Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Iowa?
Yes. Iowa has no statewide law requiring landlords to accept housing vouchers, and its cities and counties cannot require it either: a city or county may not adopt or enforce an ordinance that prohibits a landlord from refusing to rent to a person because the person uses a federal Housing Choice Voucher. Federal law leaves the voucher program voluntary for most landlords, but a property financed with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits may not refuse a tenant because they hold a voucher. This is Iowa Code §§ 364.3(16), 331.304(13).
| What | Iowa |
|---|---|
| Renting to a voucher holder | Not protected; local protections barred |
| What the state law does | Bars cities and counties from protecting vouchers |
Source
Iowa Code §§ 364.3(16), 331.304(13)
Read the statute in the Iowa Code (Iowa Legislature): legis.iowa.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
This page states whether the state protects renters who pay with a housing voucher, so a listing and its screening rules can be checked against it before they are published. Seayora’s rental search assistant never filters homes by how a renter will pay the rent.
Guides on this rule
- Renting to Section 8 Tenants: A Landlord’s Guide to Vouchers — How the Housing Choice Voucher program works for landlords: the HAP contract, inspections and the 2027 NSPIRE change, rent reasonableness, and who pays what.
- Tenant Screening: What Landlords Need to Know — How to screen rental applicants fairly and legally: credit and background checks, consistent criteria, the FCRA’s adverse action notice and fair housing.
- The Fair Housing Act: A Landlord’s Plain-English Guide — The seven protected classes, what the Fair Housing Act prohibits, the small-landlord exemptions, advertising rules, deadlines and penalties, with citations.
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The same question in other states
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine