State guide
Iowa
Iowa adult guardianship and conservatorship proceedings are handled in the Iowa District Court sitting in probate. Iowa’s Judicial Branch publishes statewide court forms and fee information, and current law requires the court to consider less restrictive alternatives before imposing guardianship or conservatorship.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Court that handles adult guardianship
- Adult guardianship and conservatorship petitions are handled by the Iowa District Court sitting in probate.
- What it's called
- guardian (person) and conservator (property); Iowa also says “guardian of the property” may be used as a synonym for conservator.
- Official forms and self-help
- Official page →
- Filing fee
- $215; in counties over 98,000 population an additional $5 publication fee may be charged.
- Less-restrictive alternatives
- No separate supported decision-making statute was found on the official pages reviewed, but Iowa law requires the court to consider less restrictive alternatives, including third-party assistance, and the petition must explain why none is sufficient.
- Law
- Iowa Code ch. 633, including §§ 633.10, 633.551-.556, 633.635, 633.637.
Official resources in Iowa
Statewide forms hub with guardianship and probate-related forms and interactive court forms.
Official adult guardianship reporting forms and related probate-rule forms.
Official conservatorship reporting and plan forms prescribed by the court.
Published filing-fee page for appointments of guardians and conservators.
Main probate statute covering adult guardianship and conservatorship.
Key facts for Iowa
- Iowa says appointments of guardians and conservators are within the district court sitting in probate.
- Iowa’s published filing fee for appointments of guardians and conservators is $215.
- In counties over 98,000 population, Iowa says an additional $5 publication fee may be charged.
- Iowa court-prescribed adult guardianship and conservatorship forms are in probate rules 7.11 and 7.12.
- Iowa law requires the petition to state why no less restrictive alternative is adequate.
- Iowa law requires the court to consider less restrictive alternatives, including third-party assistance.
County court guardianship pages in Iowa
| Court | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County Clerk of Court Polk | Des Moines | 515-561-5718 | County clerk office for probate filings in Iowa’s largest county court. |
| Linn County Clerk of Court Linn | Cedar Rapids | 319-398-3411 | County clerk office for district-court filings and public court information. |
| Scott County Clerk of Court Scott | Davenport | 563-326-8647 | County clerk office for district-court filings and court records. |
| Iowa Judicial Branch Court Forms | Not published* | Not published* | Statewide forms page residents use to access guardianship, probate, and fee-waiver forms. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- Start with the statewide court forms and the county clerk page for the county where the protected person lives or has property.
- Check whether a limited guardianship or limited conservatorship would meet the person’s needs before filing.
- Budget for the filing fee and any required background-check or service costs shown by the court.
Not seeing your court or county?
Not every court publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Iowa's population center, for comparison only):
- Douglas County Court - Probate Division, Nebraska · about 164 miles
- Dane County Clerk of Courts, Wisconsin · about 199 miles
- Lancaster County Court, Nebraska · about 205 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Iowa Judicial Branch Court Forms
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Iowa page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.