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SF 412 Iowa Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

A bill for an act relating to property law, including rent, rental agreements, notice requirements, and possession of property.

This bill (SF 412) updates Iowa's rental property laws to clarify notice requirements for landlords and tenants. It adds electronic mail as a valid method for serving rental notices, but only if both parties have separately agreed in writing (via an addendum to the rental agreement) and neither has revoked consent in writing. The bill also states that rental agreement terms violating these rules are unenforceable, and landlords who knowingly use prohibited terms may face penalties including up to three months' rent and attorney fees. These changes directly affect landlords and tenants in Iowa rental agreements involving notice delivery and prohibited terms.
Issues: ✓ HousingSupports HousingClarifies notice requirements with tenant consent, making prohibited terms unenforceable and penalizing landlords who violate rules, strengthening tenant protections.85% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 24, 2025 Last action Apr 22, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Reprinted · 5 edits
MODERATE
This bill updates Iowa's landlord-tenant laws to modernize notice delivery methods and strengthen tenant protections. It adds electronic mail as a valid method for serving legal notices, provided both landlords and tenants explicitly consent to it in their rental agreements. The bill also clarifies that landlords can access mobile homes to secure them after an eviction order and expands the time a tenant can peacefully possess a property before facing eviction from 30 to 90 days.
Scope change
The bill applies to residential landlord-tenant relationships under Code chapters 562A (uniform law), 562B (manufactured/mobile home parks), and 648 (forcible entry and detainer).
REQUIREMENT

Added electronic mail as a valid method for serving legal notices, contingent on explicit written consent from both landlords and tenants in a separate addendum to the rental agreement.

TIMELINE

Increased the period of peaceable possession required to bar an eviction proceeding from 30 days to 90 days.

ENFORCEMENT

Clarified that landlords may access and secure mobile homes or spaces after an order of removal to prevent damage, even if the home is owned by the tenant.

Changed the standard for unenforceable contract clauses from 'willful use' for landlords to 'willful enforcement' of known prohibited provisions.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'rent' to explicitly include utilities, late fees, and other payments made under the rental agreement.

Floor votes · Senate May 12, 2025

How they voted

33–16
Passed
Total votes 49
May 12, 2025
D Democratic16
16 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican33
33 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
8
Committee
7
Amendments
4
Apr 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee vote: Yeas, 17. Nays, 7. Excused, 1.
lower
Apr 21, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee report, recommending passage.
lower
Apr 21, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Subcommittee recommends passage.
legislature
Apr 20, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Subcommittee Meeting: [].
legislature
Apr 20, 2026
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee: Wulf, Judge and Meggers.
lower
May 15, 2025
Committee
Rereferred to Ways and Means.
lower
May 14, 2025
Introduced
Amendment H-1347 filed.
lower
May 13, 2025
Introduced
Amendment H-1340 filed.
lower
May 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate, yeas 34, nays 16.
upper
May 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amendment S-3148 adopted.
upper
May 9, 2025
Introduced
Amendment S-3148 filed.
upper
Feb 24, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report, approving bill.
upper
Feb 24, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, placed on calendar.
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.