Iowa City, IA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Section 17-5-17 sets minimum structure standards for every dwelling in Iowa City: heating facilities must safely maintain at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit in habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms, and hold at least 65 degrees at three feet above the floor at all times; supplied water heaters must deliver at least 110 degrees Fahrenheit at every kitchen sink and lavatory; every habitable room except a kitchen needs a window or skylight equal to at least 8% of the room's floor area for natural light and at least 4% openable for ventilation; and floor space must total at least 120 square feet for the first occupant plus 100 additional square feet per additional occupant, with sleeping rooms needing at least 70 square feet for one occupant.

Section 17-5-18 layers on rental-specific requirements: a fire extinguisher rated at least 5-pound 2A10BC in every single-family, duplex, or multi-dwelling unit, smoke detectors on every floor level, in every bedroom, and in hallways serving bedrooms, interconnected smoke alarms in any newly built unit with four or more bedrooms, and a signed certification that the unit complies with HUD lead-based paint rules under 24 CFR part 35 before it is let. Multiple dwellings also need lighted public passageways and stairways, and communal kitchens shared among rooming units must be at least 60 square feet, or 100 square feet if roomers eat there.