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Iowa Code §414.1(2) — Short-Term Rental Preemption (Residential Use Classification) (IA)

Tracked preemption from the Iowa overlay bundle.

Overview

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Effective
2020-07-01
Sunset
—
Authority
state
Scope
state:IA
Other Iowa preemptions
Iowa SF 592 (2025) — Statewide Accessory Dwelling Unit By-Right MandateIowa Code §459.310 — Master Matrix CAFO Siting ScorecardIowa Code Ch. 161D — Loess Hills Development and Conservation Authority + AllianceIowa Code §414.28 / §335.30 — Manufactured Home Zoning Parity MandateIowa Code Ch. 303 — State Historical Society / SHPO Review + Local Historic Preservation CommissionsIowa Code §352.6 — Agricultural Area Designation + Right-to-Farm Nuisance ProtectionIowa Code Ch. 455B + 567 IAC 71 — Floodplain Development Approval (DNR Flood Plain Program)Iowa Code Ch. 461A + 571 IAC 13 — Sovereign Lands Construction Permits

Trigger predicate

When this evaluates true for a parcel, the law's preempted fields take precedence over base zoning.

AND
  • parcel.is_dwelling == True
  • rental.term_days ≤ 30

Preempted fields

3 fields on the base district schema are rewritten when the trigger fires.

FieldOpValueNote
base_districts[category=res_sf].allowed_usesaddshort_term_rentalSTR property must be classified as a residential land use for zoning purposes; a city/county SHALL NOT prohibit a dwelling from being offered as an STR.
base_districts[category=res_mf].allowed_usesaddshort_term_rental
zoning_ordinance.str_specific_permit_or_feewaive—Cannot require an STR-specific license, permit, or fee beyond what applies to similar residential properties. Enforcement on nuisance, noise, occupancy-by-bedroom-count, parking, trash, and building/fire code is preserved when applied uniformly to comparable non-STR residences.

Citation

Authority source
Iowa Code §414.1(2) (cities) and parallel ch. 335 provision (counties), enacted via HF 2641 (88th GA, 2020).
§ §414.1(2); HF 2641 enrolled (2020)
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/414.1.pdf

Research notes

Use-class preemption — STR-as-residential. Narrow public health/safety/welfare carveout (interpreted narrowly per ISU Extension BLUZ 2020 commentary). Lodging-tax obligations under Iowa hotel/motel tax law remain separate from §414.1(2). Pre-2020 city STR ordinances that prohibit or impose STR-specific permits are facially unenforceable post-enactment.