Des Moines, IA

Des Moines bans parking on designated snow routes during plowing and restricts odd/even side parking in snow zones, with a $35 fine for violators.

Des Moines bans parking on sidewalks, in intersections, and in front of or within two feet of any driveway, with a $35 fine, plus a separate right-hand-curb rule against wrong-way…

Des Moines allows overnight on-street parking, but a vehicle can't sit in the same spot on any public street or metered lot for more than 24 straight hours.

Des Moines requires vertical curbs marking a designated fire lane to be painted red on the top and side, with stenciled No Parking. Fire Lane lettering.

Des Moines charges $0.16 per kilowatt-hour to use electric vehicle charging stations at city-operated public parking garages and surface lots, plus an idling fee once a charging…

Commercial loading zones in Des Moines restrict parking to 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and cap loading, unloading and delivery stops at 20 minutes even during that window.

Des Moines bans parking any truck, trailer, or tractor unit over one ton on streets next to N-1 through N-5 or NX1 through NX3 zoned property, and citywide outside active construction…

Des Moines treats any unlicensed, unsafe, or inoperable vehicle, trailer, or boat left outside an enclosed building on public or private property as a specifically identified nuisance…

Des Moines caps residential driveway approaches at 8 to 24 feet wide, limits total driveway width to 60% of lot frontage, and requires a building-official permit before any curb cut or…

Des Moines bans parking any trailer, semitrailer or travel trailer on a city street at any time, so a stored RV or boat trailer must move off the street entirely, not just clear of…

Des Moines caps car-stereo noise at 50 feet by day and 25 feet at night, and sets drive-by dBA limits by vehicle class and speed under Municipal Code § 42-259. Police and community…

Des Moines exempts electric power tools and motor-powered, muffler-equipped lawn and garden equipment, leaf blowers included, from its citywide noise limits only between 7 a.m. and 10…

Des Moines requires a sound permit for amplified music or speech that creates a noise disturbance, capping most outdoor events at 85 dBC and limiting the hours and zoning districts…

Des Moines caps outdoor sound at the receiving property's boundary: 60 dBA daytime and 50 dBA nighttime in residential zones, 65 dBA in mixed-use/commercial zones and the flood…

Des Moines bans construction, drilling, and demolition noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. citywide, with narrow variances for utility maintenance and city-approved nonprofit housing…

Des Moines bans owning or keeping any animal or bird whose frequent, sustained sounds create a noise disturbance across a residential property line or in a noise-sensitive area.

Des Moines residential zones face a stricter nighttime noise limit, 60 dBA and 50 dBC from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., under the city's sound-level ordinance, enforced by the community…

Aircraft-in-flight noise is regulated federally by the FAA, not by Polk County. The county's zoning code references a 75-decibel noise cone defined by the Iowa DOT around airports and…

Des Moines lets residents keep chickens, ducks and other small fowl in coops set back 25 feet from a neighbor's house, capped at two species and 30 birds on lots under an acre, but…

Feeding deer or waterfowl anywhere in Des Moines, public or private land, is prohibited. Backyard bird feeding is still allowed if the feed stays out of reach of deer and waterfowl.

Des Moines limits the total number of dogs and cats per household and authorizes Animal Control to seize animals from hoarding situations under Chapter 6, with prosecution available…

Des Moines requires an annual cat license for cats six months and older, and allows sterilized, vaccinated, ear-tipped community cats with no owner to roam free without a license.

Des Moines requires every impounded dog to receive a microchip before release, with the owner paying an installation fee set by city council resolution.

Des Moines exempts hives from the acreage-lot and setback rules that apply to livestock and fowl, so backyard beekeeping is allowed citywide with no minimum lot size.

Des Moines Municipal Code § 18-217 makes it illegal to feed deer or waterfowl anywhere in the city, on public or private land, to curb disease spread and dangerous habituation to…

Des Moines requires surgical sterilization for every dog and cat adopted from the city animal shelter, and for cats living as registered community cats: pets already owned by their…

Off your property, Des Moines requires dogs on a leash, cord or chain no longer than six feet and under a handler's control; a dog not restrained or licensed this way anywhere in the…

Des Moines classifies pit bulls, American Staffordshire terriers, and Staffordshire terriers as 'high risk dogs,' requiring $100,000 liability insurance, secure locked confinement, and…

Des Moines and Iowa law restrict ownership of dangerous wild animals. Iowa Code Chapter 717F prohibits keeping large cats, bears, wolves, primates, and other dangerous wild animals…

Animal hospitals, veterinary clinics, animal shelters and boarding kennels in unincorporated Polk County must keep outdoor exercise areas and animal shelter structures at least 200…

Des Moines exempts retaining walls holding four feet or less of unbalanced fill from a building permit, but taller walls, ones bearing a surcharge, or ones impounding flammable liquids…

Des Moines requires a building permit for most fences, but chain link or wire fences four feet or less and all other fences three feet or less are exempt.

Iowa follows the common boundary fence law. Des Moines encourages neighbors to discuss fence plans before construction. Fences on shared property lines may require mutual agreement or…

Beyond height limits, Polk County requires swimming pools to be enclosed by a non-climbable fence at least 4 feet high with a self-latching gate, and livestock-confining fences to sit…

Polk County's zoning ordinance does not broadly ban residential fence materials such as wood, vinyl, or chain-link, but it requires chain-link with barbed-wire topping for certain…

Any LP-gas installation in Des Moines with 150 or more gallons of aggregate container capacity requires a fire prevention bureau permit, and no single installation can exceed 1,000…

Des Moines requires listed smoke alarms meeting UL 268 in R-1, R-2, R-4 and I-1 occupancies, with dwelling-unit alarms wired addressable to the building fire alarm system under City…

Des Moines requires a fire prevention bureau permit before any recreational backyard fire, unless it's a food-prep fire in an approved appliance with air intake, a cooking grate and a…

Iowa legalized consumer fireworks in 2017 under Iowa Code Chapter 727. Des Moines allows consumer fireworks June 1–July 8 and December 10–January 3, with permitted hours of 9 AM to 10…

Open burning of refuse, rubbish, garbage, and landscape waste is prohibited in Des Moines under Polk County Air Quality regulations. Only recreational fires for cooking and warmth are…

The state fire marshal may prohibit open burning across any designated area of Iowa during extremely dry conditions that make fire a danger to life or property. Violating an active…

Des Moines requires an ISPSC-compliant barrier around every backyard pool, hot tub or spa deeper than 24 inches, restricting entry to the pool area; spas and hot tubs with a locking…

Des Moines requires a building permit to construct any swimming pool, spa, or water recreational facility, but only pools capable of holding water more than 24 inches deep count as a…

Des Moines requires a city-approved tree removal and mitigation plan before any grading permit, site plan, or subdivision plat is granted: cutting mature trees or canopied area on…

Des Moines exempts purposefully-planted native vegetation from the city's 10-inch weed and grass height limit, letting homeowners maintain natural or prairie-style landscaping without…

Des Moines caps grass and weeds at ten inches on developed lots citywide, with exceptions for vegetable and flower gardens, native plantings and farmland, enforced by the neighborhood…

Des Moines requires owners of trees overhanging a street or sidewalk to trim branches so streetlamps, signs, and intersections stay visible, keeping 8 feet of clearance over sidewalks…

Polk County's outdoor junk-storage ban carves compost piles out entirely under Section 2-5(d) of the Health Nuisance Regulation. The only outdoor yard-waste standard that survives is…

A detached shed, playhouse, or pet shelter under 120 square feet needs no Des Moines building permit; anything larger, or built for another use, requires one plus continued compliance…

An accessory dwelling unit in unincorporated Polk County requires the property's legal owner to actually live there. Either the main house or the ADU must be the owner's legal…

Polk County's accessory dwelling unit rules stop an ADU from becoming its own separate property. The zoning ordinance bars selling, leasing, dividing or otherwise segregating an ADU's…

Unincorporated Polk County allows one ADU per property, up to 1,200 sq ft and no larger than the principal residence. The owner must live on-site, the ADU meets principal-dwelling…

Unincorporated Polk County bars any standalone tiny home from qualifying as an accessory dwelling unit. The zoning ordinance's ADU rules cap a legal ADU at 1,200 square feet and…

A home occupation in unincorporated Polk County cannot bring more traffic to the neighborhood and can serve no more than two customers at a property at one time. The zoning ordinance…

Iowa Code Chapter 137D exempts cottage food, non-time/temperature-controlled foods made at home, from licensing and inspection. Refrigerated or TCS foods instead require a home food…

Iowa Code chapter 237A sets statewide capacity limits, registration thresholds, and standards for child care homes and child development homes. Iowa HHS administers categories A, B…

Iowa is one of the few states that lets a home cook sell meals prepared to order. Iowa Code section 137D.1(4)(b)(2) puts made-to-order food, regularly prepared and promptly served or…

Iowa imposes a flat 5% state excise tax on the sales price of every short-term rental, collected from the guest by the host or platform like Airbnb and remitted to the Department of…

Des Moines property owners, tenants, and lessees must clear snow and ice from abutting public sidewalks within 48 hours after a storm ends, or face administrative penalties and…

Des Moines can declare any unsafe, dangerous, or unfit structure a public nuisance, order it vacated immediately, and repair or demolish it at the owner's expense if the owner doesn't…

Des Moines lets weeds on a vacant lot grow past ten inches only if it sits 100+ feet from a street, public property, or developed land: otherwise the weed official can order it cut and…

Every mobile food vender in Des Moines must get a mobile vender license from the city clerk before selling, with a separate license required per vehicle, insurance, a cash bond and…

Des Moines limits mobile food vendors and transient merchants to nine designated parks, plus three athletic complexes with prior written approval, under Municipal Code § 74-210.

Selling food from a cart or truck on a Des Moines street requires a mobile vender license from the city clerk, valid only in designated mobile vender zones.

Picnics, public meetings, and organized group or athletic use of any Des Moines city park require a permit from the parks and recreation director before the gathering happens.

Any parade in Des Moines needing a street closure or police traffic rerouting requires a permit from the chief of police, with applications filed 4 to 60 days ahead depending on…

Restaurants that want to serve food or drinks on the public sidewalk need a sidewalk cafe permit or lease from the city, capped at three years, before setting up a single table.

Des Moines requires a street use permit before closing any street for a block party, festival, or timed event, with residential applications due at least 30 days ahead.

Des Moines requires a street use permit before closing any street for a festival, block party, or street fair: commercial-district events need 90 days' notice and a vendor petition.

Des Moines bars charcoal and open-flame grills on balconies or within 20 feet of combustible construction, but exempts one- and two-family homes and small propane grills using a…

Charcoal burners, grills and other open-flame cookers can't run on balconies or within 20 feet of combustible construction under the Des Moines fire code, unless they're at a one- or…

Des Moines requires carbon monoxide alarms in rental units and rooming houses with a fuel-burning appliance or attached garage, placed near sleeping areas.

Des Moines enforces lead-safe practices in pre-1978 housing through Chapter 8 building rules, Chapter 60 nuisance enforcement, and federal EPA RRP rules, with Polk County Public Health…

Des Moines requires a permit from the Permit and Development Center before any electrical work or equipment installation, under the city's adopted State Electrical Code.

Rental units in Des Moines must have exit doors that open from inside without a key, tool, or special knowledge, under the city's Rental Property Maintenance Code.

Des Moines requires permit holders to call for inspections as work progresses and to schedule them within ten days of notice or risk a permit freeze.

Des Moines requires a plumbing permit for any installation, alteration, repair, replacement, or remodel regulated by the State Plumbing Code, plus a fee set by city council resolution.

Elevators in Des Moines buildings are regulated under Iowa Code Chapter 89A by the state Elevator Safety Bureau within Iowa Workforce Development, requiring annual inspections, state…

Des Moines does not impose a mandatory green building code beyond Iowa's adopted IECC energy code, but the 2024 Climate Action Plan promotes voluntary high-performance standards…

Any interior renovation touching building, electrical, mechanical, or plumbing systems in Des Moines needs a permit from the building official first, under Municipal Code § 26-135: a…

Des Moines requires automatic fire sprinklers in townhouses and in one- and two-family homes of 8,000 square feet or more, with exceptions for smaller homes and existing buildings…

Childcare centers in Des Moines must meet Iowa Department of Health and Human Services licensing standards plus IBC Group E or I-4 building, fire, and egress rules under Chapter 8…

Des Moines prohibits leaving goods, wares, or merchandise on any public sidewalk, even briefly, except for the short time needed to move them in transit or under a separate…

Des Moines requires a written license from the city engineer before anyone builds, uses, or maintains a private encroachment, like a canopy, planter, or trash enclosure, on a public…

Property owners abutting a public sidewalk in Des Moines must keep it safe, well-repaired, and free of defects, or face civil penalties after a 180-day notice to fix it.

Des Moines requires anyone practicing massage therapy in the city to hold a state license under Iowa Code Chapter 152C; practicing or advertising as a massage therapist without one is…

Anyone buying, selling, or storing junk in Des Moines needs a salvage dealer license from the city clerk, plus detailed transaction records and compliance with segregation orders from…

Des Moines tobacco retailers need an Iowa state permit plus city compliance, with strict 21+ age verification under IA Code §453A.2 and routine compliance checks by DSMPD and Polk…

Tow operators working private-property impounds and DSMPD rotation calls in Des Moines must hold city permits, post rate sheets, and follow Iowa Code §321.90 release-of-property rules.

Des Moines requires anyone operating a pawn business to hold a pawnbroker license from the city clerk, backed by a criminal background check and a zoning department review.

Running an auto-repair business from a home in unincorporated Polk County is effectively blocked by the county's Home Occupation standards. Automobile dealers and other retail uses…

Des Moines requires a forestry division permit before anyone plants a tree in the parkway between the sidewalk and street, and can deny it if the planting would create a hazard or harm…

Skateboards, coasters and similar devices are banned from Des Moines streets, highways, alleys and parking garages, and from public art, planters, stairways and amphitheater-style…

Des Moines bans grouping up and loitering on sidewalks, street corners, or public buildings when it blocks people from passing. Violators face a misdemeanor fine or a municipal…

Des Moines makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate on any street, alley, sidewalk, or skywalk bridge or corridor open to public view; the ban doesn't apply to private restrooms or…

Iowa Smokefree Air Act bans smoking in most enclosed workplaces and at outdoor city facilities; Des Moines extends bans to playgrounds and Principal Park while leaving sidewalks…

Des Moines loud-party calls trigger DSMPD response under noise ordinance Ch. 42, with second-response fees, host liability for underage drinking, and possible nuisance designations for…

Des Moines pedestrians who cross outside a marked or unmarked intersection crosswalk must yield to all vehicles, and jaywalking is barred outright on 30-mph-plus streets and in…

Des Moines bans drinking alcoholic liquor, wine or beer on public streets, sidewalks or highways, with a narrow carve-out for wine or beer along an active parade route or a street…

Des Moines runs a voluntary single-stream curbside recycling program: residents who opt in get a city-issued blue wheeled cart for unsorted recyclables, collected bi-weekly under…

Des Moines requires yard debris kept separate from trash and set out in city-approved bags, green-lid carts, or bundles, capped at 40 pounds each.

Des Moines runs a voluntary single-stream curbside recycling program: blue wheeled carts get picked up every other week, and mixing trash into the recycling cart is a municipal…

Des Moines caps curbside cart set-out at 12 hours before and after your collection day, with carts placed at the street edge or alley three feet from anything else.

Des Moines bars privately owned dumpsters and trash containers from public street rights-of-way except in alleys, and any dumpster placed on public property needs an areaway permit…

Des Moines residents must buy a $5 large-item disposal sticker and schedule pickup with Public Works before setting out furniture, mattresses, or other bulky items: unstickered items…

Des Moines picks up residential solid waste weekly, at least 52 times a year, per a schedule the city manager sets; holiday and weather delays roll to the next available collection day.

Des Moines collects trash weekly at least 52 times a year and requires carts set within 18 inches of the curb, three feet from other objects, no more than 12 hours early.

Des Moines bans dumping litter, solid waste, yard debris or other foreign material on streets, sidewalks, rights-of-way and city property under Municipal Code § 98-70, backed by…

Des Moines requires a licensed, inspected rental unit to maintain at least 68°F indoors when it's below 60°F outside, alongside code-wide standards for structural, electrical, plumbing…

Des Moines does not impose a just-cause eviction standard. Under the Iowa URLTA, Iowa Code Ch. 562A, landlords may end month-to-month tenancies with 30 days written notice for any…

Every rental dwelling or rooming unit in Des Moines needs a rental business license before an owner can lease it, backed by a mandatory pre-occupancy inspection.

Des Moines does not have a standalone tenant anti-harassment ordinance. Tenant protections come from Iowa Code 562A.36 retaliation rules and federal Fair Housing Act standards…

Iowa Code Ch. 562A.12 limits residential security deposits to two months rent and requires return within 30 days of move-out with an itemized statement of any deductions. Des Moines…

Iowa Code Sec. 562A.27(2) lets a landlord terminate after 3 days' written notice for nonpayment of rent. For other material lease breaches, Sec. 562A.27(1) requires a 7-day notice with…

Under Iowa Code Sec. 562A.19, a landlord must give the tenant at least 24 hours' notice before entering and may enter only at reasonable times, except in an emergency. Tenants may not…

Iowa Code Sec. 562A.9(4) caps late fees by rent amount. If monthly rent is $700 or less, a lease may not charge over $12 per day or $60 per month total. If rent is more than $700, the…

Iowa Code Sec. 562A.34 lets either party end a month-to-month tenancy with at least 30 days' written notice before the periodic rental date, a week-to-week tenancy with at least 10…

Iowa preempts local rent control. Iowa Code 364.3(9) bars any city from adopting or enforcing an ordinance that limits the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or…

Iowa requires 10 years of open, hostile, exclusive, and continuous possession under a claim of right or color of title to claim title by adverse possession, drawing on the 10-year…

Des Moines requires a certificate of appropriateness before anyone alters, reconstructs, or demolishes the exterior of a landmark or landmark site the city council has formally…

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 requires every rental property owner to hold a rental business license and pass a Neighborhood Inspection Division inspection before renting, with license renewal periods…

Building a dock, pier, or other structure in the Des Moines River or Raccoon River, or driving pilings into the riverbed or bank, requires city council consent after review by the plan…

Des Moines requires a city engineer grading permit before you strip, excavate, fill, or install drainage pipe on most sites, with numeric thresholds triggering the requirement.

Des Moines requires a stormwater management plan for any development adding more than 10,000 square feet of new impervious area, following Iowa Stormwater Management Manual standards…

New construction and substantial improvements in Des Moines floodplains must elevate the lowest floor at least three feet above the 100-year base flood elevation, the city's required…

Des Moines requires a certificate of compliance before any construction, fill, or grading in a mapped floodplain, with elevation and floodproofing standards enforced by the city…

Des Moines lodging guests pay a combined ~13% tax: 7% city hotel-motel tax plus Iowa's 6% state sales tax, with revenues funding tourism, convention center, and Iowa Events Center…

Des Moines bars garbage trucks and other solid-waste collection vehicles from picking up or emptying dumpsters within 150 feet of a residential zone between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m…

Des Moines bans car stereo bass or vibration clearly detectable 50 feet away during the day, tightening to 25 feet after 7 p.m., under Municipal Code Section 42-259(d), enforced by…

Des Moines bars businesses from letting sound leak out through walls, roof openings, vents or rooftop mechanical units, including HVAC condensers, when the noise crosses into a noise…

Des Moines bars and nightclubs playing background music outdoors need a Type "E" sound permit capping noise at 65 dBCs, enforced by the community development department.

Des Moines does not require a permit for a garage, tag or estate sale, as long as it runs no more than four consecutive days and happens no more than twice a year.

Anyone selling or taking orders door-to-door in Des Moines must first get a peddler's license from the city clerk and post a cash bond: no permit, no knocking with goods to sell.

Des Moines bans camping on any public property citywide, sidewalks, streets, parks, rights-of-way, and lets the city post a 24-hour notice then clear the campsite and its contents.

Des Moines prohibits sleeping on public sidewalks, streets, alleys and doorways citywide, plus building entrances abutting sidewalks. Police must offer a one-time shelter ride first…

Des Moines parks and municipal golf courses close to the public from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. daily. The parks and recreation board sets seasonal opening hours for pools, recreation…

Des Moines has no vacancy tax. Owners of vacant residential or commercial property must register within 10 days, hold a vacant property registry license, and pay registration and…

Des Moines treats any pedaled e-bike with a motor of one horsepower or less as a legal bicycle, so it can use city streets, marked bike lanes, multi-use trails, and sidewalks under the…

Cyclists must ride within marked bike lanes on Des Moines streets, and drivers may only enter one to park, cross it, or turn within 200 feet of an intersection.

Des Moines Municipal Code § 114-243 authorizes red-light and speed cameras at intersections the city manager designates, capturing rear license plates only and billing the registered…

Iowa Code section 321.247 gives no statewide right to drive a golf cart on the road. Incorporated areas may, upon approval of their governing body, allow golf carts on city streets…

Des Moines prohibits growing noxious weeds, defined under Iowa Code § 317.1A, with no exception for gardens or native landscaping, and the weed official can abate violations and bill…

Unincorporated Polk County's zoning ordinance excludes tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) from the approved plant list developers must use to meet required landscaping bufferyards…

Business buildings within Des Moines must be ratproofed and kept rat-free under Municipal Code Article V, with the health officer authorized to order repairs, eradication measures, and…

Iowa Code §331.304 preempts local minimum wage laws statewide; the 2017 HF 295 retroactively voided the Polk County and Des Moines wage increases, leaving the federal $7.25 floor in…

Iowa Code §331.304 preempts cities and counties from mandating paid sick leave, paid family leave, or scheduling rules; only federal FMLA applies, leaving private employer policy as…

Polk County caps single-family building height at 40 feet in agricultural districts and 35 feet in the residential and mixed-use districts. Accessory buildings cannot exceed the…

Unincorporated Polk County caps how much of a residential lot can be covered by buildings using Table 6.1 of the Zoning Ordinance, with limits set per zoning district from 5% in Estate…

Polk County's single-family bulk standards set minimum yard setbacks by zoning district. In Low Density Residential (LDR) the minimums are 35 feet front, 10 feet side, and 35 feet…

The Zoning Ordinance has no garage-sale-sign-specific rule. Small temporary/portable signs are treated as portable signs (a temporary sign permit, 14-day validity, 32 sq ft max) and…

Polk County lets temporary political signs go up without a sign permit, but only starting 70 days before the election they relate to, and only if they meet Iowa Code section 68A.406…

Polk County allows LED electronic displays on off-site billboards, but only under the standards of Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 117 Outdoor Advertising. On-site electronic message…

Off-site billboards in unincorporated Polk County are capped at 50 feet of height, must sit outside 100 feet of residential lots, schools and parks, need 1,000 feet of separation from…

Unincorporated Polk County exempts farm houses, barns and outbuildings that are primarily adapted for agricultural use from its zoning ordinance entirely, as long as they stay in that…

Iowa Code 657.11 protects qualifying animal feeding operations and farms from most nuisance suits unless plaintiffs prove specified statutory exceptions.

Polk County requires every subdivision Owner's Association bylaws to grant the power to levy assessments against lot owners, to cover liability insurance and local taxes through member…

Any unincorporated Polk County subdivision with shared common areas must set up an Owner's Association, enroll every lot owner as a member, and file that association with the Iowa…

Iowa's records law for homeowners associations is Iowa Code chapter 499C, added by 2023 Acts, chapter 137. It gives a unit owner or the owner's authorized agent five categories of…

Iowa sets no dollar cap on a homeowners association fine and requires no notice, cure period or hearing before one is imposed. The amount and the process come from your declaration and…

Iowa gives an association a statutory assessment lien only where the community is a condominium under the Horizontal Property Act or a multiple housing cooperative under chapter 499A…

Section 2-5 of the Health Nuisance Regulation lists the health nuisances Polk County most often abates: illegal litter and garbage dumping, mosquito-breeding standing water, and…

Complaints about a health nuisance in unincorporated Polk County go to the Public Works Health Officer, who has inspection and investigation power under Section 2-7(a) of the Health…

Unincorporated Polk County awards a 5% density bonus, minimum 20-unit development, to Conservation Design subdivisions whose engineer proves added stormwater controls like bioswales…

Every illuminated sign in unincorporated Polk County, including billboards, has to divert glare and keep light from crossing property lines or spilling into the road right-of-way under…

Polk County caps outdoor lighting on nonresidential property next to homes at 0.2 footcandles measured at the property line, and requires it to restrict glare and stop spill-over onto…

Polk County's zoning ordinance requires every exterior light fixture to use one of three defined cutoff types and caps illumination and pole height for each, from 0.20 footcandles and…

Unincorporated Polk County allows roof-mounted, building-mounted and ground-mounted Accessory Solar Energy Conversion Systems (ASECS) in every zoning district, but the installer must…

Iowa has no statute that voids a homeowners association covenant banning solar panels. The only covenant provision in Iowa's solar chapter, Iowa Code section 564A.8, does nothing more…

Iowa Code 124E and Iowa Admin Code 641 chapter 154 control medical cannabidiol dispensary licensing, location count, and operations. Only state-licensed dispensaries may sell…

Recreational drone use in Iowa is governed primarily by FAA Part 107 and the Recreational Flyers exception, with state limits in Iowa Code 808.15 on government surveillance. Iowa…

Iowa has allowed permitless concealed carry for adults 21 and older since July 2021, while still issuing optional non-professional permits for reciprocity.

Iowa Code 724.28 broadly preempts cities and counties from regulating firearms, ammunition, components, and accessories more strictly than state law.

Iowa permits open carry of handguns by qualifying adults statewide, though local preemption under Iowa Code 724.28 prevents stricter city rules.

Iowa Code 99F.7 gives the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission sole authority to decide the number, location, and type of licensed gambling structures and excursion gambling boats…

Iowa Code chapter 99B bars any nonprofit from running bingo, raffles, games of skill or chance, or a game night until the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing issues a…

Iowa Code § 99B.45 lets individuals gamble against each other in card and parlor games, including poker, without a state gambling license, but caps it hard: no one may win or lose more…

Iowa restricts sports wagering licenses to operators already licensed to run gambling games at a pari-mutuel racetrack enclosure or an excursion gambling boat. Under Iowa Code section…

Iowa gives its police an express roadblock statute, chapter 321K, and then confines it. A routine vehicle roadblock may be run only as provided in that section, and the section lists…

Iowa has no statute granting an express right to film police, but it does not need one: Iowa Code section 727.8(3)(a) exempts from the eavesdropping offence any recording made by a…

Iowa is not a stop and identify state. No provision of the Iowa Code requires a person detained on suspicion to give a name, and the closest section, Iowa Code 719.1A, criminalizes…

Iowa has never legalized adult-use cannabis, and it has no statute about consenting to a vehicle search. The one search-limiting provision in the Iowa Code is section 124E.12(9), which…

Iowa Code 364.3(3)(c) (cities) and 331.301(6) (counties) preempt local governments from regulating consumer merchandise containers, including plastic bags, foam containers, cups, and…

Iowa Code 453A.6 sets the minimum age to purchase or possess tobacco, alternative nicotine, and vapor products at 21 in alignment with federal law.

Iowa answers add-on lighting with numbers rather than generalities. Iowa Code section 321.403 allows no more than three auxiliary driving lamps, mounted on the front between 12 and 42…

Iowa never enumerates what may be stuck to a windshield. Chapter 321 mentions the windshield in only four places, and none of them is a list of permitted items, so a dash cam is judged…

Iowa Code section 321.275(4) does four things in one paragraph. It bans a motorcycle or motorized bicycle from being operated between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows…

Iowa Code section 321.37(3) makes it unlawful for a vehicle owner to place any frame around or over the registration plate which does not permit full view of all numerals and letters…

The word detector does not appear anywhere in Iowa Code chapter 321. What Iowa outlaws is the speed detection jamming device, defined in Iowa Code section 321.232(4)(a) as equipment…

Iowa Code section 321.442 starts from a flat ban: no tire moved on a highway may carry a block, stud, flange, cleat or spike of any material other than rubber projecting beyond the…

Iowa Code section 321.438(2) bans operating a vehicle whose front windshield, front side windows or front sidewings are excessively dark or reflective, and it leaves the number to the…