Iowa Code » Chapter 216 — OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 216.16A (2026)

Civil action elected — housing

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. a. A complainant, a respondent, or an aggrieved person on whose behalf the complaint was filed may elect to have the charges asserted in the complaint decided in a civil action as provided by section 216.17A.

b. The election must be made not later than twenty days after the date of receipt by the electing person of service under section 216.15A, subsection 5, or in the case of the agency, not later than twenty days after the date the determination was issued.

c. The person making the election shall give notice to the agency and to all other complainants and respondents to whom the election relates.

d. The election to have the charges of a complaint decided in a civil action as provided in paragraph “a” is only available if one of the following is alleged:

(1) It is alleged that there has been a violation of section 216.8 or 216.8A.

(2) It is alleged that there has been a violation of section 216.11 or 216.11A arising out of an alleged violation of the prohibitions contained in section 216.8 or 216.8A.

2. a. An aggrieved person may file a civil action in district court not later than two years\n\nTue Dec 09 22:22:08 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 216 (47, 2) §216.16A, OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS 22\n\nafter the occurrence of the termination of an alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice, or the breach of a mediation agreement entered into under this chapter, whichever occurs last, to obtain appropriate relief with respect to the discriminatory housing or real estate practice or breach.

b. The two-year period does not include any time during which an administrative hearing under this chapter is pending with respect to a complaint or charge based on the discriminatory housing or real estate practice. This subsection does not apply to actions arising from a breach of a mediation agreement.

c. An aggrieved person may file an action under this subsection whether or not a discriminatory housing or real estate complaint has been filed under section 216.15, and without regard to the status of any discriminatory housing or real estate complaint filed under that section.

d. If the agency has obtained a mediation agreement with the consent of an aggrieved person, the aggrieved person shall not file an action under this subsection with respect to the alleged discriminatory practice that forms the basis for the complaint except to enforce the terms of the agreement.

e. An aggrieved person shall not file an action under this subsection with respect to an alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice that forms the basis of a charge issued by the agency if the agency has begun a hearing on the record under this chapter with respect to the charge.

f. In an action filed in district court under this subsection, the court may, upon a finding of discrimination, order any of the remedies provided for in section 216.17A, subsection 6. 91 Acts, ch 184, §10 CS91, §601A.16A 92 Acts, ch 1129, §13, 14 C93, §216.16A 95 Acts, ch 129, §13, 14; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §264, 265 Referred to in §216.15A, 216.17A \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2008–2023 · leading case: State Ex Rel. Claypool v. Evans, 757 N.W.2d 166 (Iowa 2008).
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State Ex Rel. Claypool v. Evans, 757 N.W.2d 166 (Iowa 2008). · cites it 6× “Section 216.16A(2) requires a person to file a civil action “not later than two years after the occurrence of the termination of an alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice.”
James Rixner & the Sioux City Human Rights Comm'n of the City of Sioux City v. James W. Boyd Revocable Trust & Jennifer Boyle & James W. Boyd, Individually (Iowa Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 15× “The plaintiffs frame their argument on appeal as whether they have standing to file the petition in district court under Iowa Code section 216.16A. The defendants argue the court decided the plaintiffs were not real parties in interest rather than ruling on standing.”
State Of Iowa, Ex Rel. Alicia Claypool Vs. Michael Evans, Mte Proj. Dev., & Anderson-bogert Engineers & Surveyors, Inc. Vs. Michael Evans, & Mte Proj. Dev. (Iowa 2008). · cites it 4× “15(12), we must determine when the alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice occurred.”
Des Moines Civil & Human Rights Comm'n v. Patrick Knueven & Mary Knueven (Iowa 2023). “” On June 28, the Commission filed a petition and request for injunctive relief in district court against the Knuevens for those same charges, noting the Knuevens elected to have the charges decided in a civil action under Iowa Code sections 216.16A(1)(a) and 216.17A and…”
— Iowa Code § 216.16A(1)(a) — 1 case
Des Moines Civil & Human Rights Comm'n v. Patrick Knueven & Mary Knueven (Iowa 2023). “” On June 28, the Commission filed a petition and request for injunctive relief in district court against the Knuevens for those same charges, noting the Knuevens elected to have the charges decided in a civil action under Iowa Code sections 216.16A(1)(a) and 216.17A and…”
— Iowa Code § 216.16A(2) — 2 cases
State Ex Rel. Claypool v. Evans, 757 N.W.2d 166 (Iowa 2008). “Section 216.16A(2) requires a person to file a civil action “not later than two years after the occurrence of the termination of an alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice.”
State Of Iowa, Ex Rel. Alicia Claypool Vs. Michael Evans, Mte Proj. Dev., & Anderson-bogert Engineers & Surveyors, Inc. Vs. Michael Evans, & Mte Proj. Dev. (Iowa 2008). “15(12), we must determine when the alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice occurred.”
— Iowa Code § 216.16A(2)(a) — 3 cases
State Ex Rel. Claypool v. Evans, 757 N.W.2d 166 (Iowa 2008). “Section 216.16A(2) requires a person to file a civil action “not later than two years after the occurrence of the termination of an alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice.”
James Rixner & the Sioux City Human Rights Comm'n of the City of Sioux City v. James W. Boyd Revocable Trust & Jennifer Boyle & James W. Boyd, Individually (Iowa Ct. App. 2019). “The plaintiffs frame their argument on appeal as whether they have standing to file the petition in district court under Iowa Code section 216.16A. The defendants argue the court decided the plaintiffs were not real parties in interest rather than ruling on standing.”
State Of Iowa, Ex Rel. Alicia Claypool Vs. Michael Evans, Mte Proj. Dev., & Anderson-bogert Engineers & Surveyors, Inc. Vs. Michael Evans, & Mte Proj. Dev. (Iowa 2008). “15(12), we must determine when the alleged discriminatory housing or real estate practice occurred.”
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