Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 724.26 (2026)

Possession, receipt, transportation, or dominion and control of firearms, offensive weapons, and ammunition by felons and others

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. a. A person who is convicted of a felony in a state or federal court, or who is adjudicated delinquent on the basis of conduct that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult, and who knowingly has under the person’s dominion and control or possession, receives, or transports or causes to be transported a firearm or offensive weapon is guilty of the following: (1) A class “D” felony for a first offense, with commitment to the custody of the director of the department of corrections for an indeterminate term not to exceed five years with a mandatory minimum term of confinement of two years. (2) A class “D” felony for a second offense, with commitment to the custody of the director of the department of corrections for an indeterminate term not to exceed five years with a mandatory minimum term of confinement of four years. (3) A class “C” felony for a third offense, with commitment to the custody of the director of the department of corrections for an indeterminate term not to exceed ten years with a mandatory minimum term of confinement of seven years. (4) A class “C” felony for a fourth or subsequent offense, with commitment to the custody of the director of the department of corrections for an indeterminate term not to exceed ten years with a mandatory minimum term of confinement of ten years. b. The court shall not defer judgment or sentencing, or suspend execution of any mandatory minimum sentence of incarceration imposed by this subsection, except the court may suspend execution of any sentence of incarceration imposed under subparagraph (1) upon the recommendation of the county attorney. c. Earned time accrued by a person convicted under this subsection shall not be applied to reduce any mandatory minimum sentence imposed. Earned time accrued shall be credited against the person’s indeterminate term of incarceration, but shall not reduce any mandatory minimum sentence imposed. 2. a. Except as provided in paragraph “b”, a person who is subject to a protective order under 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(8) or who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(9) and who knowingly possesses, ships, transports, or receives a firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition is guilty of a class “D” felony. b. This subsection shall not apply to the possession, shipment, transportation, or receipt of a firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition issued by a state department or agency or

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Tue Dec 09 21:55:43 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 724 (64, 2) §724.26, WEAPONS 18\n\npolitical subdivision for use in the performance of the official duties of the person who is the subject of a protective order under 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(8). c. For purposes of this section, “misdemeanor crime of domestic violence” means an assault under section 708.1, subsection 2, paragraph “a” or “c”, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim. 3. Upon the issuance of a protective order or entry of a judgment of conviction described in subsection 2, the court shall inform the person who is the subject of such order or conviction that the person shall not possess, ship, transport, or receive a firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition while such order is in effect or until such conviction is vacated or until the person’s rights have been restored in accordance with section 724.27. 4. Except as provided in section 809A.17, subsection 5, paragraph “b”, a court that issues an order or that enters a judgment of conviction described in subsection 2 and that finds the subject of the order or conviction to be in possession of any firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition shall order that such firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition be sold or transferred by a date certain to the custody of a qualified person in this state, as determined by the court. The qualified person must be able to lawfully possess such firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition in this state. If the court is unable to identify a qualified person to receive such firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition, the court shall order that the firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition be transferred by a date certain to the county sheriff or a local law enforcement agency designated by the court for safekeeping until a qualified person is identified to receive the firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition, until such order is no longer in effect, until such conviction is vacated, or until the person’s rights have been restored in accordance with section 724.27. If the firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition is to be transferred to the sheriff’s office or a local law enforcement agency, the court shall assess the person the reasonable cost of storing the firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition, payable to the county sheriff or the local law enforcement agency. 5. Upon entry of an order described in subsection 2, the court shall enter the name, address, date of birth, driver’s license number, or other identifying information of the person subject to the order into the Iowa criminal justice information system, the reason for the order, and the date by which the person is required to comply with any relinquishment order issued under subsection 4. At the time such order is no longer in effect, such information relating to the prohibition in subsection 3 shall be deleted from the Iowa criminal justice information system. 6. If a firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition has been transferred to a qualified person pursuant to subsection 4 and the protective order described in subsection 2 is no longer in effect, the firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition shall be returned to the person who was subject to the protective order within five days of that person’s request to have the firearm, offensive weapon, or ammunition returned. [C79, 81, §724.26] 90 Acts, ch 1147, §8; 97 Acts, ch 126, §47; 2002 Acts, ch 1055, §4; 2002 Acts, ch 1175, §94; 2002 Acts, 2nd Ex, ch 1003, §243, 262; 2010 Acts, ch 1083, §4; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §254; 2025 Acts, ch 104, §1 Referred to in §236.5, 724.8, 724.15, 724.16, 724.25, 724.27, 804.21 Exception; see §724.27 Subsection 1 amended

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 71 cases (21 in the last 5 years), 1983–2026 · leading case: State v. Turner, 630 N.W.2d 601 (Iowa 2001).
State v. Turner, 630 N.W.2d 601 (Iowa 2001). · cites it 4× “See Iowa Code § 724.26 (1997). He claims the court erred in admitting inculpatory statements he made prior to being given Miranda warnings.”
State of Iowa v. Nathan Daniel Olsen, 848 N.W.2d 363 (Iowa 2014). · cites it 8× “Iowa Code § 724.26 (1). A “felony” for purposes of the felon-in-possession statute is any offense punishable in the jurisdiction where it occurred by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, but does not include any offense, other than an offense involving a firearm or…”
State of Iowa v. Donald Benjamin Earl Reed, 875 N.W.2d 693 (Iowa 2016). “Both statutes require proof of actual or constructive possession. The felon-in-possession statute requires proof that an adjudicated felon has a firearm “knowingly [] under the person’s dominion and control or possession.”
United States v. Juan Castillo-Rivera, 853 F.3d 218 (5th Cir. 2017). “" MS, OH, OK, UT) Statute includes felonies from other states that "A person who is convicted of a felony in a state or carry punishment of up to a year in prison (MD, 11 Iowa Iowa Code § 724.26 federal court" MS, OH, OK, UT) A violation of Kan.”
In RE the Det. of Anthony Geltz Anthony Geltz, 840 N.W.2d 273 (Iowa 2013). · cites it 2× “1245, § 2426 (codified at Iowa Code § 724.26 (1979)). The legislature added the juvenile adjudication language in 1997.”
State of Iowa v. Deng Kon Tong, 805 N.W.2d 599 (Iowa 2011). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code § 724.26 . This statute reads: A person who is convicted of a felony in a state or federal court, or who is adjudicated delinquent on the basis of conduct that would constitute a felony if committed by an adult, and who knowingly has under the person’s dominion and…”
State v. Eames, 565 N.W.2d 323 (Iowa 1997). · cites it 4× “Defendant, Thomas Stanley Eames, appeals from his convictions for dominion and control of a firearm by a convicted felon, see Iowa Code § 724.26 (1993), and possession of a controlled substance, see id.”
United States v. Christopher Davies, 942 F.3d 871 (8th Cir. 2019). “See Iowa Code § 724.26 . The court determined that the deferred judgment qualified as a conviction, observing that “the legislature intended the statute to cover persons who had engaged in certain conduct,” which supported “a broad interpretation of the term ‘convicted.”
State v. Halliburton, 539 N.W.2d 339 (Iowa 1995). “Iowa Code § 724.26 (1993). Thus, it is impossible to commit the greater offense — possession of an offensive weapon by a felon— without also committing the lesser offense— possession of an offensive weapon.”
State v. Sanborn, 564 N.W.2d 813 (Iowa 1997). · cites it 2× “6A (1995), and possession of a firearm by a felon, Iowa Code § 724.26 . His appeal focuses on the firearm possession charge.”
State v. Gathercole, 553 N.W.2d 569 (Iowa 1996). · cites it 2× “2 (1993), and possession of a firearm by a felon, Iowa Code § 724.26 . We affirm. I. The Facts.”
State v. Thacker, 2024 Ohio 5835 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024). “Iowa Code 724.26(1). 4. Massachusetts requires a license to possess a firearm, Mass.”
— Iowa Code § 724.26(1) — 2 cases
State v. Thacker, 2024 Ohio 5835 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024). “Iowa Code 724.26(1). 4. Massachusetts requires a license to possess a firearm, Mass.”
— Iowa Code § 724.26(2) — 1 case
— Iowa Code § 724.26(2)(a) — 2 cases
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