Does Iowa allow a transfer on death deed?

Iowa at a glance

TOD deed for real estate

No

How a house passes in Iowa without a TOD deed

• Small-estate affidavit cap. $100,000
• Real estate. Not available if the decedent's probate assets include real estate; land goes through small estate administration (gross probate assets up to $200,000) or regular probate.
• Administration of small estates (Iowa Code ch. 635). When gross probate assets in Iowa are $200,000 or less, the clerk issues letters on petition and the estate runs on simplified rules: inventory, closing by sworn statement, 30-day objection window, clerk closes without court order, personal representative fee capped at 3%.

All Iowa small-estate rules, with sources →

Good to know in Iowa

• Iowa has no statute for a transfer-on-death deed for real estate. The Iowa Court of Appeals held attempted TOD deeds void because Iowa law does not authorize them, so the farm passed through the owner's estate (King v. Smith, No. 20-0137, June 16, 2021).
• 2025-2026 bills to create TOD deeds did not pass: HF 125 got a subcommittee recommendation for passage on 2025-02-06 but no further action; its Senate companion SF 408 stopped in subcommittee; HF 816 (2025) and HF 2422 (2026) were referred to Judiciary with no further action.

Official pages

• No TOD deed or other plan? How Iowa handles a small estate without probate →

Sources

• Iowa Court of Appeals, King v. Smith, No. 20-0137 (June 16, 2021) summary (read October 28, 2026)
• Iowa Legislature, HF 125 / SF 408 bill history (91st GA) (read October 28, 2026)
• Iowa Legislature, HF 2422 bill history (91st GA) (read October 28, 2026)
• Iowa Legislature, HF 816 bill history (91st GA) (read October 28, 2026)

Legal information from the official sources above, not legal advice. A TOD deed can affect Medicaid, taxes, creditors and co-owners; for a decision about your own property, ask the county recorder, a legal aid office or a lawyer. How we check: methodology.