Iowa Code » Chapter 232D — MINOR GUARDIANSHIPS
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 232D.203 (2026)

Guardianship with parental consent

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. The court may appoint a guardian for a minor if the court finds all of the following:

a. The parent or parents having legal custody of the minor understand the nature of the guardianship and knowingly and voluntarily consent to the guardianship.

b. The minor is in need of a guardianship because of any one of the following:

(1) The parent having legal custody of the minor has a physical or mental illness that prevents the parent from providing care and supervision of the child.

(2) The parent having legal custody of the minor is incarcerated or imprisoned.

(3) The parent having legal custody of the minor is on active military duty.

(4) The minor is in need of a guardianship for some other reason constituting good cause shown.

c. Appointment of a guardian for the minor is in the best interest of the minor.

2. If the guardianship petition requests a guardianship with parental consent, the petition shall include an affidavit signed by the parent or parents verifying that the parent or parents knowingly and voluntarily consent to the guardianship. The consent required by this subsection shall be on a form prescribed by the judicial branch.

3. On or before the date of the hearing on the petition, the parent or parents and the proposed guardian shall file an agreement with the court. This agreement shall state the following:

a. The responsibilities of the guardian.

b. The responsibilities of the parent or parents.

c. The expected duration of the guardianship, if known.

4. If the court grants the petition, it shall approve the guardianship agreement between the custodial parent and the proposed guardian and incorporate its terms by reference unless the court finds the agreement was not reached knowingly and voluntarily or is not in the best interests of the child. 2019 Acts, ch 56, §9, 44, 45 Referred to in §232D.503\n\nTue Dec 09 22:21:03 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 232D (18, 0) §232D.204, MINOR GUARDIANSHIPS 4 \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 11 cases (10 in the last 5 years), 2020–2026 · leading case: In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022).
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In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). · cites it 29× “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). · cites it 29× “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 14× “Grounds for Guardianship As a preliminary issue, we address the paternal grandparents’ claim that because grounds for creating a guardianship under Iowa Code section 232D.203 are still satisfied, we need not address whether to terminate it.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of S.P.-G. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 8× “3Section 232D.203 details the requirements for a guardianship established with parental consent.”
In the Interest of L.B., Minor Child (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 5× “§ 232D.203 (guardianship with parental consent).”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of A.K. & J.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 5× “And in July 2020, the juvenile court established the guardianships under Iowa Code section 232D.203—which requires parental consent—and appointed the aunt and uncle as guardians.”
In re Guardianship of E.B. (Iowa Ct. App. 2023). · cites it 4× “See Iowa Code §§ 232D.203 (establishing guardianships with parental consent), .”
In re Guardianship of G.B. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 4× “503 sets out two tracks for terminating a guardianship—one to be used when the guardianship was established with parental consent under section 232D.203 and one to be used when the guardianship was established without parental consent under section 232D.”
In re the Guardianship of E.W.-W., a Minor (Iowa Ct. App. 2026). · cites it 4× “’s legal guardian pursuant to Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2022). At the time of her consent, the mother was sober, employed, and in a relationship with her now-spouse.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of T.K., L.K., & S.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 2× “2d 882 , 894 (Iowa 2022); see also Iowa Code § 232D.203(1) (requiring, among other things, any parent with legal custody to “knowingly and voluntarily consent to the guardianship”).”
In the Interest of C.S., Minor Child (Iowa Ct. App. 2022). “See Iowa 6 Code § 232D.203(2). The affidavit of consent, then, was not an effective substitute for personal service as required by Iowa Code section 232D.”
— Iowa Code § 232D.203(1) — 4 cases
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of T.K., L.K., & S.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “2d 882 , 894 (Iowa 2022); see also Iowa Code § 232D.203(1) (requiring, among other things, any parent with legal custody to “knowingly and voluntarily consent to the guardianship”).”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of A.K. & J.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “And in July 2020, the juvenile court established the guardianships under Iowa Code section 232D.203—which requires parental consent—and appointed the aunt and uncle as guardians.”
— Iowa Code § 232D.203(1)(a) — 5 cases
In the Matter of the Guardianship of S.P.-G. (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). “3Section 232D.203 details the requirements for a guardianship established with parental consent.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). “Grounds for Guardianship As a preliminary issue, we address the paternal grandparents’ claim that because grounds for creating a guardianship under Iowa Code section 232D.203 are still satisfied, we need not address whether to terminate it.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of A.K. & J.K. (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “And in July 2020, the juvenile court established the guardianships under Iowa Code section 232D.203—which requires parental consent—and appointed the aunt and uncle as guardians.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
— Iowa Code § 232D.203(1)(b)(4) — 3 cases
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). “Grounds for Guardianship As a preliminary issue, we address the paternal grandparents’ claim that because grounds for creating a guardianship under Iowa Code section 232D.203 are still satisfied, we need not address whether to terminate it.”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
— Iowa Code § 232D.203(2) — 3 cases
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Interest of C.S., Minor Child (Iowa Ct. App. 2022). “See Iowa 6 Code § 232D.203(2). The affidavit of consent, then, was not an effective substitute for personal service as required by Iowa Code section 232D.”
— Iowa Code § 232D.203(3) — 2 cases
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
— Iowa Code § 232D.203(4) — 2 cases
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
In the Matter of the Guardianship of L.Y. (Iowa 2022). “When a parent who has not been adjudicated unfit files a motion to terminate a guardianship established with parental consent under Iowa Code section 232D.203 (2020), the juvenile court must start with the rebuttable presumption that the child’s best interests are served by…”
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