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SF 2369IOWASession 2025-2026State BillSigned into law

Enacted

Iowa law requires cities and counties to allow accessory dwelling units on single-family lots

Original title: A bill for an act relating to county and city regulation of accessory dwelling units. (Formerly SSB 3070 .) Effective date: 07/01/2026.

Last action · April 9, 2026: Signed by Governor . S.J. 772 .

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

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What This Bill Does

Iowa law now requires cities and counties to permit at least one on any lot zoned for single-family residences, effective July 1, 2026. The units must comply with building codes and cannot exceed 1,000 square feet or 50 percent of the primary residence's size, whichever is larger.

Why it matters

Property owners gain the legal right to build s on single-family lots statewide, while local governments and common interest communities lose the authority to enforce blanket bans.

Background

Senate File 2369 originated as Senate Study Bill 3070 during the Ninety-first General Assembly of the Iowa Legislature. context
Accessory dwelling units are secondary housing units on single-family residential lots, such as converted garages, basement apartments, or small detached structures. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Property Owners

Property owners gain the statutory right to construct at least one accessory dwelling unit on single-family residential lots subject to size and building regulations.

Directly affected

Cities and Counties

Local governments must alter zoning regulations to allow accessory dwelling units and are restricted from enacting bans or overly restrictive rules compared to single-family homes.

Directly affected

Common Interest Communities

Common interest communities are prohibited from enforcing rules or restrictions on accessory dwelling units that are more restrictive than those applied to single-family residences.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I allowed to build an accessory dwelling unit on my single-family residential lot in Iowa?

Yes. Starting July 1, 2026, cities and counties must allow at least one on the same lot as a single-family residence in zones where single-family residences are a permitted use, provided it meets size and building code requirements.

How large can an accessory dwelling unit be built?

An can be up to 1,000 square feet or 50 percent of the size of the primary single-family residence, whichever is larger, excluding unfinished basements.

Can a manufactured or mobile home be used as an accessory dwelling unit?

Yes, provided the manufactured or mobile home is placed on a permanent foundation, converted to real property, and assessed for real estate taxes.

What else do you want to know?

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

27 actions

Apr 9, 2026SenateEnrolled
Signed by Governor . S.J. 772 .
Apr 9, 2026Senate
Reported correctly enrolled, signed by President and Speaker, and sent to Governor. S.J. 771 .
Mar 9, 2026House
Message from House. S.J. 491 .
Mar 5, 2026House
Withdrawn. H.J. 601 .
Mar 5, 2026House
SF 2369 substituted. H.J. 583 .
Mar 5, 2026House
Immediate message. H.J. 601 .

Show 21 earlier actions

Mar 5, 2026HouseFloor
Passed House , yeas 85, nays 1. H.J. 584 .
Mar 5, 2026House
Substituted for HF 2252 . H.J. 583 .
Mar 2, 2026HouseIntroduced
Read first time, passed on file. H.J. 464 .
Mar 2, 2026House
Message from Senate. H.J. 463 .
Mar 2, 2026Senate
Immediate message. S.J. 429 .
Mar 2, 2026SenateFloor
Passed Senate , yeas 44, nays 0. S.J. 427 .
Feb 18, 2026Senate
Committee report, approving bill. S.J. 319 .
Feb 18, 2026SenateIntroduced
Introduced, placed on calendar. S.J. 311 .
Feb 17, 2026Iowa Legislature
Committee report approving bill, renumbered as SF 2369 .
Feb 5, 2026Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee recommends passage.
Feb 3, 2026Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee Meeting: 02/05/2026 10:00AM Room 217 Conference Room.
Jan 30, 2026HouseIntroduced
Introduced, placed on calendar. H.J. 190 .
Jan 30, 2026Iowa Legislature
Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2252 .
Jan 29, 2026House
Committee vote: Yea, 19. Nays, 1. Excused, 1. H.J. 183 .
Jan 29, 2026House
Committee report, recommending passage. H.J. 183 .
Jan 28, 2026Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee recommends passage.
Jan 26, 2026Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee Meeting: 01/28/2026 12:30PM RM 305.
Jan 22, 2026Iowa Legislature
Subcommittee: Webster, Driscoll, and Knox.
Jan 22, 2026Iowa LegislatureIntroduced
Introduced, referred to Local Government.
Jan 22, 2026House
Subcommittee: Williams, Blom and Zabner. H.J. 148 .
Jan 22, 2026HouseIntroduced
Introduced, referred to Local Government. H.J. 145 .

Version history

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

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