An Iowa standard residential lease agreement is a legally binding contract detailing the terms and conditions for renting residential property.
It covers lease duration specifics, rental payment arrangements, guidelines concerning security deposits, utility agreements, applicable pet policies, termination procedures, and potential lease renewal or extension provisions.
Lease Length Considerations
- In Iowa, leases can be any length as long as the duration is specific and agreed upon in writing by both the landlord and tenant. Oral leases are generally limited to a term of not more than one year.
- If a tenant holds over or stays in the rental unit after the term expires, the lease converts to a month-to-month tenancy.
- If a rental agreement does not have a definite term, the tenancy defaults to week-to-week for a tenant who pays weekly rent, and in all other cases, it defaults to month-to-month.
Required Lease Disclosures
- Shared Utilities Disclosure
- Identification
- Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Information System
- Disclosure of Lead-Based Hazards
- Security Deposit Notice
For more information on the mandatory disclosures and relevant laws, please visit our Iowa lease agreement page.
Security Deposit
Rent Payment
- Grace Period: None.
- Maximum Late Fee: For rents up to $700, late fees can be up to $12 daily, maxing out at $60 monthly. Above $700, it’s up to $20 daily, with a $100 monthly limit [3] .
- NSF Fee: A landlord is permitted to impose a $20 fee for a bounced check [4] .
Landlord Resources
- Landlord-Tenant Laws – Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law.
- Handbook – Legislative Guide to Landlord-Tenant Law.
