Iowa security deposit law: know your rights.
Understand the return, deduction and notice rules in Iowa. Check which conditions apply to your rental, then choose your next step.
Your deposit rights in Iowa
- Return timing
- Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (§ 562A.12(3)(a)) - the clock does not start until the address is provided.
- Accounting for deductions
- The written statement must show the specific reason for withholding and, for restoration charges, specify the nature of the damages; withholding is limited to unpaid rent, restoration beyond ordinary wear, and expenses of recovering possession from a bad-faith holdover.
- Deposit interest
- Interest earned during the first 5 years of the tenancy belongs to the landlord; earnings after that belong to the tenant (Iowa Code § 562A.12(2)).
Registry review: August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules, not an attorney review of your case.
Does this rule apply to your rental?
Check the type of tenancy, the lease and any local or housing-program rules before relying on the statewide summary.
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗What starts the return clock?
Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (§ 562A.12(3)(a)) - the clock does not start until the address is provided.
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗Check your return timing
Optional estimate from your move-out date. Read the start conditions above before treating that estimate as the return deadline. You can start the free analysis without completing this check.
Check what the landlord deducted
No receipts requirement, but in any deposit action it is the landlord who bears the burden of proving the reason for withholding by a preponderance (§ 562A.12(3)(b)).
Match each charge to the work alleged, the lease provision and the records supporting the amount. Keep refunds and charges you accept separate from those you dispute.
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗What could you recover?
Bad-faith retention subjects the landlord to punitive damages of up to two months' rent, in addition to actual damages (§ 562A.12(7)). A merely late return without bad faith yields forfeiture of the right to withhold, not punitives. Our calculator approximates the rent-based cap as one deposit on top of the refund.
Start with the unpaid amount you dispute. Any additional statutory recovery depends on the conditions in Iowa Code § 562A.12(7), including applicable notice requirements.
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗Put the rules to work
See how the rules fit your deposit dispute
Free analysis
Add the refund, charges and records. Review the deductions and possible remedies with an explanation tied to your facts.
Full case package $29-$49
Turn your case into a demand letter, organized exhibits and a next-step plan. Review the analysis before deciding to buy.
Your entered dates and deposit amount carry forward. Additional timing details are saved in case notes. The next step asks for the refund and charges so you can build on this check.
Choose your next step
Small-claims limit: $6,500. Filing: $115 statewide + service. The court guide explains the applicable limits and additional costs.
Questions about Iowa deposit rights
How long does a Iowa landlord have to return a security deposit?
Within 30 days from termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions (§ 562A.12(3)(a)) - the clock does not start until the address is provided.
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗See the timing rules →What happens if my landlord does not follow the deposit return rules in Iowa?
If no written statement arrives within 30 days of termination and receipt of the tenant's address, the landlord 'shall forfeit all rights to withhold any portion of the rental deposit' (§ 562A.12(4)). Keep proof of the dates, any refund, and the itemized statement.
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗Understand the possible recovery →What accounting should I ask for in Iowa?
The written statement must show the specific reason for withholding and, for restoration charges, specify the nature of the damages; withholding is limited to unpaid rent, restoration beyond ordinary wear, and expenses of recovering possession from a bad-faith holdover. No receipts requirement, but in any deposit action it is the landlord who bears the burden of proving the reason for withholding by a preponderance (§ 562A.12(3)(b)).
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗What should I check about deposit interest in Iowa?
Interest earned during the first 5 years of the tenancy belongs to the landlord; earnings after that belong to the tenant (Iowa Code § 562A.12(2)).
Iowa Code § 562A.12 ↗