Iowa Laws
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Are Autopsy Reports Public in Iowa? (2026)
Iowa autopsy reports are not public records. They are released only to the legal next of kin by notarized request, at no charge. Here is how to get one.
Are Brass Knuckles Legal in Iowa? (2026 Dangerous Weapon Rules)
Iowa's code never names brass knuckles, but the Iowa Supreme Court held they are designed to injure. Carry, intoxication, school and jail rules explained.
Are Magic Mushrooms Legal in Iowa? Psilocybin Laws (2026)
Psilocybin is Schedule I in Iowa: possession is a serious misdemeanor for a first offense and delivery a class C felony. A 2025 FDA-trigger bill was vetoed.
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Bankruptcy in Iowa (2026): Exemptions & Means Test
Iowa bankruptcy: opted out of federal exemptions, an unlimited homestead under Iowa Code 561 (acreage limits), the $7,000 vehicle exemption, and the means test.
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Common Law Marriage in Iowa: Is It Recognized? (2026)
Iowa recognizes common law marriage. Requirements under In re Marriage of Winegard (Iowa 1979): present intent, continuous cohabitation, and public holding out as spouses. No minimum years required.
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How Long Is a Life Sentence in Iowa? (2026 Guide)
Complete guide to life sentences in Iowa: parole eligibility, LWOP rules, notable cases, recent legislative changes, and sentencing statutes. Updated March 2026.
How to Find a Cause of Death in Iowa (2026 Guide)
How to find someone's cause of death in Iowa: where it is recorded, whether it is public, who can get it, and the medical examiner's role in unexplained deaths.
How to Get an Iowa Death Certificate (2026)
Get an Iowa death certificate from the state Bureau of Health Statistics or a county recorder for $15.00 per certified copy. See who is eligible, the methods, and timing.
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ICDPA Compliance Checklist for Businesses (Iowa)
A practical Iowa Code 715D compliance checklist: thresholds, privacy notice, sale opt-out, processor contracts, the 90-day cure, and $7,500 penalties.
ICDPA Consumer Rights: What Iowans Can and Cannot Do
Under Iowa Code 715D.3, Iowans can access, delete, port, and opt out of data sales. There is no right to correct, targeted-ad opt-out, or profiling opt-out.
Iowa Adoption Records: The 2021 Reform and the Original Birth Certificate
Iowa's 2021 reform (HF855) lets adult adoptees obtain their original birth certificate directly since January 2022, regardless of contact-preference filings.
Iowa Age of Consent Laws: Statutes, Penalties and Reporting
How Iowa criminal law protects minors under 14, at 14 to 15 and under 18: sexual abuse, authority and grooming offenses, penalties and reporting.
Iowa Age Verification Law: HF 864 Requirements Explained
Iowa's HF 864 requires age verification for adult content starting July 1, 2026, enforced exclusively by the Attorney General. Requirements explained.
Iowa AI Laws and Regulation (2026)
Guide to Iowa AI laws, regulation, and legislation covering deepfakes, employment AI, healthcare AI, and more.
Iowa AI Meeting Recording Laws (2026)
Learn how Iowa consent laws apply to AI meeting recorders. One-party consent rules, penalties, and compliance.
Iowa Annulment Laws: Grounds, Void Marriages and How to File (2026)
Iowa Code 598.29 lists four causes for annulling a marriage, and 595.19 makes some marriages void. See how to file and what happens to property and children.
Iowa Assault Laws: Simple vs Aggravated Assault and Penalties
Iowa has no battery crime: Iowa Code 708.1 defines assault and 708.2 grades it from simple misdemeanor to felony. See protected victims and penalty ranges.
Iowa At-Will Employment Laws: Exceptions and Your Rights
Iowa is an at-will state with public-policy and implied-contract exceptions. Learn what protects Iowa employees from wrongful termination and what at-will means.
Iowa Audio Recording Laws: One-Party Consent Rules and Penalties (2026)
Iowa audio recording laws allow one-party consent under Iowa Code 808B.2. Learn when you can legally record conversations, penalties for violations, and court admissibility rules.
Iowa Background Check Laws (2026 Guide)
Iowa background check laws explained: Ban the Box rules, FCRA lookback periods, expungement options, employer and housing screening, and licensing checks.
Iowa Biometric Privacy Laws: Collection, Consent & Penalties (2026)
Iowa classifies biometric data as sensitive under the ICDPA (effective Jan 2025). Learn about opt-out requirements, breach notification rules, and penalties.
Iowa Birth Certificate: How to Order, Fees and Same-Day Options
Iowa HHS charges $20 per certified birth certificate. How to order in Des Moines, from a county recorder, by mail or online, and who is entitled to a copy.
Iowa Car Accident Laws: Fault, Insurance, and Your Claim
Iowa is an at-fault state with modified comparative fault (51% bar). Learn Iowa's minimum insurance limits, 2-year statute of limitations, and UM/UIM rules.
Iowa Car Seat Laws (2026): Age, Weight & Penalty Rules
Iowa requires rear-facing seats only under 1 AND under 20 lbs, then a restraint system through age 5. See 2026 penalties, exemptions, and the full rules.
Iowa Child Custody Laws (2026): Physical Care, Best Interests, and Your Rights
Iowa decides custody by the best interests of the child, using 'physical care.' Joint physical care is a request-based option, not a presumption, when joint legal custody is awarded.
Iowa Child Support Laws (2026): Guidelines & Calculator
Iowa uses the income shares model. Updated 2026 guidelines raised amounts 8-12%. Learn how support is calculated, modified, and enforced in Iowa.
Iowa Court Records: How to Search Iowa Courts Online and How Expungement Works
Iowa searches court records through the statewide Iowa Courts Online system. Learn how it works, what's public, and how expungement works.
Iowa Dashcam Laws: Recording Rules, Windshield Mounting, and Legal Limits (2026)
Iowa dashcam laws allow video and audio recording under one-party consent (Iowa Code 808B.2). Learn windshield rules, evidence use, and the separate eavesdropping statute.
Iowa Data Breach Notification Laws: Reporting Rules & Timelines (2026)
Iowa requires breach notification in the most expedient time possible under Code 715C. Learn about biometric data coverage, AG reporting rules, and penalties.
Iowa Data Privacy Laws: ICDPA Consumer Rights Guide (2026)
Iowa's ICDPA grants consumers access, deletion, portability, and opt-out rights under Iowa Code Ch. 715D. Learn thresholds, the 90-day cure period, penalties up to $7,500, and breach notification rules.
Iowa Death Records: Are They Public + How to Get Them
Iowa runs a two-track death-records system. County records are open to the public under chapter 22; certified state copies require entitlement. Fees and how to order.
Iowa Debt Collection Laws: Garnishment Limits, the Right to Cure, and Debt Deadlines
Iowa caps wage garnishment two ways and gives consumer borrowers a 20-day right to cure before repossession. Debt deadlines and bank exemptions explained.
Iowa Deepfake Laws: AI Images, Voice Cloning & Penalties (2026)
Iowa criminalized intimate deepfakes effective July 1, 2024. Iowa Code § 708.7 covers synthetic intimate images of adults and § 728.12 covers AI images of minors. Federal TAKE IT DOWN Act adds more.
Iowa Defamation Laws: Libel, Slander & Suing (2026)
Iowa defamation laws explained: a 2-year statute of limitations (Iowa Code 614.1(2)), the new 2025 UPEPA anti-SLAPP law, retraction rules, and how to sue.
Iowa Divorce Laws (2026): Grounds, Residency, and Process
Iowa divorce guide: the no-fault breakdown ground, 90-day waiting period, equitable distribution of property, and step-by-step filing process.
Iowa Dog Bite Laws: Liability and Victim Rights
Learn Iowa dog bite laws under Iowa Code § 351.28, including strict liability rules, the 2-year statute of limitations, comparative fault, and victim rights.
Iowa Drone Laws: Homestead, Farmstead & Warrant Rules
Iowa Code chapter 715E bars drone intrusion and surveillance over homes and farms. See warrant rules under section 808.15, penalties, and injunctions.
Iowa E-Scooter Laws: Sidewalk, Helmet & Age Rules (2026)
Iowa has no dedicated electric scooter statute. Iowa Code 321.1(51A) classifies a standing kick scooter under 750 watts as a pedestrian conveyance, so riders generally follow pedestrian rules.
Iowa Easements and Eminent Domain: Prescriptive Rights and Takings
Iowa prescriptive easements take 10 years plus express notice to the owner (Iowa Code 564.1). How Iowa limits eminent domain, appeals and attorney fees.
Iowa Emancipation Laws: How to Get Emancipated in Iowa (2026)
Iowa minors 16 and older may petition a juvenile court for emancipation under Iowa Code Chapter 232C. Learn the age requirement, what to prove, the clear and convincing evidence standard, and the rights an order grants.
Iowa Employee Monitoring Laws (2026): Workplace Surveillance Rights
Iowa has no electronic-monitoring notice law or social-media-password statute. See how GPS tracking, hidden cameras, and federal law apply at work.
Iowa Expungement Laws: Iowa Code § 901C Explained (2026)
Iowa allows expungement of one misdemeanor conviction under Iowa Code § 901C.3 after an 8-year wait. Learn eligibility rules, excluded offenses including OWI, and how to apply.
Iowa Felony Classes and Misdemeanor Penalties (2026)
Iowa sorts crimes into class A to D felonies and aggravated, serious and simple misdemeanors. See each class sentence, fine, habitual offender rule and probation term.
Iowa Final Paycheck Laws: Deadline, Penalties, Deductions
Iowa requires final wages by your next regular payday, backed by liquidated damages, a state civil penalty, and strict deduction limits.
Iowa Fireworks Laws (2026): Dates, Age, Penalties
Iowa consumer fireworks: use June 1-July 8 and Dec 10-Jan 3, 9am-10pm (extended July 4/New Year's). Buy/sell age 18+. Seller licensing, local option, penalties.
Iowa GPS Tracking Laws: Is It Legal to Put a Tracker on a Car? (2026)
Iowa Code 708.11A makes unauthorized GPS tracking a serious misdemeanor, and stalking with a GPS is a class C felony. Penalties, exceptions, and what to do.
Iowa Grandparents' Rights: The Rebuttable Presumption Under §600C.1
Iowa grandparent visitation applies only after a parent's death, and requires clear and convincing evidence to overcome a presumption favoring the parent.
Iowa Guardianship Laws: Adults, Minors and Conservators (2026)
How Iowa guardianship works: chapter 633 for adults, chapter 232D juvenile court for minors, clear and convincing proof, when counsel is appointed, standby petitions.
Iowa Hit and Run Laws: Penalties and What to Do
Learn Iowa hit and run laws, penalties from misdemeanor to Class C felony, driver duties after a crash, reporting deadlines, and insurance options.
Iowa Homestead Exemption: 2026 Amount, Deadline and How to Apply
Iowa's homestead exemption is 10% of taxable value ($5,500 to $20,000) from 2026. File Form 54-028 with your assessor by July 1; no yearly refiling.
Iowa Identity Theft Laws
Iowa Code 715A.8 tiers identity theft by dollar value. See the Identity Theft Passport Program, the minor freeze law, and the civil damages right.
Iowa Jury Duty Laws: Pay, Excuses and Employer Rules
Iowa jurors get $30 a day ($50 after day seven), there is no age-out, and employers cannot fire you for serving. See excuses, postponements and penalties.
Iowa Knife Laws (2026): Carry, Intent, and Blade Rules
Iowa allows carrying most knives, open or concealed, and preempts local knife ordinances statewide. Learn when carrying becomes a crime and the ballistic-knife ban.
Iowa Landlord-Tenant Laws (2026): Deposits, Notice, and Tenant Rights
Iowa security deposit cap is 2 months' rent, returned in 30 days. Learn notice-to-enter, late-fee limits, repair-and-deduct, and tenant rights under Iowa Code 562A.
Iowa Landlord-Tenant Recording Laws: Surveillance and Privacy Rights (2026)
Iowa landlord-tenant recording laws cover tenant recording rights, landlord surveillance limits, and security camera rules. Learn what Iowa Code 808B.2 and 727.8 mean for renters.
Iowa Laws on Recording in Public: First Amendment Rights and Limits (2026)
Iowa public recording laws protect your right to film in public spaces under the First Amendment. Learn about public filming rights, restrictions, protest recording, and government meetings.
Iowa Laws on Recording Police: Your Rights and Legal Limits (2026)
Iowa law protects your right to record police officers in public. Learn your First Amendment rights, what officers can and cannot do, and how to handle police encounters legally.
Iowa Lemon Law (2026): How to Qualify and Get a Refund
Iowa lemon law (Code Ch. 322G) covers new vehicles under 15,000 lbs. Learn the 3-repair-attempt threshold, 24,000-mile rights period, and your unconditional right to choose a refund.
Iowa License Plate Reader Laws (2026)
Iowa Code 321P.4 requires plate reader operators to delete captured images within 30 days; we found no other ALPR statute in the chapters checked.
Iowa Manslaughter Laws: Voluntary, Involuntary and Vehicular (2026)
Iowa voluntary manslaughter is a class C felony (up to 10 years). See involuntary manslaughter grades and homicide by vehicle, a class B felony when intoxicated.