If you are selling or renting a home built before 1978 in Iowa, federal and state law require you to tell the buyer or tenant what you know about lead-based paint in the property before they sign. The Iowa lead-based paint disclosure requirements combine the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (Title X), enforced by the EPA and HUD, with Iowa’s own seller disclosure statute and lead program rules. Together they set out what you hand over, when, and what it costs to skip a step.
What Sellers Must Give the Buyer
Before a buyer becomes bound by a purchase contract for a pre-1978 Iowa home, the seller has to do five things:
- Disclose any known lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in the property, including where they are and their condition.
- Provide copies of any inspection reports, risk assessments, or other records the seller has about lead-based paint in the home.
- Give the buyer the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home. The EPA released an updated January 2026 edition reflecting new dust-lead action levels that took effect January 12, 2026. Older versions may still be used if a supplemental sheet accompanies them.1EPA. Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home — Real Estate Disclosure
- Include the federally mandated Lead Warning Statement in the contract or attach it as an addendum, written in the same language as the rest of the contract.2EPA. Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule — Section 1018 of Title X
- Allow the buyer at least 10 days to hire a certified inspector and have the property tested before they are bound by the contract. The parties may agree in writing to shorten or extend that window, and the buyer may waive the inspection in writing.3eCFR. 24 CFR Part 35, Subpart A
On top of the federal package, Iowa’s Residential Property Seller Disclosure Statement, required under Iowa Code Chapter 558A, contains a specific line item asking whether lead-based paint is known to be present in the structure.4Iowa Legislature. Iowa Administrative Code Rule 193E-14.1 Iowa law is explicit that the state form does not replace the federal disclosures. Both apply.5Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 558A
What Landlords Must Give the Tenant
Landlords of pre-1978 Iowa rentals carry the same core federal duties as sellers. Before the tenant signs a lease, the landlord must disclose known lead-based paint information, provide any available records, hand over the EPA pamphlet, and include the Lead Warning Statement in the lease or as an attachment.6EPA. Real Estate Disclosures About Potential Lead Hazards There is no mandatory inspection period for renters; the 10-day window is a buyer-only right.
Renewals are lighter. If no new lead-based paint information has come to light since the last disclosure, a simple lease renewal does not trigger a fresh round of paperwork. If new information exists, the landlord must share it and provide the pamphlet again.7EPA. Am I Required to Give EPA Pamphlet to Existing Tenants Iowa’s lead program adds that leases must include a lead-based paint disclosure form unless an Iowa-certified inspector has confirmed in writing that the property is free of lead-based paint.8Iowa DIAL. Lead Poisoning — How to Protect Iowa Families
When the Rules Don’t Apply
Some properties and transactions fall outside the federal disclosure rule:
- Housing built in 1978 or later.
- Zero-bedroom units such as efficiencies, lofts, and dormitories, unless a child under six lives or is expected to live there.
- Short-term leases of 100 days or less with no renewal provision.
- Housing designated for the elderly or persons with disabilities, unless a child under six resides or is expected to reside there.
- Foreclosure sales.
- Properties certified lead-free by a qualified inspector.2EPA. Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule — Section 1018 of Title X
Getting a Property Certified Lead-Free in Iowa
Iowa recognizes a lead-free exemption, but the bar to qualify is specific. The inspection must be done by a certified lead inspector/risk assessor or a certified elevated blood lead (EBL) inspector/risk assessor. The inspector has to test paint in every room and on all exterior sides using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) or laboratory analysis with the required quality-control protocols.9Cornell Law Institute. Iowa Administrative Code Rule 641-70.6
Enclosing or encapsulating lead-based paint doesn’t count; the paint has to be gone. Components replaced after December 31, 1977, can be excluded from testing if the owner produces documentation such as building permits, receipts, or a signed certification under penalty of perjury. The inspector’s written report must state that no lead at or above 1.0 mg/cm² was found and include the methodology, testing locations, and calibration data. The report goes to the owner within three weeks of the lab results, and the inspector keeps it on file for at least three years.9Cornell Law Institute. Iowa Administrative Code Rule 641-70.6
Lead Service Line Disclosure
Effective January 1, 2026, Iowa requires sellers to disclose the presence of lead service lines as part of the Chapter 558A property disclosure statement. The statute defines a lead service line as a service line made of lead, and it treats galvanized lines as lead service lines if they are or ever were downstream of a lead or unknown-material line. A service line is the pipe connecting the water main to the building’s interior plumbing, including the pipe from the main to the water meter.5Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 558A
Keeping the Paperwork
Signed disclosure and acknowledgment forms must be retained for at least three years: from the date of sale for sellers and their agents, and from the start of the lease for landlords and their agents.3eCFR. 24 CFR Part 35, Subpart A The EPA conducts periodic, unannounced compliance checks and can fine real estate professionals for missing or incomplete records.10National Association of REALTORS. Lead-Based Paint
Electronic delivery is allowed, but the recipient has to give affirmative consent, be told they can receive paper copies instead, be told how to withdraw consent, and have full access to the electronic records.6EPA. Real Estate Disclosures About Potential Lead Hazards
Penalties for Getting It Wrong
Federal civil penalties for a knowing violation run up to $11,000 per violation. HUD has taken the position that a single transaction can involve as many as 11 separate violations, so the exposure from one botched sale or lease can exceed $100,000. The property owner and the managing agent can each be penalized separately for violations in the same transaction.11eCFR. 24 CFR Part 35, Subpart A — Enforcement
Buyers and tenants can also sue. If they prove a knowing violation, a court may award treble damages (three times actual harm), court costs, reasonable attorney fees, and expert witness fees.11eCFR. 24 CFR Part 35, Subpart A — Enforcement Knowing or willful violations can carry criminal sanctions of up to $25,000 per day and up to one year of imprisonment. Under the Alternative Fines Act, individual criminal fines can reach $100,000 and organizations can face up to $200,000 per count. HUD can also seek injunctive relief in federal court.12EPA. Section 1018 Enforcement Response and Penalty Policy
A Separate Rule for Renovation Work
The sale and lease disclosures above are not the same as Iowa’s pre-renovation notification. If work will disturb painted surfaces in a pre-1978 home or child-occupied facility, landlords, contractors, and property managers must give occupants the state booklet Lead Poisoning: How to Protect Iowa Families and a state-specific notification form before work begins. That form is different from the one used at sale or lease, and larger jobs trigger additional certification and lead-safe work-practice requirements.13Iowa DIAL. Lead-Safe Renovation and Prerenovation Notification If you’re planning renovation work in addition to a sale or a new tenancy, both sets of paperwork apply.