What must a home seller disclose in Iowa?

Who has to give the statement?

Chapter 558A applies to a “transfer” of real estate that has “at least one but not more than four dwelling units” (§ 558A.1). The duty falls on the person transferring the property, or on the broker or salesperson acting for that person. A seller who sells without an agent is covered too.

The statement is the seller’s, not the agent’s. The state’s sample form says the disclosures “are made by the seller(s) and not by any agent acting on behalf of the seller(s).” A listing agent must get a signed, dated copy from each seller when the listing is taken, and must keep the completed statement for at least five years after a closing (481—2014.1(2)).

When and how must it be delivered?

Section 558A.2 sets two rules:

• Timing. The statement must reach the buyer before the seller makes a written offer or accepts one.
• Method. Delivery is by personal delivery, certified or registered mail, or electronic delivery. Electronic delivery counts only when the buyer or the buyer’s agent acknowledges receipt in writing. A return email, a text or a signed copy works; an automatic read receipt does not (481—2014.1(6)).

If the statement is not delivered on time, the buyer “may withdraw the offer or revoke the acceptance without liability.” The window is 3 days after personal delivery, or 5 days after delivery by mail or electronically.

Example: a buyer’s offer is accepted on a Monday and the seller’s agent emails the statement on Thursday, and the buyer confirms receipt that day. Because delivery was electronic, the buyer can walk away without liability for five days from delivery.

What does the statement cover?

Iowa does not force one exact form. The Real Estate Commission’s rule, now codified at 481—2014.1(7), lists the minimum content and recommends a sample called the Residential Property Seller Disclosure Statement. It has 20 numbered items. Sellers answer yes or no on each, and explain every “yes.”

• Systems and structure: basement or foundation water problems, roof problems and repairs, sewer, heating, central cooling, plumbing and electrical, with repair dates.
• Pests and damage: infestation such as termites or carpenter ants, treatment dates, and any structural damage.
• Hazards: asbestos, known radon tests (date and results), lead-based paint, and whether the property is in a flood plain.
• Lead water service lines: whether any lead service line is, or has ever been, present. This item was added to the sample form by a rule effective April 22, 2026, and § 558A.4 now names lead service lines in the statute (effective January 1, 2026).
• Land and neighbors: zoning, restrictive covenants, shared walls, fences or driveways, common areas, and any homeowners’ association.
• Physical problems: settling, flooding, drainage or grading problems.
• Well and septic: known problems, water tests, tank location and the date the tank was last cleaned.

The seller must also acknowledge that the buyer received the “Iowa Radon Home-Buyers and Sellers Fact Sheet” from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The form is not a warranty and does not replace an inspection (see our home inspection guide).

Which sales are exempt?

Section 558A.1(7) excludes these transfers:

One catch: the fiduciary exemption does not apply when the fiduciary is a living person who lived in the home at any time in the twelve months before the transfer. The list does not mention new construction or “as-is” sales, so the statute itself gives no exemption for them.

What if the seller does not know, or gets it wrong?

A seller may approximate when a fact is unknown after a “reasonable effort,” but must label it an approximation (§ 558A.3). The statement must be amended if it becomes inaccurate, unless a later event caused the change or the information came from a public agency.

A violator is liable to the buyer for actual damages. But a seller or agent is not liable for an error “unless that person has actual knowledge of the inaccuracy, or fails to exercise ordinary care in obtaining the information” (§ 558A.6). A missed disclosure does not undo the sale: § 558A.8 says a transfer is not invalidated solely for noncompliance.

A 2026 change on inspection reports

Since July 1, 2026, § 558A.4A(5) gives the seller a narrower right to the buyer’s inspection report. The seller may ask the buyer for the portions that relate to the buyer’s remediation requests. If the buyer does not provide them, the seller may cancel the purchase contract without penalty (Senate File 2448, § 3).

The federal lead-based paint rule (homes built before 1978)

For most housing built before 1978, sellers and their agents must, before the buyer is bound:

1. give the EPA pamphlet Protect Your Family From Lead In Your Home;
2. disclose known lead-based paint or hazards and hand over available reports;
3. include a Lead Warning Statement in the contract;
4. allow 10 days for a paint inspection or risk assessment (the parties can change it in writing, and the buyer can waive it);
5. keep signed disclosures for three years after the sale (40 CFR § 745.113).

EPA lists foreclosure sales and housing certified lead-free among the exemptions. For the purchase steps, see our home buying guide.