Self-Defense Laws in Iowa

"A person who is not engaged in illegal activity has no duty to retreat from any place where the person is lawfully present before using force as specified in this chapter." Reasonable force can include deadly force if it is reasonable to believe such force is necessary to avoid injury or risk to one's life or safety or that of another, and a person may be wrong about the danger as long as there is a reasonable basis for the belief and the person acts reasonably in response.

A person is presumed to reasonably believe deadly force is necessary to avoid injury or risk to life or safety when the person against whom force is used is unlawfully entering by force or stealth (or has so entered and remains in) the dwelling, place of business or employment, or occupied vehicle of the person using force, or is unlawfully removing or attempting to remove another person against their will from such a place, and the person using force knows or has reason to believe this is occurring. The presumption does not apply if the person using force is engaged in a criminal offense or using the place to further one; the person being removed is a child or grandchild or in the lawful custody of the person against whom force is used; the person against whom force is used is a peace officer lawfully performing official duties; or that person has a right to be in or lawfully resides in the place and no protective or no-contact order is in effect. A person justified in using reasonable force against an aggressor in defense of oneself, another person or property is immune from criminal or civil liability for all damages incurred by the aggressor.