LOCAL RULES

Iowa rental inspection report requirements

Your Iowa rental inspection report has 2 rules to meet. ReportDraft puts every one on your checklist and checks your draft before you sign.

  • The 30-day written statement of specific reasons and the nature of damages
  • 24 hours' notice before entering to inspect
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Iowa does not require a move-in checklist, but its deposit rule measures everything against the start of the tenancy: a landlord may keep only what is needed to restore the unit to its condition at the commencement of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and must explain the nature of the damages in writing within 30 days. Here is each rule with a link to the Iowa Code, and how walkthrough notes become the reports that support it.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026 against the official sources listed below.

Rental inspectionIOWA / SAMPLE

Sample notes, 88 words

Move-in inspection
Address: 22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Des Moines, IA
Date: 2026-09-30
Landlord: Pinecrest Property Management
Tenant: Jordan Lee and Priya Raman
...
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79%of your draft is ready from these notes

We sorted 13 items into 6 sections and flagged 5 to fix soon.

  • Fix soonLiving and dining areas

    Carpet has a stain near the sofa wall.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Dishwasher not working.

  • Fix soonKitchen

    Counter chipped near the sink.

2 Iowa rules on your checklist, including the 30-day written statement of specific reasons and the nature of damages.

Still to add

  • RecommendedNotes for entry and hallways
  • RecommendedNotes for laundry and utility

Filled in for you

Inspection typeMove-in
Rental unit address22 Cedar Court, Unit 4B, Des Moines, IA
Inspection dateSep 30, 2026
Landlord or property managerPinecrest Property Management
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What Iowa requires

  • Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the landlord receives the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions, the landlord returns the deposit or gives a written statement showing the specific reason for withholding any of it; where money is kept to restore the unit, the statement specifies the nature of the damagesIowa Code s. 562A.12 (3) (a) (Iowa Code 2026)
  • The landlord may withhold only amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent or other money due under the rental agreement, to restore the unit to its condition at the start of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and for the cost of regaining possession from a tenant who does not leave in good faithIowa Code s. 562A.12 (3) (a)
  • In a dispute over the deposit, the landlord must prove the reason for withholding by a preponderance of the evidenceIowa Code s. 562A.12 (3) (b)
  • A landlord who does not give the written statement within the 30 days forfeits all rights to withhold any part of the deposit; if the tenant gives no mailing address within one year, the deposit reverts to the landlordIowa Code s. 562A.12 (4)
  • Bad-faith retention of a deposit exposes the landlord to punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent on top of actual damages, and the court may award attorney fees to the winnerIowa Code s. 562A.12 (7) and (8)
  • The tenant keeps the part of the premises they use as clean and safe as its condition permits, keeps plumbing fixtures as clean as their condition permits, and does not deliberately or negligently damage any part of the premisesIowa Code s. 562A.17 (2), (4) and (6)
  • The tenant may not unreasonably refuse entry for an inspection; except in an emergency or where impracticable, the landlord gives at least 24 hours' notice and enters only at reasonable timesIowa Code s. 562A.19 (1) and (3)

Back to the condition at the start

The landlord may withhold only amounts reasonably necessary for unpaid rent or other money due under the rental agreement, to restore the unit to its condition at the commencement of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted, and to recover the cost of regaining possession from a tenant who does not leave in good faith.

That makes the move-in report the reference point. A dated record of how each room looked at the start is what the restoration claim is measured against, and in a dispute the landlord must prove the reason for keeping the money.

The 30-day written statement

Within 30 days after the tenancy ends and the landlord receives the tenant's mailing address or delivery instructions, the landlord returns the deposit or gives a written statement showing the specific reason for withholding any of it. Where money is kept to restore the unit, the statement specifies the nature of the damages.

Missing the 30 days forfeits all rights to withhold any of the deposit. If the tenant gives no address within a year, the deposit reverts to the landlord. Bad-faith retention can add punitive damages of up to twice the monthly rent, and the court may award attorney fees.

Tenant duties and inspections during the tenancy

The tenant keeps the space they use as clean and safe as its condition permits, keeps plumbing fixtures as clean as their condition permits, and does not deliberately or negligently damage the premises.

The tenant may not unreasonably refuse entry for an inspection. Except in an emergency or where impracticable, the landlord gives at least 24 hours' notice and enters only at reasonable times.

From walkthrough notes to a finished Iowa report

At move-out, compare each room with the move-in report and note what changed and why, if you know. ReportDraft writes it up room by room with the nature of each damaged item spelled out for the written statement, keeps ordinary wear and tear apart, and leaves lines for the landlord and the tenant to sign.

The same layout at move-in gives you the condition at the commencement of the tenancy in writing.

Common mistakes

  • Sending the written statement after 30 days, which forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit.
  • Giving a total without the specific reason or the nature of the damages.
  • Charging for ordinary wear and tear instead of restoring to the move-in condition.
  • Having no move-in record of the unit's condition to restore it to.
  • Entering for an inspection without 24 hours' notice.

Sources

Last reviewed October 10, 2026. Next review due January 10, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs.