Johnson County, IA Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Johnson County, IA, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Just cause
- Not required in Iowa
- Deposit cap
- Two months' rent (§562A.12)
- Deposit return
- Within 30 days, itemized
- Retaliation
- Barred (§562A.36)
- Court judgment
- Required to evict
Summary
Iowa is landlord-friendly and has no just-cause eviction law, so no Johnson County city can add one. But the security deposit is capped at two months' rent under Iowa Code section 562A.12, returned within 30 days, and retaliation against a complaining tenant is barred.
A landlord shall not demand or receive as a security deposit an amount or value in excess of two months' rent.
Full Breakdown
Iowa Code Chapter 562A, the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law, controls evictions countywide, and no city may require a landlord to prove cause. A landlord ends a month-to-month tenancy with 30 days' notice, or serves a three-day notice for nonpayment. The tenant protections sit elsewhere. Section 562A.12 caps a security deposit at two months' rent and requires its return, or a written itemized statement, within 30 days of the tenant giving a forwarding address; bad-faith retention exposes the landlord to punitive damages. Section 562A.36 bars retaliation after a code complaint. A landlord still needs a court judgment, and lockouts or utility shutoffs are illegal self-help.
Violations & Fines
Bad-faith retention of a deposit exposes a landlord to punitive damages up to twice the monthly rent plus actual damages under section 562A.12. Illegal lockouts and retaliatory evictions carry further tenant remedies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord evict me without a reason?
How much can a landlord charge for a deposit?
Sources & Official References
- [1]Iowa Code
Other rules in Johnson County
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