Quick answer: In Iowa a landlord gives a written 3-day notice of nonpayment before ending a tenancy for unpaid rent, a notice with 7 days to remedy for another lease violation, and at least 30 days before the rental date to end a month-to-month tenancy. Except after a 3-day rent notice, a separate 3-day notice to quit comes before the court case.
This Iowa eviction notice calculator applies Iowa Code 562A.27 and 562A.34 and 648.3. Choose the reason and enter the date the notice was served: it shows when the tenant’s time ends and the earliest day the landlord can file. It does not say how long the court process takes: see the Iowa eviction timeline calculator.
Iowa eviction notice rules at a glance
| Rule | What Iowa says |
|---|---|
| Unpaid rent | 3 days after written notice of nonpayment and of the intention to terminate (Iowa Code 562A.27(2)) |
| Lease violation | Written notice with 7 days to remedy (562A.27(1)) |
| Danger to others | A single 3-day notice of termination and notice to quit (562A.27A) |
| Month-to-month | At least 30 days before the periodic rental date (562A.34(2)) |
| Week-to-week | 10 days’ written notice (562A.34(1)) |
| Notice to quit | 3 days’ written notice before the action, except after a 3-day rent notice (648.3) |
| Service | Acknowledged delivery, personal service, or posting plus regular and certified mail; mail is complete 4 days after mailing (562A.29A) |
| Federal notice | A covered dwelling may need 30 days (15 U.S.C. 9058(c)) |
How does the Iowa eviction notice work?
- Unpaid rent. See the Iowa 3-day notice for unpaid rent.
- Lease violations and ending a tenancy. See the Iowa 7-day notice, the 3-day notice to quit and the 30-day notice.
- What a landlord may not do. See Iowa self-help evictions and lockouts.
What does this eviction notice calculator check?
It counts from the day the notice was served, or from four days after mailing when it was posted and mailed, adds the notice period and moves a last day that is a Sunday to the Monday under Iowa Code 4.1(34). For a lease violation or a month-to-month tenancy it also adds the 3-day notice to quit, assumed to be served the day after the tenancy ends unless you enter a date. The earliest filing day moves to a day the clerk’s office is open (legal holidays). It does not check the wording of the notice or how it was served, and it also shows the 30-day federal date for a covered dwelling, which you should check with an attorney.
Related Iowa landlord-tenant calculators
These four calculators cover the same tenancy from different angles. From here you can go to the Iowa security deposit return deadline calculator for the date the landlord must refund or itemize the deposit, the Iowa security deposit limit calculator for the most a landlord may ask for as a deposit and the Iowa eviction timeline calculator for the earliest legal dates once an eviction case starts. Each one cites its own Iowa statutes and shows only what the law says.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does an Iowa landlord have to give for unpaid rent?
Three days after written notice of nonpayment and of the intention to terminate the rental agreement.
Can the tenant stop the eviction by paying?
Paying the rent within the three days stops the termination.
How much notice for a lease violation?
A written notice giving at least seven days to remedy the breach.
How much notice ends a month-to-month tenancy in Iowa?
A written notice given at least 30 days before the periodic rental date specified in it.
Is a separate notice to quit required?
Yes, three days’ written notice to quit, except where the landlord already gave a 3-day notice to pay rent and terminated.
How is an Iowa eviction notice served?
By acknowledged delivery to an adult resident, personal service, or posting on the door plus regular and certified mail.