## How the limitation period applies

The controlling primary authority for whistleblower-retaliation is **Iowa Code § 614.1(4)**.

> **Iowa Code § 614.1(4).** 4.  Unwritten contracts — injuries to property — fraud — other actions.  Those founded on unwritten contracts, those brought for injuries to property, or for relief on the ground of fraud in cases heretofore solely cognizable in a court of chancery, and all other actions not otherwise provided for in this respect, within five years, except as provided by subsections 8 and 10.

## Use the calculator

DocketMath's statute-of-limitations tool can model these timelines once you identify the controlling claim type and accrual date. Use the source panel for the verified primary-source citations.

[Open the Statute of Limitations calculator](/tools/statute-of-limitations)

## Sources

- [Iowa Code § 614.1(4) — Iowa Code § 614.1 Period — subsection 4: Unwritten contracts — injuries to property — fraud — other actions](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/614.1.pdf)
- [Iowa Code § 70A.28(5)(a) — Iowa Code § 70A.28 — Prohibitions relating to certain actions by state employees — penalty — civil remedies](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/2026/70A.28.pdf)

All sources are official primary law published by `www.legis.iowa.gov`.

**Corroboration method:** ldh_index_plus_primary_url_recheck.


In Iowa, whistleblower and retaliation claims often turn on a single threshold question: timely filing. If a claim is filed after the statute of limitat...

Statute of Limitations for Whistleblower / Retaliation in Iowa

4. Unwritten contracts — injuries to property — fraud — other actions. Those founded on unwritten contracts, those brought for injuries to property, or for relief on the ground of fraud in cases heretofore solely cognizable in a court of chancery, and all other actions not otherwise provided for in this respect, within five years, except as provided by subsections 8 and 10.

5. Written contracts — judgments of courts not of record — recovery of real property and rent. a. Except as provided in paragraph 'b', those founded on written contracts, or on judgments of any courts except those provided for in subsection 6, and those brought for the recovery of real property, within ten years. b. Those founded on claims for rent, within five years.

4. Unwritten contracts — injuries to property — fraud — other actions. Those founded on unwritten contracts, those brought for injuries to property, or for relief on the ground of fraud in cases heretofore solely cognizable in a court of chancery, and all other actions not otherwise provided for in this respect, within five years, except as provided by subsections 8 and 10. // 614.4 Fraud — mistake — trespass. In actions for relief on the ground of fraud or mistake, and those for trespass to property, the cause of action shall not be deemed to have accrued until the fraud, mistake, or trespass complained of shall have been discovered by the party aggrieved.

2. Injuries to person or reputation — relative rights — statute penalty. Those founded on injuries to the person or reputation, including injuries to relative rights, whether based on contract or tort, or for a statute penalty, within two years.

9. Malpractice. a. Except as provided in paragraph 'b', those founded on injuries to the person or wrongful death against any physician and surgeon, osteopathic physician and surgeon, dentist, podiatric physician, optometrist, pharmacist, chiropractor, physician assistant, or nurse, licensed under chapter 147, or a hospital licensed under chapter 135B, arising out of patient care, within two years after the date on which the claimant knew, or through the use of reasonable diligence should have known, or received notice in writing of the existence of, the injury or death for which damages are sought in the action, whichever of the dates occurs first, but in no event shall any action be brought more than six years after the date on which occurred the act or omission or occurrence alleged in the action to have been the cause of the injury or death unless a foreign object unintentionally left in the body caused the injury or death.

2. Injuries to person or reputation — relative rights — statute penalty. Those founded on injuries to the person or reputation, including injuries to relative rights, whether based on contract or tort, or for a statute penalty, within two years. 2A. With respect to products. a. Those founded on the death of a person or injuries to the person or property brought against the manufacturer, assembler, designer, supplier of specifications, seller, lessor, or distributor of a product based upon an alleged defect in the design, inspection, testing, manufacturing, formulation, marketing, packaging, warning, labeling of the product, or any other alleged defect or failure of whatever nature or kind, based on the theories of strict liability in tort, negligence, or breach of an implied warranty shall not be commenced more than fifteen years after the product was first purchased, leased, bailed, or installed for use or consumption ...

554.2725 Statute of limitations in contracts for sale. 1. By the original agreement the parties may reduce the period of limitation to not less than one year but may not extend it. 2. A cause of action accrues when the breach occurs, regardless of the aggrieved party's lack of knowledge of the breach. A breach of warranty occurs when tender of delivery is made, except that where a warranty explicitly extends to future performance of the goods and discovery of the breach must await the time of such performance the cause of action accrues when the breach is or should have been discovered. 3. Where an action commenced within the time limited by law or by agreement as provided in subsection 1 is so terminated as to leave available a remedy by another action for the same breach such other action may be commenced after the expiration of the time limited and within six months after the termination of the first action unless the termination resulted from voluntary discontinuance or from dismissal for failure or neglect to prosecute. 4. This section does not alter the law on tolling of the statute of limitations nor does it apply to causes of action which have accrued before this chapter becomes effective. [C66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §554.2725] Period of limitation, chapter 614

Those founded on injuries to the person or reputation, including injuries to relative rights, whether based on contract or tort, or for a statute penalty, within two years.

6. Judgments of courts of record. Those founded on a judgment of a court of record, whether of this or of any other of the United States, or of the federal courts of the United States, within twenty years, except that a time period limitation shall not apply to an action to recover a judgment for child support, spousal support, or a judgment of distribution of marital assets.

11. Improvements to real property.
a. In addition to limitations contained elsewhere in this section, an action arising out
of the unsafe or defective condition of an improvement to real property based on tort and
implied warranty and for contribution and indemnity, and founded on injury to property, real
or personal, or injury to the person or wrongful death, shall not be brought more than the
number of years specified below after the date on which occurred the act or omission of the
defendant alleged in the action to have been the cause of the injury or death:
(1) For an action arising from or related to a nuclear power plant licensed by the
United States nuclear regulatory commission or an interstate pipeline licensed by the federal energy
regulatory commission, fifteen years.
(2) For an action arising from or related to residential construction, as defined in section
572.1, ten years.
(3) For an action arising from or related to any other kind of improvement to real property,
eight years.

(a) if the cause of action accrues on or after May 14, 1947-may be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrued, and every such action shall be forever barred unless commenced within two years after the cause of action accrued, except that a cause of action arising out of a willful violation may be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrued;

614.1 Period.
   Actions may be brought within the times limited as follows, respectively, after their causes accrue, and not afterwards, except when otherwise specially declared:
   1. Penalties or forfeitures under ordinance. Those to enforce the payment of a penalty or forfeiture under an ordinance, within one year.
   2. Injuries to person or reputation — relative rights — statute penalty. Those founded on injuries to the person or reputation, including injuries to relative rights, whether based on contract or tort, or for a statute penalty, within two years.

10. Statute of limitations. A person shall not obtain relief under any of the following: a. Under subsection 2 for violation of section 502.301, or under subsection 4 or 5, unless the action is instituted within one year after the violation occurred. b. Under subsection 2, other than for violation of section 502.301, or under subsection 3 or 6, unless the action is instituted within the earlier of two years after discovery of the facts constituting the violation or five years after the violation.

4.  Unwritten contracts — injuries to property — fraud — other actions.  Those founded on unwritten contracts, those brought for injuries to property, or for relief on the ground of fraud in cases heretofore solely cognizable in a court of chancery, and all other actions not otherwise provided for in this respect, within five years, except as provided by subsections 8 and 10.

Iowa Code § 614.1 Period. Actions may be brought within the times limited as follows, respectively, after their causes accrue, and not afterwards, except when otherwise specially declared: (1) Penalties or forfeitures under ordinance — one year. (2) Injuries to person or reputation — relative rights — statute penalty: those founded on injuries to the person or reputation, including injuries to relative rights, whether based on contract or tort, or for a statute penalty, within two years. (2A) With respect to products — fifteen-year repose for products-liability actions (with latent-disease exception). (3) Against sheriff or other public officer for nonpayment of money collected on execution — three years. (4) Unwritten contracts — injuries to property — fraud — other actions: those founded on unwritten contracts, those brought for injuries to property, or for relief on the ground of fraud in cases heretofore solely cognizable in a court of chancery, and all other actions not otherwise provided for in this respect, within five years, except as provided by subsections 8 and 10. (5)(a) Written contracts — judgments of courts not of record — recovery of real property and rent: those founded on written contracts, on judgments of any courts except those provided for in subsection 6, and those brought for the recovery of real property, within ten years; (5)(b) those founded on claims for rent, within five years. (6) Judgments of courts of record — twenty years (with child-support / spousal-support exception). (8) Wages — two years. (9) Malpractice — two years from discovery (or written notice of) the injury or death, with a six-year repose, except as provided in paragraph (b) for minors under age eight. (10) Secured interest in farm products — two years from sale. (11) Improvements to real property — repose of 8/10/15 years depending on type. (12) Sexual abuse / sexual exploitation by counselor, therapist, school employee, or adult providing training/instruction — five years from last treatment/enrollment. (13) Public bonds or obligations — eleven years. (14) County collection of taxes — no time limitation.

Under Iowa Code § 614.1(2), actions founded on injuries to the person or reputation — including injuries to relative rights, whether based on contract or tort, or for a statute penalty — must be brought within two years after the cause of action accrues. This is the general personal-injury / negligence statute of limitations in Iowa. Specialized claim types (e.g., medical malpractice under § 614.1(9), products liability repose under § 614.1(2A), improvements-to-real-property repose under § 614.1

Under 29 U.S.C. § 255(a), an action enforcing an FLSA cause of action for unpaid minimum wages, unpaid overtime compensation, or liquidated damages generally must be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrued; a cause of action arising out of a willful violation may be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrued.

An Iowa civil action arising from domestic-violence conduct — typically pleaded as assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, or other injury to the person — is subject to the general two-year personal-injury statute of limitations at Iowa Code § 614.1(2). Iowa does not have a separate, claim-type-specific civil statute of limitations for domestic-violence claims (Iowa Code chapter 236 (domestic abuse) governs civil protective-order remedies, not the limitations period for d

Iowa Code § 614.1(11) is a statute of repose barring any action arising from the unsafe or defective condition of an improvement to real property founded on tort or implied warranty more than the applicable repose period after the date of the act or omission causing the injury. For residential construction (as defined in Iowa Code § 572.1), the repose period is 10 years. For all other improvements to real property (non-residential, non-nuclear/pipeline), the repose period is 8 years. The discove

Under Iowa Code § 614.1(6), actions to enforce a judgment of a court of record must generally be brought within 20 years. However, § 614.1(6) expressly provides that 'a time period limitation shall not apply to an action to recover a judgment for child support.' Iowa child support orders have the force and effect of judgments when docketed (Iowa Code § 598.22(3)). Iowa therefore imposes no statute of limitations on enforcement of child support arrears or on actions to recover amounts due under a

A civil action under Iowa Code § 502.509(2) (other than for a violation of § 502.301 registration requirements), § 502.509(3), or § 502.509(6) must be instituted within the earlier of two years after discovery of the facts constituting the violation or five years after the violation. This discovery-based two-year period with a five-year outer repose cap governs investor fraud and misrepresentation claims under Iowa's Uniform Securities Act (Blue Sky Law). Actions under § 502.509(2) for registrat

Iowa Code § 70A.28 (state employee whistleblower retaliation) and § 70A.29 (political subdivision employee whistleblower retaliation) each create a civil action in district court but contain no express limitations period. Under Iowa Code § 614.1(4), 'all other actions not otherwise provided for' must be brought within five years. This is the governing period for civil whistleblower retaliation actions under Iowa law. The accrual trigger is the date of the retaliatory act (adverse employment acti

Statute of limitations for personal injury in US-IA is 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(2).

Statute of limitations for flsa claims federal wage hour in US-IA is 2 years under 29 U.S.C. § 255(a).

Statute of limitations for construction defects in US-IA is 10 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(11).

Statute of limitations for wrongful death in US-IA is 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(2).

Statute of limitations for product liability in US-IA is 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(2A).

Statute of limitations for premises liability in US-IA is 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(2).

Statute of limitations for libel in US-IA is 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(2).

Statute of limitations for slander in US-IA is 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(2).

Statute of limitations for medical malpractice in US-IA is 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1(9).

Iowa Code § 614.1(4) provides a 5-year SOL for breach of fiduciary duty claims, which sound in fraud or equitable relief formerly cognizable only in chancery.

Invasion of privacy is a personal-injury tort with no separate limitations statute, so it is governed by the general personal-injury period of 2 years under Iowa Code § 614.1.

Invasion of privacy is an injury to the person or reputation; under Iowa Code § 614.1(2), actions founded on injuries to the person or reputation, whether based on contract or tort, must be brought within two years.

An action founded on an unwritten (oral) contract in Iowa must be brought within 5 years after the cause of action accrues.

Under Iowa's equitable doctrine of fraudulent concealment, the statute of limitations is tolled when a defendant affirmatively conceals a cause of action. Iowa has no codified fraudulent-concealment tolling statute in Chapter 614; the rule is common-law.

614.8 Minors and persons with mental illness. 1. The times limited for actions in this chapter, or chapter 216, 669, or 670, except those brought for penalties and forfeitures, are extended in favor of persons with mental illness, so that they shall have one year from and after the termination of the disability within which to file a complaint pursuant to chapter 216, to make a claim pursuant to chapter 669, or to otherwise commence an action. 2. Except as provided in section 614.1, subsection 9, the times limited for actions in this chapter, or chapter 216, 659A, 669, or 670, except those brought for penalties and forfeitures, are extended in favor of minors, so that they shall have one year from and after attainment of majority within which to file a complaint pursuant to chapter 216, to make a claim pursuant to chapter 669, or to otherwise commence an action.

614.4 Fraud — mistake — trespass. In actions for relief on the ground of fraud or mistake, and those for trespass to property, the cause of action shall not be deemed to have accrued until the fraud, mistake, or trespass complained of shall have been discovered by the party aggrieved.