Written Contract · Statute of Limitations
Deadline to Sue Over a Contract in Iowa
How long you have to sue over a broken written contract in Iowa, the statute of limitations, plus when the clock starts, the shorter deadline for oral contracts, and the four-year UCC rule for a sale of goods. Cited to the statute.
How the deadline works in Iowa
When the clock starts, whether a discovery rule can delay it, and the deadlines that differ for oral contracts and a sale of goods.
| How the clock works | In Iowa | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Standard deadline | 10 years | The general limitations period to file a written-contract claim. |
| Statute | Iowa Code §614.1(5) | The controlling statute for the limitations period. Read the full text through the source link below. |
When it starts
The ten years generally runs from the breach, when the other side fails to perform, not from when you discover it. Iowa treats an ordinary contract claim as accruing at breach, so a breach found late usually does not reset the clock.
Discovery rule Yes
Limited. Iowa recognizes a discovery rule in some settings where an injury is not reasonably discoverable, but for an ordinary written contract the claim usually accrues at breach. Treat delayed discovery as the exception, not the norm.
Statute of repose: None
No general statute of repose for ordinary written contracts. The ten-year period under §614.1(5) runs from breach. Improvements to real property and construction carry their own outer limits under separate provisions, but those are not the general contract clock.
| Deadlines that can differ | Period | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Oral or unwritten contract | 5 years | An action on an unwritten contract must be filed within five years under Iowa Code §614.1(4), half the written period. To claim the ten years, every essential term of the deal generally must appear in the signed writing. |
| Sale of goods (UCC) | 4 years | A contract for the sale of goods runs on Iowa Code §554.2725: four years from when the breach occurs, with warranty claims accruing at delivery regardless of your knowledge. Parties may agree to shorten it to no less than one year but may not extend it. |
What you can do right now
Concrete, neutral steps if a contract was broken in Iowa and the clock is running. This is legal information, not legal advice.
- Confirm every essential term is in the writing
In Iowa a written contract carries ten years under §614.1(5), but an unwritten one is only five under §614.1(4). Courts look at whether the whole agreement is in the signed writing, so gaps can push you into the shorter period.
- Fix the breach date and count from it
Iowa generally starts the ten years at the breach, not when you found out. Unless a narrow discovery rule fits, a late-found breach will not reset the clock, so act as soon as you learn of it.
- If goods were sold, check the UCC clock
A sale of goods runs on Iowa Code §554.2725, a four-year rule that accrues at delivery for warranty claims. Confirm whether your deal is a sale of goods rather than a services or general contract.
- Talk to an Iowa attorney before the deadline
Whether the whole contract is in writing, and when it was breached, decide whether you have ten years or five. A licensed Iowa attorney can confirm your exact deadline, and the Iowa State Bar can refer you to one.
This is general legal information, not legal advice. Deadlines turn on the specific facts of your case, and exceptions cut both ways, so confirm your date with a licensed attorney before relying on it.
What Iowa contract claimants get wrong
The costly mistake in Iowa is treating a partly written deal as fully written. A written contract carries ten years under Iowa Code §614.1(5), but an unwritten or oral one carries only five under §614.1(4). That five-year gap is one of the widest in the country, and it turns on whether every essential term of the agreement appears in the signed writing. A deal that is mostly on paper but leaves key terms to conversation can fall into the five-year bucket. The clock generally starts at the breach, when the other side fails to perform, not when you learn of the problem. Iowa does not apply a broad discovery rule to ordinary contracts, so a late-found breach usually does not reset the ten years. A sale of goods runs on its own four-year rule in §554.2725, with accrual at delivery for warranty claims. If your deadline is close, confirm the writing is complete and pin down the breach date first.
Common questions
What is the statute of limitations on a written contract in Iowa?
Ten years from the breach, under Iowa Code §614.1(5), for an action founded on a written contract. The clock generally runs from when the contract was broken, not from when you discovered it.
How long do I have to sue on an oral contract in Iowa?
Five years, under Iowa Code §614.1(4), half the ten-year written period. To get the longer period, the whole agreement generally must be in the signed writing.
When does the ten-year clock start in Iowa?
Generally at the breach. Iowa measures ordinary written contract claims from when the contract was broken under §614.1(5). A discovery rule applies only in narrow situations where the harm was not reasonably discoverable.
Is a contract to buy goods still ten years in Iowa?
No, it is four years under the UCC. A sale of goods is governed by Iowa Code §554.2725, a four-year period that accrues at delivery for warranty claims regardless of your knowledge. Parties can shorten it to no less than one year.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.