
- 24 hoursIowa Code § 562A.19(3)
Ending a tenancy and eviction notices
- Ending a month-to-month tenancy
- 30 daysIowa Code § 562A.34(2)Notice must end on a periodic rental date.
- Unpaid rent
- 3 daysIowa Code § 562A.27(2); § 562A.29A(2)“3-day notice to pay rent”Paying in full within the period stops itThe landlord may terminate only if the tenant fails to pay within three days after the written notice. A notice served by mail counts as served four days after it is mailed, so those days come first.
- Another breach of the lease
- 7 daysIowa Code § 562A.27(1)“7-day notice to cure”The tenant can fix the breach within the periodThe rental agreement ends unless the tenant remedies the breach within seven days of receiving the notice. A repeat of substantially the same breach within six months allows termination on seven days' notice with no cure, and a clear and present danger allows a three-day notice under § 562A.27A.
- Lockouts and shutoffs
- Banned: lockouts and utility shutoffsIowa Code § 562A.26
Disclosures a Iowa lease has to carry
- At or before the start of the tenancy, give in writing the name and address of the manager and of the owner or owner's agent for service and notices. (Iowa Code § 562A.13(1))
- Explain utility rates, charges and services before signing unless the tenant pays the utility directly. (Iowa Code § 562A.13(4))
- Disclose in writing before the tenancy starts if the property is listed in the federal EPA CERCLIS (Superfund) system. (Iowa Code § 562A.13(6))
Put the Iowa rules on paper
Free documents with these figures already in them, one for each moment of the tenancy.
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Dardaris keeps each of these rules for you
It counts the deposit deadline from the day a tenant moves out, drafts the notice before you enter a home, and dates a rent increase so the notice lands in time. Nothing goes out until you approve it.
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- Deposit back to the tenant
- 30 days
- Notice before the inspection
- 24 hours
- Rent increase notice
- 30 days
Where these Iowa rules come from
Deposit, entry, fee, notice and disclosure rules read against the official texts on 29 September 2026. Rent increase and eviction rules read on 1 November 2026.
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/562A.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/562A.27.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/562A.29A.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/562A.8.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/562A.13.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/562A.26.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/648.3.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/648.5.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/648.22.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/631.13.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/364.3.pdf
- legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/331.304.pdf
Questions landlords ask
What is the security deposit limit in Iowa?
Deposit cap in Iowa: 2 months’ rent (Iowa Code § 562A.12(1)). Back to the tenant within: 30 days (Iowa Code § 562A.12(3)). The conditions are in the security deposit section above.
How much Iowa rent increase notice does a landlord give?
Notice before a rent increase in Iowa: 30 days (Iowa Code § 562A.13(5); §§ 364.3(9), 331.304(10)). Rent control: Local rent control banned. The rent increase section above quotes what the statutes say, exceptions included.
How much notice does a Iowa landlord give before entering?
Notice before entry in Iowa: 24 hours (Iowa Code § 562A.19(3)).
How much notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in Iowa?
Notice from the landlord to end a month-to-month tenancy in Iowa: 30 days (Iowa Code § 562A.34(2)).
Can a Iowa landlord change the locks or shut off utilities?
No. Iowa bans lockouts and utility shutoffs as a way to remove a tenant (Iowa Code § 562A.26). Only a court order ends the tenant’s possession.
Does this page cover repairs and mold?
No figures for repairs or mold are on this page. Both fall under the landlord’s duty to keep a home fit to live in and under the state’s own rules; read the Iowa statutes and your local housing code before you act.
This is not legal adviceThis page summarises statutes as read on 29 September 2026. Laws change, cities add their own rules, and a court reads a statute against the facts of a case. Check the official text, or ask a lawyer, before you act on it.
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