Iowa Code ch. 562 § 562.7
Notice — how and when served
Operative Text
Written notice shall be served upon either party or a successor of the party by using one of the following methods: 1. By delivery of the notice, on or before September 1, with acceptance of service to be signed by the party to the lease or a successor of the party, receiving the notice. 2. By serving the notice, on or before September 1, personally, or if personal service has been tried and cannot be achieved, by publication, on the same conditions, and in the same manner as is provided for the service of original notices, except that when the notice is served by publication no affidavit is required. Service by publication is completed on the day of the last publication. 3. By mailing the notice before September 1 by certified mail. Notice served by certified mail is made and completed when the notice is enclosed in a sealed envelope, with the proper postage on the envelope, addressed to the party or a successor of the party at the last known mailing address and deposited in a mail receptacle provided by the United States postal service.
Iowa Code ch. 562 § 562.7 establishes the specific methods and timing requirements for serving written notice on parties to a farm tenancy lease. A valid notice must be delivered, personally served, published, or sent by certified mail, and in each case the action must occur on or before September 1. The rule also defines exactly when service is considered legally complete under each method — for example, certified mail service is complete at the moment the sealed, properly addressed envelope is deposited with the U.S. Postal Service, while publication service is complete on the day of the last published notice.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Iowa Code ch. 562 § 562.7, operators who need to terminate or modify a farm lease generally ensure that written notice is prepared and served through one of the three approved methods well before the September 1 deadline. Compliant operators keep documentation of service — such as a signed acceptance, proof of personal service, publication records, or certified mail receipts — to demonstrate that notice was timely and properly completed. Because the method chosen determines when service is legally complete, operators typically confirm that the chosen method satisfies the statutory definition of completion before the deadline passes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Iowa Code ch. 562 § 562.7 sets out the only legally recognized ways a landlord may serve notice on a farm tenant, and a notice that does not comply with one of those methods or that misses the September 1 deadline may not be legally effective. Tenants who receive a notice — or who believe a notice was improperly served — can review whether the landlord followed the correct procedure and timing, including whether certified mail was properly deposited or whether publication was completed as required. Tenants with questions about whether a notice meets these requirements may find it helpful to consult a tenant-rights organization or an attorney familiar with Iowa agricultural tenancy law.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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