Getting the Deposit Back
Iowa Code § 562A.12 — the deposit or a written statement within 30 days of the tenancy ending and a mailing address
- A landlord may not demand a security deposit of more than two months' rent, and holds it in an insured bank, savings and loan or credit union account, apart from personal funds.
- Within 30 days from the end of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant's mailing address, the landlord returns the deposit or a written statement of the specific reasons for keeping any of it.
- It may be kept only for unpaid rent, for restoring the unit to its condition at the start apart from ordinary wear and tear, and for costs of a bad faith holdover.
- In a dispute, the landlord bears the burden of proving the reason for keeping it.
Give a mailing address. 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.
Keeping a deposit in bad faith brings punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent on top of actual damages, and the court may award attorney fees to the winner.
Sources for this section (1)
- Iowa Code § 562A.12 — Rental deposits
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Iowa attorney.