Rental Inspections in Des Moines, IA (2026)
2 verified rental inspections rules for Des Moines, Iowa, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Inspection Programs
Des Moines requires every rental property owner to hold a rental business license and pass a Neighborhood Inspection Division inspection before renting, with license renewal periods running from nine months to three and a half years based on violation history.
Des Moines Rental Property Inspection Program
Significant RestrictionsDes Moines Municipal Code §§ 60-30, 60-33
No owner(s) shall rent any dwelling unit or rooming unit unless that owner(s) holds a valid rental business license for such property. ... [T]he administrator or designee shall inspect or cause to be inspected each rental structure, accessory structure(s), and premises located within the city.
Tenant Complaint Process
Des Moines tenants must notify the owner in writing and give seven days to fix the problem before the city's rental housing division will open a complaint file.
Des Moines Rental Complaint Process
Some RestrictionsDes Moines Municipal Code § 60-36
Tenants may submit complaints about alleged violations of this chapter to the division only after written notice has been given to the owner or authorized management agent and the owner has failed to correct the complaint within seven days of such notice. Upon the division's receipt of the complaint and confirmation that the tenant provided opportunity for the owner to make correction within se...
Looking for Polk County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Des Moines city rules.
Rental Inspections in Polk County →