Iowa
Are Autopsy Reports Public in Iowa? (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited June 14, 2026). · 5 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Iowa autopsy reports are not open to the general public. Under Iowa Code 22.7(41), a full autopsy or toxicology report is released only to the deceased person's legal next of kin, who must submit a written, notarized request. The public can obtain the cause and manner of death, but not the complete report, and disclosure can be withheld while an investigation is open.
Are Autopsy Reports Public in Iowa?
No. Iowa autopsy reports are not public records. The complete autopsy report and any toxicology findings are confidential under Iowa Code 22.7(41) and are released only to the legal next of kin of the deceased.
The general public cannot request a copy of someone's autopsy report in Iowa. What is public is the basic conclusion: the cause of death and the manner of death (for example, natural, accident, suicide, or homicide).
Even that limited information can be withheld if disclosing it would jeopardize an active investigation or pose a clear and present danger to public safety or to an individual. This restriction protects families and ongoing criminal cases.
Who Performs Autopsies in Iowa?
Iowa uses a county medical examiner system rather than an elected coroner system. Each county has one or more appointed medical examiners, who are physicians responsible for investigating reportable deaths within that county.
When a county medical examiner needs a full forensic autopsy, the case is referred to the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner (IOSME). The state office performs forensic autopsies and provides investigative services at the request of county medical examiners and county attorneys.
An autopsy is not performed for every death. Iowa law directs the medical examiner to investigate deaths that are sudden, violent, unexpected, or that occur outside the presence of a physician. The county medical examiner decides at the scene whether an autopsy is necessary to determine the cause and manner of death.
Because results take time, the final autopsy report is often not complete until roughly 60 to 90 days after the death, even though the body is usually released to the family much sooner.
Who Can Request an Iowa Autopsy Report?
Only the legal next of kin may obtain a full Iowa autopsy report. Iowa law sets a hierarchy of who qualifies, generally in this order: spouse, adult children, parents, grandchildren, siblings, and grandparents, followed by other relatives.
The decedent's immediate next of kin have conditional access. The report must be released on request unless disclosure would jeopardize an investigation or endanger the public or an individual.
Other parties, such as an insurance company or a private attorney, do not have direct access. They must submit their request on letterhead together with a release of information signed by the legal next of kin. This keeps the report treated as a confidential medical record.
How to Get an Autopsy or Toxicology Report in Iowa
To get an Iowa autopsy report, the legal next of kin submits a written, notarized request to the office that handled the death investigation. There is no charge for the report when it is released to next of kin.
Use the family request form from the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner if the state office performed the autopsy, or contact the relevant county medical examiner's office if the case was handled locally. The request should include the requestor's full name, relationship to the deceased, and contact information.
The request must be notarized to confirm your identity and your standing as next of kin. Because the autopsy and toxicology testing can take time, expect the finalized report 60 to 90 days after death in many cases.
If the death is part of an open investigation, the office may place the report on hold. In that situation, the report is released after the investigation closes, so long as disclosure no longer threatens the case or public safety.
To learn more about the broader rules on access, see Are Autopsies Public Records?.
Autopsy Report vs Death Certificate in Iowa
An Iowa autopsy report is not the same as a death certificate. The two documents serve different purposes and follow different access rules.
A death certificate is an official vital record that lists identifying details and a short cause-of-death line. It is used to settle estates, claim benefits, and close accounts, and certified copies cost $15.00 each in Iowa.
An autopsy report is the detailed medical findings behind that cause-of-death line, including internal examination notes and toxicology results. It is confidential and limited to next of kin, while the death certificate is more widely available to those with a documented need.
For ordering certified death certificates and the cause-of-death line, see Iowa Death Records and the hub Death Records by State.
| Item | Iowa |
|---|---|
| Autopsy report public? | No, confidential under Iowa Code 22.7(41) |
| Who can request | Legal next of kin (with notarized request) |
| Death investigation system | County medical examiner; IOSME for forensic autopsies |
| Where to request | County medical examiner or IOSME |
| Fee for next of kin | No charge |
| Pending case | May be withheld until investigation closes |
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Iowa public records and death investigation practices and is not legal advice. Rules and procedures can change. Verify current requirements with the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner or the county medical examiner before requesting a report.
Sources
This page draws on the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner, the Iowa Attorney General's public records guidance, and the Iowa Code (chapters 22 and 691).
Frequently Asked Questions
Are autopsy reports public record in Iowa?
No. Iowa autopsy reports are confidential under Iowa Code 22.7(41) and are not public records. The full report is released only to the legal next of kin, though the cause and manner of death are public.
How do I get an autopsy report in Iowa?
The legal next of kin submits a written, notarized request to the office that handled the death investigation, either the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner or the relevant county medical examiner. Include your name, relationship to the deceased, and contact information.
Who can request an autopsy report in Iowa?
Only the legal next of kin may request the full report, generally in this order: spouse, adult children, parents, grandchildren, siblings, and grandparents. Others, such as insurers or attorneys, need a signed release from the next of kin.
How much does an Iowa autopsy report cost?
There is no charge for an autopsy report released to the legal next of kin in Iowa. By comparison, a certified Iowa death certificate costs $15.00 per copy.
Can I get an autopsy report while the case is open?
Not always. The office can place a report on hold if release would jeopardize an active investigation or endanger public safety. Once the case closes, the report is generally released to next of kin.
Is an autopsy report the same as a death certificate?
No. A death certificate is a vital record with a short cause-of-death line, while an autopsy report contains the detailed medical and toxicology findings. The death certificate is more widely available; the autopsy report is limited to next of kin.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Iowa Code, Chapter 22: EXAMINATION OF PUBLIC RECORDS
§ 22.7Confidential records.In forcecited in 9 of our articles
The following public records shall be kept confidential, unless otherwise ordered by a court, by the lawful custodian of the records, or by another person duly authorized to release such information: 1. Personal information in records regarding a student, prospective student, or former student maintained, created, collected or assembled by or for a school corporation or educational institution maintaining such records. This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit a postsecondary education institution from disclosing to a parent or guardian information regarding a violation of a federal, state, or local law, or institutional rule or policy governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the child is under the age of twenty-one years and the institution determines that the student committed a disciplinary violation with respect to the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance regardless of whether that information is contained in the student’s education records.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-03 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at legis.iowa.gov
Cited in 72 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Iowa courts have marked the limits of section 22.7. Marcus v. Young (1995) held it creates no private cause of action for negligently releasing student records; Burton v. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (1997) held its exemption list is not the only source of confidentiality, so another statute can still permit withholding.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Marcus v. Young (Supreme Court of Iowa 1995, 538 N.W.2d 285)✓A former medical student sued after the University of Iowa released his academic records under a subpoena; the court held section 22.7 creates no private cause of action for negligent release, leaving the chapter 22 injunction as the remedy.
- Burton v. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (Supreme Court of Iowa 1997, 566 N.W.2d 182)✓A requester sought a state hospital's hospital-acquired infection summaries; the court held section 135.41 gave the hospital discretion to withhold them notwithstanding chapter 22, so the section 22.7 exemption list is not the only source of confidentiality.
- Des Moines Register & Tribune Co. v. Dwyer (Supreme Court of Iowa 1996, 542 N.W.2d 491)“…hered in investigations of General Assembly members. See Iowa Code § 22.7 (30). The legislature thereby acknowled…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Iowa Recording Laws (2026): One-Party Consent Rules, Iowa License Plate Reader Laws (2026), Iowa Court Records: How to Search Iowa Courts Online and How Expungement Works
Explore the law
This article also draws on these acts and chapters (opening at their first section): Iowa Code, Chapter 691: STATE CRIMINALISTICS LABORATORY AND MEDICAL EXAMINER § 691.1 (Laboratory created.)
Related law for further reading — not part of this article’s citations.
Sources and References
- Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner - FAQs(iosme.iowa.gov).gov
- Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner - Family Request for Autopsy Report(iosme.iowa.gov).gov
- Iowa Attorney General - Public Access to Autopsy Reports (Sunshine Advisory)(iowaattorneygeneral.gov).gov
- Iowa Code Chapter 691 - State Criminalistics Laboratory and Medical Examiner(legis.iowa.gov).gov
- Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 641-127 - County Medical Examiners(legis.iowa.gov).gov