General info, not legal advice. Details

Iowa Deposit return deadline

Last reviewed 2026-10-23

How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Iowa?

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

How this works in Iowa

In Iowa, the 30-day clock needs two things to start: the tenancy has ended, and the tenant has given you a mailing address or delivery instructions. Within 30 days you either return the deposit or send a written statement giving the specific reason for anything you keep.

Worked example for Iowa

Say the tenancy ends on May 31, 2026 but the tenant emails a new mailing address on June 10, 2026. Both conditions are met on June 10, 2026, so the 30 days run to July 10, 2026. If you keep $175 for a broken window, the statement should say so specifically, not just give a total.

Iowa timelines and limits

DeadlineWithin 30 days after the tenancy ends and you receive the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions
If you withholdWritten statement of the specific reason for withholding

Iowa FAQ

How long does an Iowa landlord have to return a deposit?

30 days from the end of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions, under Iowa Code § 562A.12(3).

What do I send if I keep part of it?

A written statement showing the specific reason for withholding the deposit or any portion of it.

What if the tenant never gives an address?

The 30 days are measured from both the end of the tenancy and receipt of the address, so the rule ties the clock to getting it.

Sources for this section: Iowa Code § 562A.12(3) (checked 2026-10-23)

This is general information, not legal advice. The verified rule and official sources above control. Check the source or a local attorney for your situation.

Related Iowa rules

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

Interest on deposits

Deposits must be held in a federally insured bank, savings and loan or credit union, separate from the landlord's own funds. Any interest earned during the first five years of a tenancy belongs to the landlord.

Verified Source: Iowa Code § 562A.12(2) · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Iowa interest on deposits page

Move-in/move-out checklist

Iowa's Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (ch. 562A, reviewed by full-text search on 2026-10-15) requires no move-in or move-out inspection or checklist.

Verified Source: Iowa Code ch. 562A · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Iowa move-in/move-out checklist page

Abandoned property

No state statute setting a procedure for belongings a tenant leaves behind was found in Iowa Code chapter 562A. Section 562A.29(3) covers abandonment of the unit itself (re-renting and ending the lease).

Verified Source: Iowa Code ch. 562A, § 562A.29(3); ch. 555B · last checked 2026-10-23 · Full Iowa abandoned property page

Same topic in neighboring states

All Iowa landlord-tenant law · Iowa landlord FAQ · Security deposit limit · Notice to enter · Required lease disclosures · Required disclosures (mold, lead, radon, bedbug, asbestos, flood zone) · Move-in checklist

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