10 of the 10 rules below carry a statute citation that was read at the official source (most recently October 2026), with the controlling text quoted. The rest are conservative reference values from Aptoria's compliance data and are labeled unverified.
Security deposit size: Security deposit may not exceed two months' rent. Deposits must be held in an insured bank/S&L/credit union account, not commingled; interest in the first five years belongs to the landlord. (Iowa Code § 562A.12(1)-(2), confirmed 2026-10). Returning the deposit: Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy AND receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions, return the deposit or furnish a written statement of the specific reasons for withholding. Missing the 30 days forfeits all right to withhold; bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent plus actual damages. If no address is given within one year, the deposit reverts to the landlord. (Iowa Code § 562A.12(3)-(4), (7), confirmed 2026-10).
Late fees: Rent $700/month or less: late fee may not exceed $12 per day or $60 total per month. Rent over $700/month: not more than $20 per day or $100 total per month. No statutory grace period (rent is due at the time agreed; the 3-day pay-or-quit notice is the only statutory delay). (Iowa Code § 562A.9(4), confirmed 2026-10). Application fees: No statewide cap on rental application or screening fees. Chapter 562A (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law) contains no application-fee section; § 562A.9 lets the parties include any terms not prohibited by the chapter and makes rent payable without demand at the agreed time and place. (The chapter's only fee cap is the late-fee cap in § 562A.9(4).) (Iowa Code § 562A.9(1), (3); ch. 562A (no application-fee provision), confirmed 2026-10).
Nonpayment notice: If rent is unpaid when due, the landlord may terminate after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate if the tenant fails to pay within 3 days after the notice. (Other material breaches: 7-day notice with right to cure, § 562A.27(1).) (Iowa Code § 562A.27(2), confirmed 2026-10). Rent increases: Written notice of any rent increase at least 30 days before the effective date; the effective date may not precede expiration of the original rental agreement or any renewal/extension. No statewide rent cap. (Iowa Code § 562A.13(5), confirmed 2026-10). Ending a month-to-month tenancy: Either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the periodic rental date specified in the notice (10 days for week-to-week). Willful bad-faith holdover exposes the tenant to actual damages and attorney fees. (Iowa Code § 562A.34(2), confirmed 2026-10). Entry: At least 24 hours' notice of intent to enter, and entry only at reasonable times, except in an emergency or where notice is impracticable. Landlord may not abuse access or use it to harass. (Iowa Code § 562A.19(3), confirmed 2026-10).
Iowa has no statewide rent regulation on file, so any cap on increases would come from a local ordinance. Source-of-income protection is not on file statewide, although cities and counties can add it. Card surcharges on rent: allowed within card-network limits. Managing property for others for compensation generally requires a state license: State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Security deposits
What Iowa allows a landlord to collect up front, how it must be held, and the deadline and paperwork for returning it.
Security deposit limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Security deposit may not exceed two months' rent. Deposits must be held in an insured bank/S&L/credit union account, not commingled; interest in the first five years belongs to the landlord.
“A landlord shall not demand or receive as a security deposit an amount or value in excess of two months' rent.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “2× monthly rent”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The maximum a landlord may collect up front as security against unpaid rent or damage, usually expressed as a multiple of one month's rent. Separate pet, key or cleaning deposits often count toward the same limit.
Deposit return deadline
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy AND receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions, return the deposit or furnish a written statement of the specific reasons for withholding. Missing the 30 days forfeits all right to withhold; bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent plus actual damages. If no address is given within one year, the deposit reverts to the landlord.
“A landlord shall, within thirty days from the date of termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions, return the rental deposit to the tenant or furnish to the tenant a written statement showing the specific reason for withholding”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days after move-out”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The window after the tenant vacates in which the landlord must refund the deposit or deliver an itemized statement of deductions. Missing the deadline is the most common way a landlord forfeits the right to keep any part of the deposit.
Separate pet deposit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statute authorizes or prohibits a separate pet deposit. Iowa Code § 562A.12(1) caps the total security deposit a landlord may demand or receive at two months' rent, and the section does not mention pets, so any refundable pet deposit counts toward (and the combined deposit may not exceed) the two-month cap. A non-refundable pet fee is not addressed by the chapter.
“A landlord shall not demand or receive as a security deposit an amount or value in excess of two months' rent.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Full section text extracted from the official PDF; the word 'pet' does not appear in § 562A.12.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Permitted”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a refundable pet deposit can be collected on top of the security deposit. Even where it is permitted, the combined amount usually has to stay inside the overall deposit limit.
In practice
• Hold the deposit the way the statute requires (separate or escrow account where applicable) and record the account in the file.
• Document move-in condition with a dated, photographed inventory the tenant can sign; it is the only evidence that supports a later deduction.
• Send the itemized statement and any refund by a trackable method, and keep the receipts or estimates behind every deduction.
Rent, late fees and application fees
The fees a Iowa lease can charge, the statutory ceilings that override the lease, and whether rent increases are regulated statewide.
Late fees
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Rent $700/month or less: late fee may not exceed $12 per day or $60 total per month. Rent over $700/month: not more than $20 per day or $100 total per month. No statutory grace period (rent is due at the time agreed; the 3-day pay-or-quit notice is the only statutory delay).
“a rental agreement shall not provide for a late fee that exceeds twelve dollars per day or a total amount of sixty dollars per month. For rental agreements in which the rent is greater than seven hundred dollars per month, a rental agreement shall not provide for a late fee that exceeds twenty dollars per day or a total amount of one hundred dollars per month.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “Capped at $60”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Any statutory ceiling on the fee for late rent and any mandatory grace period before it can be charged. Where there is no statutory cap, courts still strike fees they find punitive rather than a reasonable estimate of the landlord's cost.
Application fee limit
Source-confirmed 2026-10
No statewide cap on rental application or screening fees. Chapter 562A (Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law) contains no application-fee section; § 562A.9 lets the parties include any terms not prohibited by the chapter and makes rent payable without demand at the agreed time and place. (The chapter's only fee cap is the late-fee cap in § 562A.9(4).)
“The landlord and tenant may include in a rental agreement, terms and conditions not prohibited by this chapter or other rule of law including rent, term of the agreement, and other provisions governing the rights and obligations of the parties.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide cap”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
A cap on what an applicant can be charged to apply, sometimes limited to the actual cost of screening and sometimes prohibited outright. Fee receipts and refund rules usually travel with the cap.
Statewide rent regulation
Source-confirmed 2026-10
(b) Statewide preemption of local rent control. No statewide rent cap. Iowa Code § 364.3(9) bars cities from adopting or enforcing any ordinance limiting the amount of rent that can be charged for leasing private residential or commercial property (cities may still manage property in which they hold an interest).
“A city shall not adopt or enforce any ordinance imposing any limitation on the amount of rent that can be charged for leasing private residential or commercial property. This subsection does not prevent the right of a city to manage and control residential property in which the city has a property interest.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “No statewide rent regulation (check local ordinances)”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
Whether a statewide law caps annual rent increases or whether rent control exists for covered units. Local ordinances can add limits even where the state has none.
In practice
• State the late fee, the grace period and the application fee in the lease in dollars or a clear percentage; a fee that is not in the lease is rarely enforceable.
• Never charge above the statutory cap even when the lease says more; the excess is unenforceable and can expose the landlord to penalties.
• Keep fee calculations in the ledger so a tenant, a court or an auditor can reproduce them from the rent roll.
Notices, rent increases and termination
How much written notice Iowa requires before a rent increase, before ending a month-to-month tenancy, and before filing for nonpayment.
Rent-increase notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Written notice of any rent increase at least 30 days before the effective date; the effective date may not precede expiration of the original rental agreement or any renewal/extension. No statewide rent cap.
“Each tenant shall be notified, in writing, of any rent increase at least thirty days before the effective date. Such effective date shall not be sooner than the expiration date of original rental agreement or any renewal or extension thereof.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The written notice a landlord must give before a rent increase takes effect on a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy. Fixed-term leases generally cannot be changed mid-term.
Month-to-month termination notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
Either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the periodic rental date specified in the notice (10 days for week-to-week). Willful bad-faith holdover exposes the tenant to actual damages and attorney fees.
“The landlord or the tenant may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by a written notice given to the other at least thirty days prior to the periodic rental date specified in the notice.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “30 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a landlord must give to end a periodic tenancy without cause. Some jurisdictions require longer notice for long-term tenants or require a stated cause.
Pay-or-quit notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
If rent is unpaid when due, the landlord may terminate after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate if the tenant fails to pay within 3 days after the notice. (Other material breaches: 7-day notice with right to cure, § 562A.27(1).)
“If rent is unpaid when due and the tenant fails to pay rent within three days after written notice by the landlord of nonpayment and the landlord's intention to terminate the rental agreement if the rent is not paid within that period of time, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “3 days”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The notice a tenant must receive for nonpayment before the landlord can file for possession, and the time the tenant has to pay in full and cure. This is the step most often done wrong in an eviction.
In practice
• Serve notices in the form and by the method the statute names, and keep proof of service with the dated notice.
• Count notice periods the way the statute counts them (calendar days, business days, or "before the next rent due date") and build in a margin.
• Treat a notice to a possibly rent-regulated or subsidized unit as a legal check, because longer periods and extra content requirements usually apply.
Landlord entry
When a Iowa landlord may enter an occupied unit and how much notice the tenant must receive.
Non-emergency entry notice
Source-confirmed 2026-10
At least 24 hours' notice of intent to enter, and entry only at reasonable times, except in an emergency or where notice is impracticable. Landlord may not abuse access or use it to harass.
“the landlord shall give the tenant at least twenty-four hours' notice of the landlord's intent to enter and enter only at reasonable times.”
Excerpt from the cited source as read on the date shown.
Reference value in Aptoria's compliance data: “24 hours”. Where it differs from the statute above, the statute controls; differences found in review are logged for an engine update.
The advance notice required before a landlord enters an occupied unit for repairs, inspections or showings. Emergencies are the usual exception.
In practice
• Give written notice with the date, a reasonable time window and the purpose, and log the entry afterwards.
• Emergencies are the only common exception; document what made the entry urgent.
• A pattern of unannounced entries is a common basis for tenant complaints and counterclaims.
Payments, fair housing and licensing
Operational rules that sit outside the landlord-tenant act but decide how rent can be collected, who can be screened out, and who may manage for others.
Card surcharges on rent
Allowed within card-network limits
Returned-payment (NSF) fee
No statewide statutory cap on file
Source-of-income protection
No statewide protection on file
Local ordinances can extend protection beyond the statewide rule.
Property-management licensing
License generally required to manage for others
State real estate broker license required for property management for others — confirm with state commission.
Compliance posture values are reference data compiled from public statutes and are not source-confirmed line by line. Confirm with the state agency before relying on them.
Iowa next to its neighbors
Own units on both sides of a state line? These are the reference values for every bordering jurisdiction. Open a state to see which values carry a citation.
Federal and state disclosures Aptoria's lease workflow surfaces for Iowa. This is a working checklist from public sources, not a complete legal inventory for a specific property.
• Lead-based paint hazards (pre-1978 housing) — EPA Pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home"
• Contaminated water
Official sources
Primary sources a Iowa landlord should bookmark. Each link was fetched and read during the October 2026 review; the binding text is always the current official version.
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Iowa?
Security deposit may not exceed two months' rent. Deposits must be held in an insured bank/S&L/credit union account, not commingled; interest in the first five years belongs to the landlord. (Iowa Code § 562A.12(1)-(2), confirmed 2026-10).
How long does a Iowa landlord have to return the security deposit?
Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy AND receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions, return the deposit or furnish a written statement of the specific reasons for withholding. Missing the 30 days forfeits all right to withhold; bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent plus actual damages. If no address is given within one year, the deposit reverts to the landlord. (Iowa Code § 562A.12(3)-(4), (7), confirmed 2026-10).
What is the maximum late fee in Iowa?
Rent $700/month or less: late fee may not exceed $12 per day or $60 total per month. Rent over $700/month: not more than $20 per day or $100 total per month. No statutory grace period (rent is due at the time agreed; the 3-day pay-or-quit notice is the only statutory delay). (Iowa Code § 562A.9(4), confirmed 2026-10).
How many days does a Iowa pay-or-quit notice give the tenant?
If rent is unpaid when due, the landlord may terminate after written notice of nonpayment and intent to terminate if the tenant fails to pay within 3 days after the notice. (Other material breaches: 7-day notice with right to cure, § 562A.27(1).) (Iowa Code § 562A.27(2), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice must a Iowa landlord give before entering?
At least 24 hours' notice of intent to enter, and entry only at reasonable times, except in an emergency or where notice is impracticable. Landlord may not abuse access or use it to harass. (Iowa Code § 562A.19(3), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to raise rent in Iowa?
Written notice of any rent increase at least 30 days before the effective date; the effective date may not precede expiration of the original rental agreement or any renewal/extension. No statewide rent cap. (Iowa Code § 562A.13(5), confirmed 2026-10).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month tenancy in Iowa?
Either party may terminate a month-to-month tenancy by written notice given at least 30 days before the periodic rental date specified in the notice (10 days for week-to-week). Willful bad-faith holdover exposes the tenant to actual damages and attorney fees. (Iowa Code § 562A.34(2), confirmed 2026-10).
Does Iowa have statewide rent control?
No statewide rent regulation is on file for Iowa. Local ordinances can still limit increases, so check the city or county where the unit sits before setting a renewal rent.
Is source of income a protected class in Iowa?
No statewide source-of-income protection is on file for Iowa, but cities and counties can adopt it. Check local law before refusing a voucher or benefit income, and apply any screening criteria consistently.
Can a Iowa landlord add a surcharge for paying rent by card?
Allowed within card-network limits. Where a surcharge is allowed, it must still follow card-network rules and be disclosed before payment.
How this page was verified
Every rule is shown in one of two states. “Source-confirmed” means an editor opened the official statute page named next to the rule on the date shown, read the controlling text, and recorded the excerpt you see; the excerpt is quoted verbatim so you can check it. “Reference value” means Aptoria's compliance engine applies a conservative number for this rule, but nobody has yet tied it to a specific statute section on this page, so it must be checked before you rely on it.
This page meets Aptoria's evidence floor for publication (10 source-confirmed rules and 3 fetched official sources). Statutes change; local ordinances can be stricter; the facts of a tenancy change the result.