Default judgment in Iowa: how to set it aside

How to undo a default judgment, how long you have, and what to do while you wait.

Checked against official sources: Oct 24, 2026.

Short answer

A default judgment means the court decided against you because you didn't answer. File a motion to set aside the default judgment for good cause – mistake, inadvertence, surprise, excusable neglect or unavoidable casualty.

Shortest time to ask
60 days (Motion to set aside)
Time to answer
20 days

What a default judgment means in Iowa

If you do not file an answer in time (small claims) and the clerk finds you were properly served, the clerk enters judgment against you if the amount is clear; otherwise a magistrate decides. If you answer but miss the hearing, the court enters a default judgment.

Asking the court to undo a default in Iowa

File a motion to set aside the default judgment for good cause – mistake, inadvertence, surprise, excusable neglect or unavoidable casualty. File it promptly after you discover the grounds and no later than 60 days after the judgment was entered. This applies in small claims too.

Law: Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.977; Iowa Code §§ 631.5(6), 631.12(2)

Count your deadline to set aside a default

The date is counted in your browser.

The court's name is at the top of the judgment.

An estimate from our state data, not legal advice. Court holidays and local rules can change a deadline. File early, and ask the court clerk if you are not sure.

The judgment in Iowa

Interest after the judgment

The one-year Treasury constant maturity rate (Federal Reserve H15) published just before the judgment, plus 2%; the Judicial Branch posts the monthly figure (for example 4.47% on October 7, 2026, which gives 6.47%). If the contract sets a rate, that rate applies, up to the legal maximum in Iowa Code § 535.2.

How long it lasts

A creditor can sue on an Iowa court judgment for up to 20 years. A judgment is a lien on your real estate for 10 years; it does not attach to your homestead except as the law allows.

Law: Iowa Code §§ 535.3(1)(a), 668.13(2)-(3); § 614.1(6); § 624.23

After a judgment in Iowa

Servicemembers

Before the court gives the plaintiff a default judgment, the plaintiff must file a sworn statement saying whether you are in military service.

Law: 50 U.S.C. 3931(b)(1)

Your next steps in Iowa

  1. Read the judgment

    The judgment's date matters. Ask the clerk for a copy.

  2. Mind the time limit

    The rule in Iowa: File a motion to set aside the default judgment for good cause – mistake, inadvertence, surprise, excusable neglect or unavoidable casualty.

  3. Explain why and show a defense

    Most courts want to know why you didn't answer and what your defense is. Attach your answer if the court asks.

  4. Know what can be taken

    Until it is set aside, the judgment can be collected: read After a judgment in Iowa.

  5. Ask for free help

    Free help: Iowa Legal Aid (LawHelp network).

Free help in Iowa

Questions about default judgments in Iowa

How long do I have to answer a debt lawsuit in Iowa?

Small claims: file your Appearance and Answer within 20 days after you are served (60 days in some cases where an out-of-state defendant is served through the Secretary of State or the Department of Transportation). Regular District Court case: serve and file a motion or answer within 20 days after you are served.

Can the plaintiff win by default in Iowa?

If you do not file an answer in time (small claims) and the clerk finds you were properly served, the clerk enters judgment against you if the amount is clear; otherwise a magistrate decides. If you answer but miss the hearing, the court enters a default judgment.

How long do I have to undo a default in Iowa?

File a motion to set aside the default judgment for good cause – mistake, inadvertence, surprise, excusable neglect or unavoidable casualty. File it promptly after you discover the grounds and no later than 60 days after the judgment was entered. This applies in small claims too.

More for Iowa

Sources

Sources

Last checked: Oct 24, 2026.

Federal sources