Obligations United States Iowa
What a Iowa business has to have in writing
Iowa's standout written-policy requirement is its drug and alcohol testing statute: an employer may not test at all without first adopting a written policy and giving it to every employee.
Iowa also runs its own OSHA plan, has had a comprehensive consumer privacy law in force since January 2025, and requires insurance licensees with a workforce of 20 or more to certify a written security program each April. Construction contractors register with the Division of Labor at a low dollar threshold, and food establishments must keep a certified food protection manager.
Iowa has no state harassment training mandate, no pay transparency law and no paid leave statute, and no standalone biometric statute: biometric data is regulated only as sensitive data inside the consumer privacy law. State IT vendors face no Iowa cloud certification programme.
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Cover Iowa the Modern WayEvery policy Iowa makes you write, acknowledged by name
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Approve it, lock the version
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Every employee in Iowa on record
Who read which version, and when
03
Walk into any state inspection with the trail
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What applies
Iowa rules for a 15–19 person general business
State law only. The federal layer every employer carries sits on the business-type pages below. Each row names what you must write, post, file or certify, who enforces it, and links to the state authority.
Breach Notification 1Who you must tell after a data breach, and how fast
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Personal Information Security Breach ProtectionAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 715CAny person who owns or licenses computerized personal information about Iowa residents, including paper records in some circumstancesDistribute
Notice
Write and send notice to affected Iowa consumers in the most expeditious manner possible and without unreasonable delay, no later than five business days after giving the required notice to the Attorney General; when more than 500 Iowa residents are affected, file a written report with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division within five business days of notifying consumers.
From the first employee
Iowa Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division
Consumer Privacy Law 1Rights, notices and assessments for consumer data
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Iowa Consumer Data Protection ActAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 715D (Senate File 262, 2023)Businesses operating in Iowa or targeting Iowa residents that, in a calendar year, control or process personal data of 100,000+ Iowa consumers, or 25,000+ consumers while getting more than half of gross revenue from selling personal dataWrite
Written policy
Publish a clear privacy notice covering the categories of personal data processed, the purposes, how consumers exercise their rights, what is shared and with whom, and whether personal data is sold; give consumers a way to opt out of data sales and targeted advertising; get consent or offer an opt-out before processing sensitive data; put required terms in processor contracts; and answer consumer access, deletion and portability requests within 90 days.
From the first employee
Iowa Attorney General (exclusive; 90-day cure period)
Workplace Safety Programs 1Written programs the state safety agency requires beyond federal OSHA
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Act (Iowa OSHA State Plan)AI-compiledIowa Code ch. 88; 875 Iowa Admin. CodeAll private-sector and state and local government employers in IowaWrite
Written program
Follow the standards Iowa OSHA adopts, which mirror federal OSHA with Iowa-specific additions; post the Iowa OSHA safety and health poster, keep OSHA 300 injury and illness records where required, post the 300A summary annually, and report fatalities and serious hospitalizations. Written programs are required where the underlying standard calls for one, such as hazard communication, lockout/tagout and confined spaces.
From the first employee
Iowa OSHA, Iowa Division of Labor (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing)
Insurance Data Security 1The written security program insurance licensees must certify
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Insurance Data SecurityAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 507FInsurance licensees regulated by the Iowa Insurance Division; licensees with a workforce under 20 people, under $5M gross annual revenue and under $10M in year-end assets are exempt, and HIPAA-covered licensees certify that insteadCertify
Certification
Build and keep a written information security program based on a risk assessment, with designated responsibility, third-party service provider oversight, a written incident response plan and annual reporting to the board; Iowa-domiciled insurers file the annual certification form with the Commissioner by April 15, and every licensee must notify the Commissioner of a cybersecurity event within three business days.
20+ employees
Iowa Insurance Division
Required Postings 1The notices every workplace in the state must display
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Required workplace postersAI-compiledIowa Code chs. 88 (safety), 91A (wage payment), 92 (child labor), 96 (unemployment), 85 (workers' compensation)Every Iowa employerPost
Posting
Display the Division of Labor's required poster set, which covers Iowa OSHA, wage payment, child labor, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation, where employees can see it.
From the first employee
Iowa Division of Labor; Iowa Workforce Development
Licensing and Certifications 4Registrations, licences and certifications a business or its staff must hold
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Business entity registration (Secretary of State)AI-compiledIowa Code ch. 490 (corporations); ch. 489 (LLCs); ch. 547 (trade names)Any corporation, LLC, LP, nonprofit or out-of-state entity doing business in IowaFile
Filing / record
File formation or foreign registration documents with the Secretary of State's Business Services division through Fast Track Filing, appoint an Iowa registered agent, and file the biennial report in the required year to stay in good standing.
From the first employee
Iowa Secretary of State, Business Services Division
Sales and use tax permit and withholding registrationAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 423 (sales and use tax); ch. 422 (withholding)Any business making taxable retail sales in Iowa or paying wages to Iowa employees, including remote sellers meeting the economic nexus thresholdFile
Filing / record
Register with the Department of Revenue for a sales tax permit and a withholding permit before doing business, display the permit at the business location, and file returns and remit tax on the assigned schedule.
From the first employee
Iowa Department of Revenue
Construction contractor registrationAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 91CAny contractor, in state or out of state, that earns at least $2,000 in a calendar year from construction work in IowaFile
Filing / record
Register with the Iowa Division of Labor before working, renew every year, carry unemployment insurance and workers' compensation coverage, and, for out-of-state contractors, post the required bond. The registration number must appear on bids and contracts.
From the first employee
Iowa Division of Labor, Contractor Registration
Food establishment license and certified food protection managerAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 137F; 481 Iowa Admin. Code chs. 30-31Restaurants, groceries, mobile food units, caterers and other food establishments; prepackaged-only sellers, temporary establishments and certain bars are exempt from the manager requirementCertify
Certification
Get a food establishment license before opening and renew it each year, pass inspections, and employ at least one certified food protection manager who passed an accredited exam; keep the certificate at the establishment and have a person in charge on duty during operating hours.
From the first employee
Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Food and Consumer Safety; contracted local health departments
Other Written Policies 4Any other document the state makes an employer write or hand out
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Private sector drug and alcohol testingAI-compiledIowa Code § 730.5Any private employer in Iowa that wants to test employees or applicants for drugs or alcoholWrite
Written policy
Adopt a written testing policy before any testing happens and give a copy to every employee (and make it available to applicants). The policy must set out who may be tested and on what basis, the sanctions for a confirmed positive, and the rehabilitation options. Employers with 50 or more employees must also give employees information about an employee assistance program, and supervisors who decide on reasonable-suspicion tests need documented training. Testing must use uniform selection, a certified laboratory, confirmatory testing and a written notice of results with a right to a second test.
From the first employee
Iowa Division of Labor; private civil action by employees
Wage payment notice and written benefit policiesAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 91A (Wage Payment Collection Law)Every Iowa employerDistribute + ack
Notice
Tell each new employee in writing the wage rate, pay period and regular payday, and give notice before any change; provide employees a written statement of earnings and deductions each payday; and make the employer's written vacation, sick leave and other benefit policies available to employees, since unpaid accrued benefits count as wages under Iowa law.
From the first employee
Iowa Division of Labor, Wage and Hour
Child labor permits and hour limitsAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 92Any Iowa employer that hires workers under 18File
Filing / record
Get and keep on file a work permit for each minor employee where the statute requires one, follow the hour, night-work and prohibited-occupation limits for 14 to 17 year olds, keep the required time and payroll records for minors, and post the child labor notice.
From the first employee
Iowa Division of Labor
New hire reportingAI-compiledIowa Code ch. 252GEvery Iowa employerFile
Filing / record
Report each newly hired, rehired or returning employee to the Centralized Employee Registry within 15 days of the start date, with employer and employee identifying information.
From the first employee
Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Child Support Services
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Add the federal layer
Your business type, with Iowa on top
Small businessFederal + industry, with Iowa on topConstruction contractorsFederal + industry, with Iowa on topHealthcare practicesFederal + industry, with Iowa on topFood and beverage businessesFederal + industry, with Iowa on topTax and accounting firmsFederal + industry, with Iowa on topRegistered investment advisersFederal + industry, with Iowa on topInsurance agenciesFederal + industry, with Iowa on topRetail and e-commerceFederal + industry, with Iowa on topTrucking and logistics carriersFederal + industry, with Iowa on topNonprofitsFederal + industry, with Iowa on topFederal contractorsFederal + industry, with Iowa on top
Other states
The same index for another state
Alabama12Alaska12Arizona11Arkansas14California20Colorado18Connecticut17Delaware17District of Columbia12Florida15Georgia13Hawaii16Idaho13Illinois19Indiana16Kansas11Kentucky14Louisiana13Maine14Maryland19Massachusetts16Michigan15Minnesota19Mississippi11Missouri12Montana15Nebraska13Nevada18New Hampshire13New Jersey19New Mexico13New York17North Carolina12North Dakota13Ohio13Oklahoma11Oregon19Pennsylvania12Rhode Island13South Carolina12South Dakota11Tennessee14Texas15Utah13Vermont17Virginia17Washington21West Virginia14Wisconsin15Wyoming13
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Sources
Iowa Attorney General - Security Breach NotificationsIowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 715C (PDF)Iowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 715D (PDF)Iowa Attorney General - Consumer ProtectionIowa Insurance Division - Data Security Act and Cybersecurity EventsIowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 507F (PDF)Iowa Legislature - Iowa Code § 507F.4 (PDF)Iowa Division of Labor - Iowa OSHAOSHA - Iowa State PlanIowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 88 (PDF)Iowa Division of Labor - Required PostersIowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and LicensingIowa Legislature - Iowa Code § 730.5 (PDF)Iowa Division of LaborIowa Division of Labor - Wage Payment CollectionIowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 91A (PDF)Iowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 92 (PDF)Iowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 252G (PDF)Iowa Department of RevenueIowa Secretary of State - Business ServicesIowa Secretary of State - Fast Track FilingIowa Department of Revenue - tax portalIowa Division of Labor - Contractor RegistrationIowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 91C (PDF)Iowa DIAL - Food Establishments and HotelsIowa Legislature - Iowa Code chapter 137F (PDF)Iowa DIAL - Food Resources