Historic Iowa Statutory Law

Welcome to my library of historic Iowa statutory law!

The Iowa Legislature website has a good collection of historic session laws (Iowa Acts) and compiled laws (Iowa Code) online. The website takes practice to navigate, so I added pointers below.

I added links to topical compilations and related resources. Some are studies on legal topics and not the law itself. These studies can provide a better understanding of how the law influenced specific areas and lead to related statutes.

Also see the Iowa Law Journals page.

I wrote a blog post about the Iowa law pages.

Iowa Statutory Law and Related Resources

Year and Volume

Title/Description

Statutory Law Online

1838–2020 Iowa Acts Iowa Legislature. 1) Under Search uncheck the “current only” box to include older years. 2) Under Search Within: Expand Iowa Laws and Rules, then Iowa Acts sections by clicking the drop-down arrows to reveal title years. 3) Check and search all years or the year of interest. Search by topic or name. Hint: Search by surname only for more results. Sort by year or title.
1839–Present Iowa Code Archive: Iowa Code, Iowa Code Supplement, and Tables and Indexes Iowa Legislature, searchable volume downloads.
Current Iowa Acts Iowa Legislature. This page offers a topical index download and references topics to their location in 2021 Iowa Acts, chapters 1 – 187.
Use Quick Search if You Know the Citation Quick Search Iowa Legislature. This search requires the citation for the sought law. TIP: Use the Iowa Acts Quick Search drop down tool to locate a session or year.
Overview Page Iowa Law & Rules Iowa Legislature. General information.
Video Tutorial Using the Iowa Legislature Website, Iowa Acts Quick Search video YouTube, by Iowa Legislative Services and Drake University Law School. How to use the “Quick Search box to find an Iowa Act by its citation.”
Video Tutorial Using the Iowa Legislature Website, Iowa Code Quick Search video YouTube, by Iowa Legislative Services and Drake University Law School. How to use the “Quick Search box to find an Iowa Code chapter or section by its citation.”
1851 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1853 Laws of the State of Iowa in Relation to Corporations for Railroad Purposes and Articles of Incorporation of the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad Company Internet Archive
1860 Educational Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1866 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1872 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1874 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1876 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1878 Highway Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1881 Insurance Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1882 Amendments to the School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1884 Iowa School Laws Internet Archive
1886 Highway Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1888 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1890 Highway Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1892 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1894 Highway Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1896 Highway Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1897 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1898 Dairy Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1898 Amendments to the School Laws of 1897 Internet Archive
1902 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1903 Encyclopedia of Iowa Law: Being a Plain Statement of the Law of Iowa so Far as it Affects the People in Their Business, Domestic and Social Relations Hathi Trust
1906 Iowa Election Laws Google Books
1907 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1907 Primary Election and Election Expense Laws Internet Archive
1907 The Pure Food Laws of the State of Iowa Hathi Trust
1909 Laws of the State of Iowa Relating to Insurance Also to Corporations for Pecuniary Profit Internet Archive
1910 History of Labor Legislation in Iowa Internet Archive
1911 The Pure Food and Weight Measure Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1911 Revenue Laws of the State of Iowa Hathi Trust
1912 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1912 History of Road Legislation in Iowa Internet Archive
1912 Corrupt Practices Legislation in Iowa Internet Archive
1913 Weight and Measure Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1913–1914 Iowa Fish and Game Laws Internet Archive
1914 History of Poor Relief Legislation in Iowa Internet Archive
1914 Workmen’s Compensation Laws of the State of Iowa Internet Archive
1914 General Election and Primary Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1915 Iowa Fish and Game Laws Internet Archive
1915 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1915 Iowa Law Relating to Inspection of Stocks, Bonds and Securities Internet Archive
1915 History of Social Legislation in Iowa Internet Archive
1916 Iowa Laws Relating to Drainage Internet Archive
1917 Iowa Laws Relating to Intoxicating Liquor Internet Archive
1917 Iowa School Officers’ Manual of School Laws, 1917–1919 Internet Archive
1917 State of Iowa Pharmacy Law Hathi Trust
ca 1917 Child Legislation in Iowa Hathi Trust
1918 History of Economic Legislation in Iowa Internet Archive
1918 Legal and Political Status of Women in Iowa: An Historical Account of the Rights of Women in Iowa From 1838 to 1918 Internet Archive
1919 School Laws of Iowa Internet Archive
1920 Primary and General Election Laws Internet Archive
1920 State of Iowa Dairy Law Hathi Trust
1921 Iowa Laws Relating to Insurance Annotated Internet Archive
1921–1922 Iowa Fish and Game Laws, Mussel Laws, Federal Migratory Bird Regulations and the Lacey Bird Law Internet Archive
1937 The Iowa Income Tax Law Hathi Trust
1946 Iowa Pharmacy Laws Hathi Trust
1976 The Legal Status of Homemakers in Iowa Hathi Trust