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State guides / Iowa

Iowa property data

Iowa keeps its land records county by county, all 99 of them, each with its own systems. Here's what's public, what's hard to get, and what Deedplat puts on one map.

  • 99Counties
  • PublicSale prices
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What you can get in Iowa

Iowa makes most property records public, including what each property sold for. The catch is that every county keeps them differently.

Public everywhere

Every county has these, and Deedplat loads them all.

  • Owners and mailing addressesFrom the county Assessor, or a city assessor in cities over 10,000 people that choose to have one
  • Sale pricesIowa is a disclosure state: transfer tax is paid on the price when a deed is recorded, and a declaration of value with the price goes to the assessor, whose sales records show prices.
  • Deeds and mortgagesCounty Recorder in each county
  • Assessed valuesProperty is reassessed every two years, in odd-numbered years, and a state rollback then sets how much of that value is taxed.
  • Tax lien salesRun county by county
  • Foreclosure filings and salesFiled in court, so they're public early
  • Lot linesCounty parcel maps

Depends on the town

Cities keep their own building permits, code enforcement cases and rental inspection records, and some larger cities run their own assessor's office; all are covered by the Iowa Open Records Law.

  • Code violations and condemnations
  • Building permits
  • Rental registration and inspections
  • Zoning maps and ordinances
  • Water and sewer liens

Not public

What no office will hand over, so you know where the line is.

  • Owner phone numbers and emails
  • Rents and leases
  • Active listingsThose live in the MLS
  • Mortgage balancesThe original loan amount is recorded; what's left is not

How property changes hands here

Distressed property reaches the market through a few channels, and they differ by county.

Tax lien certificates

Each county Treasurer holds an annual tax sale in June, now usually online, where bidders compete by bidding down the percentage of ownership interest they will take, not the interest rate. The buyer gets a certificate of purchase that earns 2 percent a month. After one year and nine months (nine months for parcels offered at an earlier sale and not sold), the buyer can serve a 90-day notice, and if the owner does not redeem, the buyer can get a tax deed.

Foreclosure goes through the courts

Iowa foreclosure almost always goes through court, followed by a public sale after published notice. The owner usually has up to a year to redeem after the sale, or less if the lender waives a deficiency or the home is abandoned, and none if the lender chose foreclosure without redemption. Iowa also allows a voluntary non-judicial option where the owner gives up the home and the lender waives any shortfall.

Land banks

Iowa has no state land bank law. Bills to allow land banks or similar land redevelopment trusts have been introduced, most recently in 2025.

Transfer tax

Iowa charges a real estate transfer tax of $0.80 per $500 of the price, after the first $500.

Worth knowing

Iowa tax sales are bid on a percentage of ownership, not on interest. The 2 percent a month interest rate is fixed by law, so it does not get bid down.

Worth knowing

Assessed value is not the taxable value in Iowa. A state rollback percentage, which can change every year, is applied to assessed value to get the taxable value.

Every county in Iowa

Choose any county to get started.

Questions

Are property sale prices public in Iowa?

Yes. Iowa is a disclosure state. Transfer tax is paid on the price when the deed is recorded, and the declaration of value goes to the assessor, whose sales records show prices.

How do tax sales work in Iowa?

County Treasurers hold an annual tax sale in June. Bidders bid down the share of ownership they will take, and the certificate earns 2 percent a month. After one year and nine months the buyer can give a 90-day notice and then get a tax deed if the owner does not redeem.

Where are deeds and mortgages recorded in Iowa?

With the County Recorder in the county where the property sits.

How often are Iowa properties reassessed?

Every two years, in odd-numbered years. A state rollback is then applied to set the taxable value.

Is foreclosure judicial in Iowa?

Yes, almost always. Lenders go to court, and the property is sold at a public sale. Owners usually can redeem after the sale, for up to a year, unless the lender chose foreclosure without redemption.

Can I get records Deedplat doesn't have?

Yes. The Iowa Open Records Law (Chapter 22) lets anyone request records from cities, counties and state agencies, such as permits, code cases and rental inspections. We file those requests for you, clean up the results and add them to your map.

Sources for this guide

Laws and fees change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.

Every parcel, on one map

Deedplat is in beta. Pick any Iowa county to get started.

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