Hiring a Lemon Law Lawyer in Iowa
The Iowa lemon law for new cars, the rules for used cars, where to file a complaint, how to check a lawyer's license, and free help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Iowa: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. A contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and state how the fee is figured, including the percentage(s) the lawyer gets on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly tell the client about any expenses the client must pay whether or not the client wins. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the client's share and how it was figured. Lawyers may not charge domestic relations fees contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, or a contingent fee to represent a criminal defendant. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Iowa Attorney Disciplinary Board does not resolve fee disputes. The Iowa Judicial Branch says fee disputes go to the Iowa State Bar Association for arbitration, and that fee arbitration may be available through your local bar association. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | Iowa's Client Security Trust Fund, administered by the Client Security Commission, covers losses from dishonest conduct by an Iowa-licensed lawyer acting as attorney or fiduciary in the practice of law, when no other source can cover the loss; negligence and employer-employee disputes are not covered. The maximum any one client may recover is set by Iowa Supreme Court rules, and the Commission also weighs available funds and hardship. Claims are generally due within one year after you discover the loss (extendable for good cause). There is no fee and no lawyer is needed. Client Security Commission, Judicial Branch Building, 1111 East Court Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319; (515) 348-4670. |
Iowa rules to know first
| Lemon law for new cars | Iowa's lemon law covers self-propelled vehicles bought or leased in Iowa for highway use (not mopeds, motorcycles, autocycles, motor homes or vehicles over 15,000 pounds). The "lemon law rights period" is the manufacturer's warranty term, two years from delivery, or the first 24,000 miles, whichever ends first. A reasonable number of attempts is presumed if, during that period, the same defect substantially impairing the vehicle was examined or repaired at least three times plus a final repair attempt by the manufacturer, a defect likely to cause death or serious injury was examined or repaired at least once plus a final attempt, or the vehicle was out of service 30 or more days in total. If the vehicle is not fixed, the manufacturer must replace it with one acceptable to the consumer or repurchase it and refund the full purchase or lease price, including collateral and incidental charges, minus a reasonable offset for use; the consumer has an unconditional right to choose a refund. The consumer must give the manufacturer written notice (certified or registered mail or overnight service) to allow a final repair attempt. The Attorney General posts a Motor Vehicle Defect Notification Form and certified dispute program contacts. |
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| Used cars | The lemon law covers newer vehicles. For used cars, the Attorney General advises confirming whether the vehicle is sold "as is" or with a warranty and getting all promises in writing, and notes Iowa law does not generally give a three-day right to cancel a vehicle bought from a dealer's lot. |
| How to make a lemon law claim | 1) Written notice and final repair attempt: after three repair attempts for the same defect that substantially impairs the vehicle (or one attempt for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury), the consumer may notify the manufacturer in writing, by certified or registered mail or overnight service, so it can make a final attempt to fix it. The manufacturer has 10 days after receiving the notice to offer a repair at a reasonably accessible facility, then 10 days after the vehicle is delivered there to fix it; if it does not, the final-attempt requirement no longer applies. After 20 or more total days out of service, the consumer may send a similar written notice, and the manufacturer then has 10 more days of out-of-service time to fix the vehicle. 2) Arbitration: Iowa has no state-run lemon law arbitration program. If the manufacturer has a program certified under the lemon law and told the consumer in writing how to use it, the consumer must use it before the refund/replacement remedy applies. A certified program may not charge consumers any fee. Its decision is final unless either party petitions district court within 50 days after receiving it or within 25 days after the consumer tells the manufacturer it accepts the decision, whichever comes first. 3) Deadline: if the manufacturer has no certified program (and the consumer gave the written notice), or the program does not decide in time, a lawsuit may be filed within one year after the lemon law rights period (2 years or 24,000 miles, or the warranty term, whichever ends first) expires, or any extension of it. If the manufacturer does not carry out an accepted decision, the consumer may sue within six months after the date the decision set for performance. A consumer who wins in court recovers pecuniary loss, reasonable attorney's fees and costs (§ 322G.8(3)). Lemon law matters are handled by the Iowa Attorney General (§ 322G.2(5)). |
| Where to file a consumer complaint | File a consumer complaint with the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division online (up to three attachments; you should get a confirmation email) or with a printable form. Separate forms exist for bank and mortgage servicing complaints and for price gouging during declared disasters. Contact: consumer@ag.iowa.gov, 515-281-5926, or 888-777-4590 outside the Des Moines metro area. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Iowa State Bar Association's Iowa Find-A-Lawyer is a free, voluntary web-based referral program that matches the public with Iowa attorneys; the ISBA refers all phone calls from people looking for a lawyer to this website. "Attorneys listed in this directory charge $25 or less for up to 30 minutes of initial consultation"; when you contact a lawyer, say you found them through the program and ask what they charge. ISBA phone (general): (515) 243-3179. Ways to get legal help: https://www.iowabar.org/?pg=Waystogetlegalhelp |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Iowa Supreme Court's commissions maintain an online "Search Iowa Attorneys" database of lawyers licensed by the Supreme Court of Iowa. Search by name, business county, city or state, good-standing status and license status (such as active, inactive, suspended, revoked, emeritus or deceased). It covers lawyers in good standing, inactive, suspended, revoked, deceased and in-house registrants; home addresses and phone numbers are not released. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Ethics complaints about Iowa lawyers go to the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board, which receives and investigates them. Use the court-approved complaint form (online, or downloadable PDF to mail), one per attorney, with copies (not originals) of supporting documents and the case name and number if any. There is no charge; the system is funded by assessments on Iowa lawyers. The Board cannot resolve fee disputes, which are generally contract matters for district court, though charging a clearly excessive fee is an ethics issue. Lawyers with prior public discipline are listed on the Iowa court commissions site. Phone: 515-348-4680. Complaint instructions: https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-discipline/complaint-against-a-lawyer/ |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Iowa Legal Aid, the state's LSC-funded legal aid organization, provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income Iowans; toll-free (800) 532-1275, iowalegalaid.org. Other free options listed by the federal court for Iowa include the University of Iowa Clinical Law Program ((319) 335-9030, toll-free (866) 251-5491) and the Drake University Legal Clinic ((515) 271-3851). Iowa Free Legal Answers (iowa.freelegalanswers.org) lets qualifying users post civil legal questions at no cost. Phone numbers from https://www.iand.uscourts.gov/content/how-can-i-find-attorney |
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All legal help in Iowa · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.