Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2024 ‘Domestic Violence & Firearms in Iowa.’ Who Can Have a Gun. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 22 December
Relevant contents
Domestic Violence and Firearms in Iowa
Firearm Prohibitions for Domestic Violence Misdemeanants and Protective Order Defendants
In 2010, Iowa enacted a strong law addressing firearms in domestic violence situations. Like federal law, Iowa now generally prohibits any person from knowingly possessing, shipping, transporting, or receiving a firearm or ammunition if he or she has been convicted of a "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence." This prohibition also applies to anyone subject to a domestic violence protective order.
A court hearing a proceeding for domestic abuse may enter any temporary ex parte order it deems necessary to protect a plaintiff from domestic abuse prior to a full hearing. A temporary order must specifically include notice that the person may be required to relinquish all firearms and ammunition upon the issuance of a permanent order. Upon a finding that a defendant has engaged in domestic abuse, the court may grant a protective order or approve a consent agreement that may contain provisions prohibiting the defendant from knowingly possessing, shipping, transporting or receiving firearms and ammunition.
In Iowa, upon a conviction for domestic violence or issuance of a protective order, the court must inform the person who is the subject of the order or conviction that the person shall not possess, ship, transport, or receive a firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition while the order is in effect or until the conviction is vacated or until the person's rights have been restored under state law.
Surrender of Firearms upon a Domestic Violence Conviction or When a Domestic Violence Protective Order Is Issued
A state court that enters a judgment of conviction for a domestic violence misdemeanor or issues a domestic violence protective order and finds that the subject of the order or conviction is in possession of any firearm or ammunition must order the firearm or ammunition to be sold or transferred by a specific date to the custody of a qualified person in this state, as determined by the court. If the court is unable to identify a qualified person to receive the firearm or ammunition, the court must order that the firearm or ammunition be transferred by a specific date to the county sheriff or a local law enforcement agency designated by the court for safekeeping until a qualified person is identified to receive the firearm or ammunition, until the order is no longer in effect, until the conviction is vacated, or until the person's rights have been restored. If the firearm or ammunition is to be transferred to the sheriff's office or a local law enforcement agency, the court must assess the person the reasonable cost of storing the firearm or ammunition, payable to the county sheriff or the local law enforcement agency.
Protective Order Reporting and Expiration Procedures
A court issuing a domestic violence protective order is required to enter the name, address, date of birth, driver's license number and other identifying information of the person subject to the order into the Iowa criminal justice information system, the reason for the order, and the date by which the person is required to comply with any relinquishment order. At the time the order is no longer in effect, information relating to the prohibition must be deleted from the Iowa criminal justice information system. If a firearm or ammunition has been transferred to a qualified person, and the protective order is no longer in effect, the firearm or ammunition must be returned to the person who was subject to the protective order within five days of that person's request to have the firearm or ammunition returned…
[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]