How long you wait to clear a record in Iowa
How long you wait in Iowa for each kind of case, and what the waiting period is counted from.
Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.
Short answer
Iowa law sets a waiting period for each kind of case. The wait starts from a set event.
- Main remedy
- Expungement of acquittals and dismissals (Iowa Code 901C.2)
- Waiting periods
- Acquittal or dismissal of all charges: At least 180 days must pass after the acquittal or dismissal, unless the court finds good cause (for example, identity theft or mistaken identity), counted from the judgment of acquittal or order of dismissal
Misdemeanor conviction: 8 years, counted from the date of conviction
Public intoxication, underage possession, or prostitution under 18: 2 years, counted from the date of conviction
Your earliest date in Iowa
Pick your kind of case and the date the waiting period runs from. We add the waiting period from the law; nothing else.
Waiting periods: Expungement of acquittals and dismissals (Iowa Code 901C.2)
Criminal cases in which you were acquitted of all charges or all charges were dismissed (any public offense, including simple misdemeanors).
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Acquittal or dismissal of all charges | See the rule At least 180 days must pass after the acquittal or dismissal, unless the court finds good cause (for example, identity theft or mistaken identity). | The judgment of acquittal or order of dismissal |
- Not eligible
- Cases dismissed because you were found not guilty by reason of insanity; cases where you were found incompetent to stand trial; dismissals after a deferred judgment. You must have paid all court costs, fees and other court-ordered financial obligations in the case.
Law: Iowa Code 901C.2; Iowa R. Crim. P. 2.86
Source: Official text
Waiting periods: Misdemeanor expungement (Iowa Code 901C.3)
Most simple, serious and aggravated misdemeanor convictions.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Misdemeanor conviction | 8 years More than 8 years must have passed since the conviction. | The date of conviction |
- Not eligible
- Public intoxication; certain underage alcohol offenses; driving while barred, suspended or revoked; OWI; sex offenses; involuntary manslaughter; certain assaults; domestic abuse assault; harassment; stalking; removing an officer's communication device; certain trespass; offenses under chapters 717C, 719, 720, 724 (weapons), 726, 728 and 901A; 721.2, 721.10, 723.1; commercial-driver disqualifying offenses; comparable prior-law offenses. You must have no pending charges, must not have previously received two deferred judgments, and must have paid all fines, costs, fees and restitution.
- Limits
- Only once in your lifetime. One application can cover several misdemeanors only if they arose from the same transaction or occurrence.
Law: Iowa Code 901C.3; Iowa R. Crim. P. 2.86
Source: Official text
Waiting periods: Expungement of public intoxication, underage alcohol possession and juvenile prostitution convictions (Iowa Code 123.46(6), 123.47(9), 725.1(1)(c))
A conviction for public intoxication or related public-drinking offenses; a conviction for possession of alcohol under the legal age; a prostitution conviction for an offense committed when you were under 18.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Public intoxication, underage possession, or prostitution under 18 | 2 years After 2 years from the conviction, the court must expunge it if you had no other criminal convictions in those 2 years, other than local traffic violations or simple misdemeanor traffic offenses under chapter 321. | The date of conviction |
- Not eligible
- Any other criminal conviction during the 2-year period (other than local traffic violations or simple misdemeanor violations of chapter 321).
Law: Iowa Code 123.46(6), 123.47(9), 725.1(1)(c); Iowa R. Crim. P. 2.86
Source: Official text
Waiting periods: Deferred judgment expungement (Iowa Code 907.9)
Cases where the court deferred judgment and you completed probation, plus counts dismissed in that case.
| Kind of case | Waiting period | Counted from |
|---|---|---|
Deferred judgment, probation completed | No waiting period The court record is expunged when you are discharged from probation, once you have paid restitution, costs and fees in the case. | Discharge from probation |
- Not eligible
- Dismissed counts are not expunged if another count in the case led to a conviction that was not expunged.
Law: Iowa Code 907.9(4)
Source: Official text
Records Iowa clears on its own
When you complete probation on a deferred judgment and have paid the financial obligations in that case, the court's record of the deferred judgment and the dismissed counts is expunged without a separate petition. Iowa has no automatic expungement of convictions.
Long-standing; payment condition applies to deferred judgments not expunged before July 1, 2012.
Law: Iowa Code 907.9(4)(b)-(f)
In nearby states
- Wisconsin: Eligible offense, judge ordered expungement at sentencing: No waiting period, counted from successful completion of the sentence
- Illinois: Arrest without charges, acquittal, dismissal, reversed or vacated conviction: No waiting period, counted from the end of the case
- Missouri: Misdemeanor, municipal violation or infraction: 1 year, counted from completion of the sentence or other authorized disposition
Steps after the wait in Iowa
Check your dates
The dates on your papers decide when the wait ends.
Read the full rule
The wait is only one rule; the court looks at the whole record.
Prepare your petition
After the wait, the next step is the petition. How to file.
Get help
Free help: Iowa Legal Aid.
Free help in Iowa
Questions about waiting periods in Iowa
Which records can be cleared in Iowa?
Expungement of acquittals and dismissals: Criminal cases in which you were acquitted of all charges or all charges were dismissed (any public offense, including simple misdemeanors). Misdemeanor expungement: Most simple, serious and aggravated misdemeanor convictions. Expungement of public intoxication, underage alcohol possession and juvenile prostitution convictions: A conviction for public intoxication or related public-drinking offenses; a conviction for possession of alcohol under the legal age; a prostitution conviction for an offense committed when you were under 18. Deferred judgment expungement: Cases where the court deferred judgment and you completed probation, plus counts dismissed in that case.
How long do I have to wait in Iowa?
Acquittal or dismissal of all charges: At least 180 days must pass after the acquittal or dismissal, unless the court finds good cause (for example, identity theft or mistaken identity), counted from the judgment of acquittal or order of dismissal; Misdemeanor conviction: 8 years, counted from the date of conviction; Public intoxication, underage possession, or prostitution under 18: 2 years, counted from the date of conviction; Deferred judgment, probation completed: No waiting period, counted from discharge from probation.
Is there a Clean Slate law in Iowa?
When you complete probation on a deferred judgment and have paid the financial obligations in that case, the court's record of the deferred judgment and the dismissed counts is expunged without a separate petition. Iowa has no automatic expungement of convictions.