Statute of Limitations in Iowa

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Iowa? In Iowa, the statute of limitations is 2 years for personal injury, 10 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation; most other civil claims fall between 2 and 10 years. Every period below is linked to its official Iowa statute.

2 yrs injury 10 yrs contracts 2 yrs defamation Official citations Verified Jun 13, 2026

This tool provides estimates for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Limitation periods depend on discovery rules, tolling, statutes of repose, and the specific facts. Always verify against the cited statute or consult a Iowa attorney.

Iowa statute of limitations by claim type

Every Iowa civil deadline below is quoted from the statute and linked to its official text. Verified Jun 13, 2026 against the official Iowa statutes (legis.iowa.gov).

Iowa statute of limitations by claim type
Claim type	Limitation period	Statute	Notes
Personal injury	2 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(2)
Wrongful death	2 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(2)	2-year injury/death period
Written contract	10 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(5)
Oral contract	5 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(4)
Property damage	5 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(4)
Medical malpractice	2 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(9)	2 yrs from knowledge of injury; 6-year repose
Defamation (libel/slander)	2 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(2)
Debt collection	10 years	Iowa Code § 614.1(5)

Enter a date of incident in the lookup above to estimate your exact filing deadline and add a reminder to your calendar.

Iowa deadlines at a glance

In Iowa, civil filing deadlines run from 2 years (personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice and defamation) to 10 years (written contract and debt collection). Its 2 years personal-injury deadline is in line with most states.

Several Iowa claims carry specific accrual, discovery, or repose rules worth noting:

Wrongful death (2 years): 2-year injury/death period (Iowa Code § 614.1(2)).
Medical malpractice (2 years): 2 yrs from knowledge of injury; 6-year repose (Iowa Code § 614.1(9)).

New to limitation periods? Read what a statute of limitations is: how the clock accrues, the discovery rule, and tolling.

The most-searched Iowa deadlines

Personal injury & car accidents: 2 years. Injury claims must be filed within 2 years of the incident (Iowa Code § 614.1(2)).
Debt: 10 years. Most debt is time-barred after 10 years (Iowa Code § 614.1(5)). A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so respond to a collector with a validation or dispute letter. Find a letter template →
Defamation: 2 years. Libel and slander (Iowa Code § 614.1(2)).
Contracts: 10 years. Written agreements (Iowa Code § 614.1(5)).

Count the exact filing date

A limitation period gives you the year; the deadline calculator counts the precise date (answer windows, court days, and holidays included) and exports it to your calendar.

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Statute of limitations in other states

Limitation periods differ in every state. Browse the full 50-state lookup, or jump to a nearby state.

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Nearby states: Illinois · Minnesota · Missouri · Nebraska · South Dakota · Wisconsin

Iowa statute of limitations FAQ

How long do you have to file a lawsuit in Iowa?

It depends on the claim. In Iowa, personal injury is 2 years (Iowa Code § 614.1(2)); written contract is 10 years (Iowa Code § 614.1(5)); defamation is 2 years (Iowa Code § 614.1(2)). See the table above for every claim type, each linked to its official statute.

What is the statute of limitations in Iowa?

A statute of limitations is the legal deadline to start a lawsuit, and in Iowa it varies by claim type: 2 years for personal injury, 10 years for written contracts and 2 years for defamation, with most other civil claims between 2 and 10 years. The clock generally starts when the claim accrues. Every period is linked to its official Iowa statute above.

What is the statute of limitations for a car accident in Iowa?

A car-accident injury claim is a personal injury claim, so the Iowa deadline is 2 years from the date of the accident under Iowa Code § 614.1(2).

What is the statute of limitations on debt in Iowa?

In Iowa, most debt has a statute of limitations of 10 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(5). After it expires the debt is time-barred and a collector generally cannot win a lawsuit to force payment. A payment or written acknowledgment can restart the clock, so be careful on an old debt.

What is the statute of limitations for medical malpractice in Iowa?

2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(9) (2 yrs from knowledge of injury; 6-year repose).

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