Return security deposit with itemized statement within 30 days of move-out. Iowa law (Iowa Code 562A.12) requires returning the deposit, or a written statement of the specific reasons for keeping any part of it (describing the damage when it is kept for repairs), within 30 days after the tenancy ends and you receive the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions; missing the deadline forfeits the right to keep any of it, and bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent plus actual damages.
The Iowa rule
Each rule shows its schedule, its primary sources, and the date it was last verified.
Related rules in Iowa
The Iowa guide lists every compliance obligation, the seasonal maintenance calendar, and baseline upkeep.
Open the Iowa landlord guide · Security deposit return deadline in every state
What Landautomate does with this page
This guide is the reading version of the Landautomate Iowa rule base. In the app, the same rules become dated tasks on each Iowa property, timed to its purchase date, lease dates, age, and climate, with an email before each one is due. The free preview shows a sample of that schedule for Iowa in under a minute, no account needed.
See this calendar built for your own property
The free preview takes a state and a few property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.