Des Moines, IA local landlord rules
State law also applies. See Iowa landlord-tenant law and the Iowa landlord FAQ. State rules: Security deposit limit · Deposit return deadline · Notice to enter · Late fees · Eviction notice (nonpayment) · Rent increase notice.
Quick facts
| Topic | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Rental licensing / registration | Yes. No owner may rent a dwelling or rooming unit without a valid rental business license for the property. Rental structures and premises are inspected after an application is submitted and before the license is issued. Owners who live outside Polk County or its neighboring counties must name a local agent. |
Details & sources
Rental licensing / registration
Yes. No owner may rent a dwelling or rooming unit without a valid rental business license for the property. Rental structures and premises are inspected after an application is submitted and before the license is issued. Owners who live outside Polk County or its neighboring counties must name a local agent.
Verified Source: Des Moines Mun. Code ch. 60, §§ 60-30, 60-31, 60-33 (Browser transcription) · last checked 2026-10-15
Back to quick facts ↑Research coverage
0 of 13 topics checked at the local level (state law is covered on the state page). A topic counts as checked only when every subtopic in it is checked or no additional requirement was found after a recorded full read. How coverage works.
| Topic | Status | Subtopics done |
|---|---|---|
| Deposits | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Deposit return deadlines | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Rent increases and rent control | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Late fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Landlord entry | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Repairs and habitability | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Screening and application fees | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Fair housing and assistance animals | Not researched | 0 of 1 |
| Disclosures | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
| Renewal and termination | Not researched | None tracked at this level |
| Eviction | Not researched | 0 of 3 |
| Registration and licensing | Partially researched | 1 of 3 |
| Short-term rentals | Not researched | 0 of 2 |
Also applies statewide
Iowa rules that also apply in Des Moines:
- Security deposit limit
- Under Iowa Code § 562A.12(1), a landlord shall not demand or receive as a security deposit an amount or value in excess of two months' rent. Other subsections of § 562A.12 address how rental deposits must be held, return timing and itemization, transfer of the landlord's interest, and damages for bad-faith retention; those rules are not fully restated here. Example: if monthly rent is $1,200, the landlord may not demand a security deposit of more than $2,400. Verified Source: Iowa Code § 562A.12(1) · last checked 2026-11-12 · Full Iowa security deposit limit page
- Deposit return deadline
- Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant gives a mailing address: return the deposit or give a written statement of specific reasons for withholding. Verified Source: Iowa Code § 562A.12(3) · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Iowa deposit return deadline page
- Notice to enter
- At least 24 hours' notice, and entry only at reasonable times (except emergencies). Verified Source: Iowa Code § 562A.19(3) · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Iowa notice to enter page
- Late fees
- Rent up to $700/month: late fee capped at $12/day and $60/month. Rent over $700: $20/day and $100/month. Verified Source: Iowa Code § 562A.9(4) · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Iowa late fees page
Other Iowa cities
- Ames landlord rules
- Cedar Falls landlord rules
- Cedar Rapids landlord rules
- Fort Dodge landlord rules
- Iowa City landlord rules
- Oskaloosa landlord rules
Back to Iowa landlord-tenant law
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