All resourcesState guide · IA
Iowa background check laws
A practitioner-grade reference to Iowa pre-employment background screening: lookback caps, ban-the-box scope, salary-history limits, cannabis testing rules, and the statutes the SafestHires compliance team applies on every order routed to IA.
The four levers at a glance
| Lookback period | 7 years (FCRA default) |
| Ban-the-Box scope | Local — Waterloo (private, 15+) |
| Salary history | No restriction |
| Cannabis testing | Medical CBD only |
Lookback period
Iowa follows FCRA. Deferred-judgment records under Iowa Code §907.4 must not be reported as convictions.
Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance rules
No statewide ban-the-box. Waterloo's 2020 ordinance applies to private employers with 15+ workers.
Salary history
No statewide salary-history ban.
Cannabis & drug testing
Iowa permits limited medical CBD products; no recreational legalization and no off-duty protection.
Governing statutes & references
- Iowa Code §907.4
- Waterloo Ord. (2020)
SafestHires compliance note
Iowa Code §692.2 governs criminal-history dissemination; flag deferred judgments.