Iowa Statute of Limitations: Filing Deadlines by Case Type

Understanding the statute of limitations in Iowa is essential for anyone considering legal action. These deadlines determine how long you have to file a lawsuit or bring criminal charges. Missing a deadline can permanently bar your claim, no matter how strong the evidence.

This guide covers every major category of Iowa's civil and criminal statutes of limitations, with references to the specific Iowa Code sections that apply.

Iowa Civil Statute of Limitations

Iowa's civil statute of limitations sets firm deadlines for filing lawsuits. These time limits are found primarily in Iowa Code Chapter 614. Once the deadline passes, the defendant can ask the court to dismiss the case, and the court will almost certainly grant that request.

The clock typically starts on the date the injury or harm occurs. In some cases, Iowa applies the "discovery rule," which delays the start date until the injured party knew or should have known about the harm.

Civil Filing Deadlines by Case Type

Case Type	Time Limit	Iowa Code Section
Personal Injury	2 years	614.1(2)
Wrongful Death	2 years from date of death	614.1(2)
Libel / Slander (Defamation)	2 years	614.1(2)
Medical Malpractice	2 years from discovery; 6-year maximum from the act	614.1(9)
Wages or Failure to Pay Wages	2 years	614.1(8)
Fraud	5 years	614.1(4)
Injury to Personal Property	5 years	614.1(4)
Trespass	5 years	614.1(4)
Oral Contracts	5 years	614.1(4)
Written Contracts	10 years	614.1(5)
Collection of Debt on Written Agreement	10 years	614.1(5)
Judgments (Court Not of Record)	10 years	614.1(5)
Product Liability	15 years from date of purchase or installation	614.1(2A)
Improvements to Real Property	15 years	614.1(11)
Judgments (Court of Record)	20 years	614.1(6)
Child Support / Spousal Support Judgments	No limit	614.1(6)
Penalties or Forfeitures Under Ordinance	1 year	614.1(1)
Against Sheriff or Public Officer	3 years after collection	614.1(3)

Personal Injury (2 Years)

If you suffer a physical injury due to someone else's negligence in Iowa, you have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. This deadline applies to car accidents, slip-and-fall injuries, dog bites, and other situations where another party's actions cause you harm.

The two-year clock starts on the date of the incident, not the date you hire an attorney or decide to pursue the claim. Iowa Code section 614.1(2) controls this deadline.

Medical Malpractice (2 Years from Discovery, 6-Year Cap)

Medical malpractice claims in Iowa follow a modified discovery rule. You have two years from the date you knew or reasonably should have known about the injury caused by a healthcare provider's error. However, no claim can be filed more than six years after the date the malpractice occurred, regardless of when you discovered it.

There is one exception to the six-year cap: if a foreign object was unintentionally left inside a patient's body, the six-year outer limit does not apply. The patient still has the standard two-year window from the date they discover the foreign object. This is governed by Iowa Code section 614.1(9).

Wrongful Death (2 Years from Death)

A wrongful death action must be filed within two years of the date of death, not the date of the injury that eventually caused the death. The personal representative of the deceased person's estate is typically the one who files this claim under Iowa Code section 633.336.

Property Damage and Fraud (5 Years)

Claims based on damage to personal or real property, fraud, trespass, and unwritten (oral) contracts must be filed within five years under Iowa Code section 614.1(4). This five-year period covers a broad range of disputes, including vehicle damage, property destruction, and deceptive business practices.

Contracts (5 or 10 Years)

The deadline depends on whether the contract was written or oral:

• Written contracts: 10 years under Iowa Code section 614.1(5)
• Oral contracts: 5 years under Iowa Code section 614.1(4)

This distinction makes it important to put agreements in writing. A written contract gives the injured party significantly more time to pursue legal action.

Product Liability (15 Years)

Iowa imposes a 15-year statute of repose for product liability claims, measured from the date of purchase, lease, or installation. Even if you discover a defect years later, you cannot file a claim more than 15 years after the product was first acquired. This limit is found in Iowa Code section 614.1(2A).

Judgments (10 or 20 Years)

If you have a court judgment, you can enforce it for 20 years if it was entered by a court of record, or 10 years for a court not of record. Judgments for child support, spousal support, or distribution of marital assets have no time limit for enforcement under Iowa Code section 614.1(6).

Tolling and Exceptions in Iowa

Iowa law provides several situations where the statute of limitations clock may be paused (tolled) or extended.

Minors and Persons with Mental Illness

Under Iowa Code section 614.8, if the injured party is a minor (under 18) or has a mental illness at the time the cause of action accrues, the statute of limitations is extended. The person has one year after the disability ends (turning 18 or regaining capacity) to file their claim.

Nonresident Defendants

Under Iowa Code section 614.6, if the defendant leaves the state of Iowa after the cause of action arises, the time spent outside Iowa generally does not count toward the limitations period. This prevents defendants from running out the clock by relocating.

Discovery Rule

For certain claims, including medical malpractice and some fraud cases, the statute of limitations does not begin until the plaintiff discovers the injury or reasonably should have discovered it. This protects individuals who could not have known about the harm at the time it occurred.

Iowa Criminal Statute of Limitations

Iowa's criminal statute of limitations determines how long prosecutors have to file charges after a crime is committed. These deadlines are found in Iowa Code Chapter 802.

Criminal Filing Deadlines by Offense

Offense Type	Time Limit	Iowa Code Section
Murder (1st and 2nd Degree)	No limit	802.1
Sexual Abuse (1st, 2nd, 3rd Degree) Against a Minor	No limit	802.2 (as amended by SF 562, 2021)
Other Sexual Offenses Against a Minor	No limit	802.2B (as amended by SF 562, 2021)
Sexual Abuse (1st, 2nd, 3rd Degree) Against an Adult	10 years	802.2A
Kidnapping of a Minor	10 years after victim turns 18	802.2C
Human Trafficking of a Minor	10 years after victim turns 18	802.2D
Incest with a Minor	No limit	802.2 (as amended by SF 562, 2021)
Sexual Exploitation by Counselor/Therapist of a Minor	No limit	802.2 (as amended by SF 562, 2021)
Other Felonies	3 years	802.3
Aggravated Misdemeanors	3 years	802.3
Serious Misdemeanors	3 years	802.3
Simple Misdemeanors	1 year	802.4
Violation of Municipal/County Ordinance	1 year	802.4
Fraud or Breach of Fiduciary Duty	3 years, plus 1-year extension after discovery (5-year max extension)	802.5

Murder (No Time Limit)

Iowa has no statute of limitations for first-degree or second-degree murder. Prosecutors can bring charges at any time, regardless of how many years have passed since the killing occurred. This is governed by Iowa Code section 802.1.

Sexual Abuse of a Minor (No Time Limit)

In 2021, Governor Kim Reynolds signed Senate File 562 into law, making Iowa the 14th state to eliminate the criminal statute of limitations for sexual abuse of minors. Before SF 562, victims had until age 33 (15 years after turning 18) to see criminal charges filed.

Under the current law, there is no time limit to prosecute first-, second-, or third-degree sexual abuse committed against a person under 18. The law also removed the deadline for incest with a minor, sexual exploitation of a minor by a counselor or therapist, and sexual exploitation by an adult providing training or instruction.

Sexual Abuse of an Adult (10 Years)

For sexual abuse committed against an adult victim, the statute of limitations is 10 years from the date of the offense under Iowa Code section 802.2A.

Felonies, Aggravated and Serious Misdemeanors (3 Years)

Most felonies, aggravated misdemeanors, and serious misdemeanors must be charged within three years of the date the crime was committed. This three-year window is set by Iowa Code section 802.3.

Common examples of offenses in this category include theft, burglary, assault causing injury, and drug offenses.

Simple Misdemeanors (1 Year)

A prosecution for a simple misdemeanor or a violation of a municipal or county ordinance must begin within one year of the offense under Iowa Code section 802.4.

Fraud Extension

If the standard limitations period has expired, prosecutors may still bring charges for any offense that includes fraud or breach of fiduciary duty as a material element. The state has one year after discovery of the crime to file charges, with a maximum extension of five years beyond the original deadline. This provision is found in Iowa Code section 802.5.

Tolling for Criminal Cases

Under Iowa Code section 802.6, the criminal statute of limitations does not run during any period when the accused is not a public resident of the state. If a suspect flees Iowa or moves out of state, the clock pauses until they return.

DNA Evidence Exception

For sexual abuse, kidnapping, human trafficking, and certain other offenses, if the suspect is identified through DNA profiling, charges may be filed within three years of the DNA identification, even if the standard limitations period has expired. This is governed by Iowa Code section 802.10.

More Iowa Laws

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• Iowa Lemon Laws
• Iowa Dog Bite Laws
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• Iowa Sexting Laws
• Iowa Whistleblower Laws
• Iowa Child Support Laws