Iowa · IA · updated 2026
In Iowa, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days
Quick answer
A Iowa landlord has 30 calendar days after the tenancy ends to return your deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. Miss it in bad faith and the landlord can end up owing you more than the deposit itself.
Under Iowa security deposit law, a Iowa landlord has 30 calendar days to return your security deposit, counted from when the tenancy ends. By statute, the deposit is capped at 2 months' rent. If the landlord misses the deadline or keeps money you are owed, you can push back in writing and, if needed, in small claims court.
- Return deadline
- 30 calendar days
- Deadline counted from
- the tenancy ends
- Itemized statement
- Required
- Move-in condition list
- Not required by statute
- Maximum deposit
- 2 months' rent
- Interest on deposit
- Not required
Calculate your exact Iowa deadline
Enter your move-out date to see the exact calendar date the deadline lands on. It runs on your device, so nothing you type is uploaded.
What a Iowa landlord can deduct
- Unpaid rent and unpaid utilities you owe under the lease
- Repair of damage beyond ordinary wear and tear (not normal aging, fading, or minor marks)
- An itemized written statement of every deduction (Iowa requires it, so ask for it in writing)
If the landlord withholds in bad faith
bad-faith retention subjects landlord to punitive damages up to 2x the monthly rent in addition to actual damages; failure to give the written statement within 30 days forfeits all right to withhold; court may award attorney's fees
How to get your deposit back in Iowa
- Document the unit's condition at move-out with dated photos of every room (a move-in / move-out checklist keeps it organized).
- Confirm your exact return deadline with the deadline calculator.
- If the deadline passes, send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed.
- If it is still ignored, you can file in small claims court.
Common Iowa deposit disputes
- The deadline passed and you have heard nothing
- Send a written demand letter citing the statute and the amount owed. Keep proof you sent it.
- You got money back but disagree with the deductions
- Iowa requires an itemized statement, so ask for it in writing first, then dispute anything charged as ordinary wear and tear.
- You are still deciding whether the case is worth it
- Confirm the exact deadline below, gather your dated move-out photos, and read the penalty your state allows before you commit.
Frequently asked
- How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in Iowa?
- In Iowa, a landlord must return a security deposit within 30 calendar days.
- How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in Iowa?
- Iowa caps the security deposit at 2 months' rent.
- Can my Iowa landlord keep my deposit for cleaning or normal wear?
- Deductions are generally limited to unpaid rent and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Iowa requires the landlord to give an itemized statement of deductions.
- Does a Iowa landlord have to pay interest on my deposit?
- No. Iowa does not require the landlord to pay interest on the security deposit.
- What if my Iowa landlord wrongfully keeps my deposit?
- bad-faith retention subjects landlord to punitive damages up to 2x the monthly rent in addition to actual damages; failure to give the written statement within 30 days forfeits all right to withhold; court may award attorney's fees
Return deposit or written statement of the specific reason for withholding within 30 days of the later of termination or receipt of tenant's mailing address (§ 562A.12(3)). Cap 2 months' rent. Interest in first 5 years belongs to landlord; none owed to tenant. No move-in checklist.