Radon mitigation in Iowa City is required for some rental homes, and the city code spells out when and who does the work.
Radon in Iowa City: the local picture
Iowa City Code section 17-5-18(T) requires radon tests in single-family and duplex rentals. It applies to new rental permits filed, and renewals expiring, on or after July 1, 2021 [1]. If a unit tests at or above 4 pCi/L, the code says a radon mitigation system goes in, installed by a radon mitigation specialist certified by the State of Iowa [1]. The unit then has to be tested again within 90 days, unless the city grants a written extension for good cause [1]. Section 17-5-19(N) counts the system as a supplied facility the owner must keep working, and it can't be shut off or disconnected in an occupied unit except briefly during repairs [1]. Iowa HHS also lists Iowa City among the places that required radon-resistant construction in new houses before the statewide rule of July 1, 2026 [2]. Landlords can find the city's test and retest schedule on radon testing in Iowa City.
What if my rental tests at 4 or higher?
Have a system installed by a state-certified mitigation specialist and retest within 90 days. After that, keep the system running and retest every eight years [1].
How do I check that an installer is certified?
Iowa HHS publishes a list of credentialed mitigation specialists, generated September 24, 2026. Housing Inspection Services, at 319-356-5135, answers rental permit questions [3, 4].
Related pages: radon mitigation, how a system works or radon in a home sale. For the state's rules on who can test and fix radon for pay, see how it works. City pages: Cedar Rapids, or browse all service areas.
Start a request with a few details about the house.
We're a referral service, not a contractor. We send mitigation requests only to contractors on Iowa HHS's current credentialed list and testing requests only to state-certified radon measurement specialists, but we don't otherwise vet them, a referral is not an endorsement, and independent contractors may pay us for referrals.
Sources
- City of Iowa City Code of Ordinances, Title 17 Chapter 5 Housing Code, sections 17-5-18(T) Radon Testing and 17-5-19(N) Supplied Facilities (fetched Nov 11, 2026). https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/iowacityia/latest/iowacity_ia/0-0-0-15483
- Iowa HHS, Radon Resources (fetched Nov 11, 2026). https://hhs.iowa.gov/health-prevention/providers-professionals/radiological-health/radon/radon-resources
- Iowa HHS, Iowa Credentialed Radon Mitigation Specialists list (PDF, report generated 9/24/2026). https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/7883/download?inline
- City of Iowa City, Housing Inspection Services (live page blocked, saved copy retrieved Nov 11, 2026). https://www.icgov.org/government/departments-and-divisions/neighborhood-and-development-services/neighborhood-services/housing-inspection-services