Iowaworkers' comp filing deadline
Original proceeding for benefits must be commenced within 2 years from date of occurrence of injury, OR within 3 years from last payment of weekly compensation benefits if any have been paid (§85.26)
Talk to a workers' comp attorney in Iowa.
Free, confidential consultation. Statute-of-limitations rules have many exceptions — a lawyer can confirm your specific deadline.
Notice to employer
Notice within 90 days of date of occurrence of the injury, defined as the date employee knew or should have known the injury was work-related (§85.23 + 2017 amendment to §85.26)
Filing with the state
Original proceeding for benefits must be commenced within 2 years from date of occurrence of injury, OR within 3 years from last payment of weekly compensation benefits if any have been paid (§85.26)
Compute your Iowa deadline
Pick your state, your injury type, and the trigger date. We'll show notice + filing deadlines.
Exceptions and tolling
Statute-of-limitations rules have many exceptions that can extend or pause the clock. The most common in Iowa:
Occupational disease — Discovery rule
2017 amendment defined 'date of occurrence of injury' as the date employee knew or should have known injury was work-related, codifying discovery rule across all injury types.
Death claim deadline
Survivors filing for death benefits typically have 2 years from date of death. This calculator does not yet handle death claims; consult a lawyer for those.
Attribution
- Last verified
- May 4, 2026
- Editorial review
- Statute linked to primary source
- Primary source
- https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/85.26.pdf