Property Maintenance in Iowa (2026)
20 rules on the books across Iowa, 10 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Property Blight
Standards for property appearance including peeling paint, broken windows, junk accumulation, and other conditions the city considers blight.
Black Hawk County
Significant RestrictionsIn unincorporated Black Hawk County, the Health Officer can designate a defective or hazardous building unfit for human…
Read full rule →Cedar Rapids
Significant RestrictionsCedar Rapids tracks every chronically vacant, code-violating building through a dedicated Vacant and Neglected…
Read full rule →Des Moines
Significant RestrictionsDes Moines can declare any unsafe, dangerous, or unfit structure a public nuisance, order it vacated immediately, and…
Read full rule →Iowa City
Significant RestrictionsIowa City requires owners of any vacant or abandoned building to register it with the City within 30 days, pay an…
Read full rule →Johnson County
Significant RestrictionsJohnson County placards and can order the immediate vacation of any rental dwelling so damaged, decayed, dilapidated…
Read full rule →Polk County
Significant RestrictionsPolk County bans storing junk outside an enclosed building on any unincorporated property. Section 2-5(d) of the Health…
Read full rule →Sioux City
Significant RestrictionsSioux City can post, order repaired, or demolish any dangerous or dilapidated building, fence, or structure that…
Read full rule →Story County
Significant RestrictionsA building that has become dangerous for further occupancy from structural, sanitary, or other defects is a public…
Read full rule →Linn County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Linn County adopted the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code, requiring structures and premises…
Read full rule →Vacant Lot Maintenance
Requirements for maintaining vacant or undeveloped land, including mowing, fencing, and preventing dumping and trespassing.
Black Hawk County
Some RestrictionsUnincorporated Black Hawk County bars accumulating garbage, refuse, or yard waste on any premises, improved OR vacant…
Read full rule →Cedar Rapids
Some RestrictionsCedar Rapids declares putrid, filthy, or offensive materials left on any vacant or occupied lot a public nuisance…
Read full rule →Des Moines
Some RestrictionsDes Moines lets weeds on a vacant lot grow past ten inches only if it sits 100+ feet from a street, public property, or…
Read full rule →Iowa City
Some RestrictionsIowa City bans refuse, junk and salvage material from accumulating on any lot, whether vacant or occupied. City Code…
Read full rule →Polk County
Some RestrictionsUnmaintained vacant lots and abandoned or unsafe buildings in unincorporated Polk County are health nuisances. An…
Read full rule →Snow & Sidewalk Clearing
Your responsibility to clear snow and ice from sidewalks next to your property, including deadlines after a snowfall and penalties for not clearing.
Iowa: statewide
StatewideSome RestrictionsIowa Code section 364.12 universally authorizes cities to require abutting property owners to remove snow, ice, and…
Read full rule →Cedar Rapids
Some RestrictionsCedar Rapids property owners must clear sidewalk snow and ice within 24 hours of a snowfall or ice formation, or face a…
Read full rule →Davenport
Some RestrictionsDavenport requires owners and occupants to clear the entire sidewalk of snow and ice. If it stays more than 10 hours…
Read full rule →Des Moines
Some RestrictionsDes Moines property owners, tenants, and lessees must clear snow and ice from abutting public sidewalks within 48 hours…
Read full rule →Iowa City
Some RestrictionsOwners, tenants and anyone in possession of an Iowa City property have 24 hours to clear snow and ice off the abutting…
Read full rule →Sioux City
Some RestrictionsSioux City, Iowa property owners have twelve hours after snow or ice stops falling to clear it from abutting public…
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