IOWA FIELD FILE

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can they search my cardo I have to show IDlandlord kept my depositcan I record the policewhat happens if I refuse a breathalyzer

Start with a situation

• Traffic stopsGetting pulled over, documents, searches, and what happens roadside.→
• Being stoppedOn foot, on the street, and what you owe an officer who stops you.→
• Marijuana and drugsWhat the state legalized, what it did not, and where state and federal law disagree.→
• Impaired drivingImpaired driving stops, field tests, breath and blood tests, and implied consent.→
• Court and moneyDebt, eviction, work, family and records. The side of the system with no officer in it.→
• Your homeRenting and the landlord, and when the police may come inside.→
• RecordingFilming police, recording calls, and whose consent the law requires.→
• Carrying a firearmCarry rules, the duty to disclose, where guns are barred, and self defense.→
• Charges and penaltiesHow offenses are graded, jail ranges, fines, and repeat offense steps.→
• How you carry yourselfSilence, counsel, complying now and contesting later.→

New in Iowa

• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Stop After the ReceptionA drift over the center line after a wedding, a screening test, a chemical test, a form with a deadline, and the drive to work.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8Errands with a PistolA holstered pistol on a Saturday, a school pickup, drinks at dinner, and a visiting niece that night.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Winter ShutoffA disconnection notice in November, energy assistance, a deployed spouse, and a complaint that does not settle.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Fourth of JulyFireworks in the backyard, an empty lot next door, a city ordinance, and a teenager with cash.

All 10 new in Iowa ↓

Someone asked

“How long does a landlord in Iowa have to return a deposit?”

Getting the Deposit Back

A landlord who misses the 30 days forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit. A tenant who gives no mailing address or delivery instructions within one year forfeits the deposit.

• Iowa Code § 562A.12StatuteRental depositsOpens legis.iowa.gov ↗

Read the whole section →

Legal information, not legal advice. Every block on this site carries the source it rests on.

Walk it through

55 situations taken one decision at a time, with what the law asks of each side written out at every step. Each opens on its own page.

Traffic stops6Being stopped3Marijuana and drugs2Impaired driving1Court and money23Your home9Recording1Carrying a firearm2Charges and penalties3How you carry yourself5

• The Stop on the InterstateLights and a siren after dark, a passenger told to step out, insurance on a phone, and a question about the trunk.4 steps →
• The Phone on the CommuteA text on the highway, a slow car in the left lane, a bunched up work zone, and an exit across a lane.4 steps →
• The Crash on a County RoadA pickup clips a car at a stop sign, the other driver wants to leave, a passenger hurts, and a deputy arrives.4 steps →
• The Learner at the WheelA permit with a parent's signature, a little brother in the back, a car seat, and a phone that buzzes.4 steps →
• The School Bus MorningAmber lights, a stop arm, a child darting into the road, a four way stop, and an ambulance behind.4 steps →
• The Lights on the ShoulderA trooper on the shoulder, a tow truck after it, a work zone at night, and an oncoming car with its brights on.4 steps →

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About this guide — education built from the Iowa Code as the Iowa Legislature publishes it, not a law degree in a webpage. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney or a legal aid office. Current as of October 2026.

This guide covers common situations in real Iowa encounters. Not the whole body of law, not a replacement for a lawyer.