Iowa has little state law on employment or tenant background checks. Iowa does not have a statewide ban-the-box law, and it does not have a separate law licensing or regulating background check or tenant screening companies. For most Iowans, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act is the main protection when a background report is wrong.
Under the FCRA, an employer must tell you in a stand-alone document that it will get a background report and must have your written permission. Before rejecting you based on the report, it must give you a copy and a summary of your rights. Landlords that deny an application based on a screening report must tell you which company supplied it. Screening companies must use reasonable procedures for maximum possible accuracy and must investigate disputes.
Iowa's expungement laws matter for accuracy. Under Iowa Code 901C.2, on application a court must expunge a criminal case in which every charge ended in acquittal or dismissal, once 180 days have passed and court costs are paid, with some exceptions. Under section 901C.3, a person may apply once to expunge an eligible misdemeanor conviction more than eight years old. Many offenses, including OWI, domestic abuse assault and sex offenses, are excluded. Expunged records become confidential and are removed from the state's criminal history files. A background check company that keeps reporting an expunged case may be reporting inaccurate or outdated information.
Where Iowa FCRA cases are filed
FCRA claims are federal, so they go to a United States District Court. Cases from Iowa are heard in 2 federal districts:
- Northern District of IowaCourthouses: Cedar Rapids, Sioux City.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
- Southern District of IowaCourthouses: Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines.Filed with local or cooperating counsel
Our attorneys are licensed in Texas, California, and Georgia. Where they aren't admitted in your local federal court, we work with local or cooperating counsel who are. You may also be able to sue where the company that reported you is based, in a court where our attorneys are admitted:
- Checkr: HQ in N.D. California
- First Advantage and Sterling: HQ in N.D. Georgia
- RealPage: HQ in N.D. Texas
Which court is right depends on your facts. We'll tell you at your free case review.
Iowa laws that add to the FCRA
- Expungement after acquittal or dismissal (Iowa Code § 901C.2)
A court must expunge a criminal case in which all charges ended in acquittal or dismissal, after 180 days and payment of court costs, with exceptions such as dismissals tied to a deferred judgment. The expunged record becomes confidential. Read it - Misdemeanor expungement (Iowa Code § 901C.3)
A person convicted of an eligible misdemeanor may apply once to have it expunged after more than eight years, if there are no pending charges and all fines and costs are paid. Many offenses are excluded, and expunged convictions are removed from the state's criminal history files. Read it
Common background check errors
- Someone else's criminal or eviction record matched to you by name
- Dismissed, sealed or expunged cases still reported
- Charges reported as convictions, or misdemeanors as felonies
- The same case listed several times
- Eviction filings reported without the dismissal or outcome
Learn how these cases work on our background check lawsuits page, or read our lawsuit guides for Checkr, Sterling, HireRight, First Advantage, RealPage, SafeRent, RentGrow and TransUnion Rental Screening.
Frequently asked questions
Does Iowa have a ban-the-box law?
Iowa does not have a statewide ban-the-box law, so private employers may ask about criminal history on an application. If an employer uses a background check company, the federal FCRA still requires notice, your permission and a copy of the report before you are rejected.
Can an expunged Iowa case show up on a background check?
It should not. Iowa law makes expunged records confidential and removes expunged convictions from the state's criminal history files. Private screening companies sometimes keep old data, so if an expunged case appears you can dispute it, and continued reporting may violate the FCRA.
Are there Iowa rules for tenant screening reports?
Iowa does not have a separate tenant screening statute. Tenant screening companies are consumer reporting agencies under the federal FCRA, so they must report accurately and investigate disputes. A landlord that denies you based on a report must tell you which company supplied it.
How long do I have to file an FCRA lawsuit in Iowa?
FCRA deadlines are the same everywhere: generally two years from when you discover the violation, and no more than five years from when it happened (15 U.S.C. § 1681p). Waiting can cost you the claim.
Sources
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa
- Iowa Code § 714G.2 (security freeze)
- Iowa Code § 714G.3 (temporary suspension)
- Iowa Code § 714G.8 (freeze exceptions)
- Iowa Code § 901C.2 (expungement after acquittal or dismissal)
- Iowa Code § 901C.3 (misdemeanor expungement)
- NELP, Ban the Box / Fair Chance Hiring State and Local Guide
- Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.
Updated November 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.