IOWA
How to Clear Your Criminal Record
in Iowa
A free, plain English guide to Iowa expungement — one lifetime misdemeanor expungement after 8 years, automatic deferred judgment expungement, dismissal/acquittal expungement, and what felony convictions mean for your options under Iowa Code Chapter 901C.
What You Need to Know First
Iowa cannot expunge felony convictions — ever. Iowa law does not allow expungement of any felony conviction regardless of how much time has passed, how clean your record is since, or how minor the felony was. If you have a felony conviction, the deferred judgment pathway (if available at original sentencing) or an executive pardon are the only options. This is one of Iowa's most significant limitations.
No filing fee — court forms are free. Iowa's expungement process has no court filing fee. The Iowa Courts website provides free official forms. Many Iowans successfully file for expungement on their own without an attorney. Iowa Legal Aid also provides free assistance for those who qualify.
Iowa criminal records are largely public by default. The Iowa Court electronic records system is searchable online by anyone, for free. Most adult criminal records — including arrests, charges, and dispositions — are publicly accessible. Expungement removes a record from public access, but does not physically destroy it — the record is segregated to a secure non-public area.
Iowa has four pathways for clearing a criminal record depending on how your case was resolved.
Deferred Judgment — Automatic
§ 907.9 — AUTOMATIC AFTER JULY 1, 2013
Iowa's most powerful pathway. Plead guilty, complete probation, pay all costs — the conviction record and any dismissed counts are automatically expunged. After July 1, 2013, automatic — no petition needed. Before July 1, 2013, must apply. Must be arranged at original sentencing.
Misdemeanor Conviction — 8 Years
§ 901C.3 — ONCE IN A LIFETIME
Iowa's only pathway for adult conviction expungement. One misdemeanor conviction expunged per lifetime. Must be 8+ years since conviction, no pending charges, all fines paid. Many misdemeanor categories excluded. File a petition in the county of conviction. Free forms available.
Dismissal / Acquittal
§ 901C.2 — 180-DAY WAIT, ALL COUNTS
For cases where all charges were dismissed or resulted in acquittal. Must wait 180 days (court may waive for good cause). All court costs paid. Covers felony and misdemeanor cases alike. All counts in the case must qualify — one remaining conviction blocks the whole case.
Public Intoxication / Minor Consumption
§ 123.46 / 123.47 — SPECIAL PATHWAY
Public intoxication and underage alcohol possession/consumption convictions have their own expungement pathway separate from § 901C.3. These do not count toward the one-lifetime misdemeanor limit. Check Iowa Code § 123 for specific requirements.
Deferred Judgment — Iowa's Best Tool
A deferred judgment under Iowa Code § 907 is the closest thing to a clean slate Iowa offers for conviction-level cases. The court defers entry of judgment while you serve probation. Upon successful completion and payment of all costs, the record of the conviction and any related dismissed counts are expunged — automatically for deferrals after July 1, 2013. You can legally deny the conviction on most applications. This must be arranged at sentencing — not after a conviction is entered.
You cannot have more than two deferred judgments in your lifetime. Iowa limits deferred judgments to two per person. If you have already had two deferred judgments granted, you are not eligible for a third — and having two prior deferred judgments also bars you from the § 901C.3 misdemeanor expungement. Plan carefully if you have prior deferred judgments.
Misdemeanor Conviction Expungement — § 901C.3
Once in a lifetime — use it wisely. You can only expunge one misdemeanor conviction in your entire lifetime under § 901C.3. If you have multiple misdemeanor convictions, decide carefully which one most affects your life before filing. Once used, this option is gone permanently.
ELIGIBLE FOR § 901C.3 EXPUNGEMENT
- Any misdemeanor conviction not on the excluded list
- 8+ years since date of conviction
- No pending criminal charges
- Fewer than two prior deferred judgments
- All court costs, fees, fines, and restitution paid in full
- Not found incompetent to stand trial in the case
- Conviction occurred on or after July 1, 2019 OR before (law applies retroactively)
EXCLUDED FROM § 901C.3
- Any felony conviction — ever
- OWI / DUI convictions (§ 321J.2)
- Domestic abuse assault (§ 708.2A)
- Assault causing bodily injury (§ 708.2, subsection 3)
- Harassment (§ 708.7)
- Stalking (§ 708.11)
- Involuntary manslaughter (§ 707.5)
- Sex offenses (§ 692A.101)
- Public intoxication (§ 123.46) — separate pathway applies
- OWI-related license offenses (§§ 321.218, 321A.32, 321J.21)
- Pending charges at time of application
Waiting Periods
Deferred judgment completion (after July 1, 2013)
Automatic
Acquittal / dismissal (all counts) — after costs paid
180 days
Misdemeanor conviction — § 901C.3
8 years
How to File — Step by Step
1
Request Your Iowa Criminal History
Request your Iowa criminal history from the Iowa Department of Public Safety Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) at
stateofiowa.seamlessdocs.com. The request costs $15. Review every charge, disposition, and date. Confirm which offenses are on your record, the exact conviction date, and whether all costs and fees have been paid in full before filing.
2
Download the Free Iowa Court Expungement Forms
Get the free official expungement application forms from the Iowa Courts website at
iowacourts.gov. There are separate forms for misdemeanor conviction expungement (§ 901C.3) and for dismissal/acquittal expungement (§ 901C.2). No filing fee is charged — Iowa courts do not charge a fee to file expungement applications.
3
File in the County Where You Were Convicted
File your application in the Iowa District Court in the county where the conviction or dismissed charge occurred. The court shall enter an order expunging the record "as a matter of law" if you prove all eligibility requirements — the judge has no discretion to deny a qualifying § 901C.3 misdemeanor expungement. For § 901C.2 dismissal expungements, the 180-day waiting period may be waived for good cause such as identity theft or mistaken identity.
4
Order Issued — DCI Record Updated
When the court enters an expungement order, the clerk notifies the Iowa DCI. The DCI removes the conviction from the criminal history data files maintained by the Department of Public Safety. The record becomes a confidential record exempt from public access under Iowa Code § 22.7. The record still exists in a segregated secure area but is not released to the public.
Helpful Resources
FREE LEGAL HELP
Iowa Legal Aid
Free civil legal help for low-income Iowans — including expungement guidance, free forms, and attorney assistance
iowalegalaid.org →
FREE LEGAL HELP
Iowa State Bar Association — Volunteer Lawyers Project
Pro bono legal help for low-income Iowans — contact for expungement assistance and attorney referrals
iowabar.org/VLP →
HOUSING, FOOD & BENEFITS
findhelp.org
Search thousands of free and reduced-cost programs for housing, food, work, and more in your area
findhelp.org →
JOB SEARCH HELP
American Job Centers
Free job search assistance, resume help, and training — including resources for people with records
careeronestop.org →
SELF-HELP
Iowa Courts Online — EDMS
Iowa's electronic court filing system — file expungement applications online using official free forms
iowacourts.gov →
COURT RECORDS
Iowa Court Information System (ICIS)
Look up Iowa court records online — verify your case information and disposition before filing
iowacourts.state.ia.us →
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a felony be expunged in Iowa? +
No — Iowa law does not allow expungement of any felony conviction under any circumstances. There is no waiting period that makes a felony expungeable, no program that opens the door, and no pathway regardless of how long ago the conviction was or how clean your record has been since. The only exceptions involve felony cases that were dismissed or resulted in acquittal (§ 901C.2), or felony deferred judgments that were successfully completed (§ 907.9) — in both cases, no conviction was ever entered. If you have a felony conviction on your record, a governor's pardon is the only available relief.
What is a deferred judgment and how does it lead to expungement? +
A deferred judgment in Iowa means the court defers — postpones — the formal entry of a judgment of guilt while you serve a probationary period and meet court-ordered conditions. If you successfully complete probation and pay all associated costs, the court then expunges the record of the conviction and any related dismissed counts. For deferrals completed after July 1, 2013, this happens automatically — no petition needed. This is Iowa's most powerful record relief tool because it results in an actual expungement of a conviction. However, it must be arranged at original sentencing by the court — you cannot go back and get a deferred judgment after a conviction has been entered.
Can I expunge my OWI (DUI) conviction in Iowa? +
No — OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) convictions under Iowa Code § 321J.2 are explicitly excluded from the § 901C.3 misdemeanor expungement. Related license suspension offenses under §§ 321.218, 321A.32, and 321J.21 are also excluded. There is no pathway to expunge an OWI conviction in Iowa. If your OWI charge was dismissed or resulted in acquittal, you can apply for expungement of the case record under § 901C.2 after 180 days.
The court "shall" enter the order — does that mean it's guaranteed? +
Yes — Iowa's § 901C.3 says the court "shall enter an order expunging the record… as a matter of law" if you prove all the required elements. This means expungement is mandatory — not discretionary — when all criteria are met. The judge cannot decide not to grant a qualifying misdemeanor expungement based on the nature of the offense or other factors. This is significantly stronger than states where expungement is at the judge's discretion. If you clearly meet all the requirements, you should receive your expungement.
My case was dismissed but it's still showing on the Iowa court website. What do I do? +
Iowa's criminal court records are public by default and visible online. A dismissal does not automatically remove the record from public view — you must file for expungement under § 901C.2. After 180 days from dismissal (or acquittal), with all court costs paid, you can file the free petition in the county of the dismissed case. The 180-day wait can be waived by the court for good cause such as identity theft or mistaken identity. Once the expungement order is entered, the clerk removes it from public access and the DCI updates its records.
Do I need an attorney? +
Not required — Iowa provides free official forms with no filing fee, and Iowa Legal Aid has detailed free guides. Since the § 901C.3 misdemeanor expungement is mandatory when all criteria are met, many Iowans successfully file on their own. For dismissal expungements (§ 901C.2), the process is also straightforward. Iowa Legal Aid can assist those who qualify for free. For complex situations — multiple cases, questions about deferred judgment eligibility, or understanding which misdemeanor to expunge given the once-in-a-lifetime limit — consulting an Iowa attorney is worthwhile.
After Your Record Is Expunged
After expungement in Iowa, the record is removed from public access and the DCI updates its criminal history files. The record still exists in a secure non-public area but is not released to the public without a court order.
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Employment
Expunged records are removed from the Iowa Court public online system and from DCI criminal history files. Standard background checks will not show expunged records. You can legally deny the conviction on most employment and housing applications. Iowa has ban-the-box protections for public employment limiting when employers can ask about criminal history.
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Background Check Databases
The Iowa DCI removes expunged records from its criminal history data files upon receiving court notice. The Iowa public court records system (ICIS) removes the record from public access. Private background check companies sourcing their own databases may still have old data. Keep your expungement order and dispute any records that still appear.
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Record Still Exists — Not Destroyed
Iowa expungement means the record is segregated to a secure non-public area — it is not physically destroyed. The record can be accessed by court order. Law enforcement retains access for legitimate purposes. This is important to understand: "expunged" in Iowa means "not publicly accessible," not "permanently deleted."
For general information about what changes after expungement — including housing, employment resources, and more — visit our After Expungement page.
This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change — always verify current requirements with your county court clerk or a licensed attorney in your state before filing.
