Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 804.30 (2026)

Strip searches and visual strip searches of persons arrested for scheduled violations or simple misdemeanors

✓ current as of July 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section IA-LEGlegis.iowa.gov JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

1. a. A person arrested for a simple misdemeanor who is housed in the general population of a county jail or municipal holding facility may be subject to a visual strip search. Such a person may be subject to a strip search if there is probable cause to believe that the person is concealing a weapon or contraband and written authorization of the supervisor on duty is obtained.

b. (1) A person arrested for a simple misdemeanor who is not housed in the general population of a county jail or municipal holding facility shall not be subjected to either a strip search or a visual strip search unless there is probable cause to believe that the person is concealing a weapon or contraband, and written authorization of the supervisor on duty is obtained. \n Tue Dec 09 21:54:27 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 804 (31, 0) §804.30, COMMENCEMENT OF ACTIONS — ARREST — DISPOSITIONS OF PRISONERS 10\n\n (2) A person arrested for a scheduled violation who is not housed in the general population of a county jail or municipal holding facility shall not be subject to either a strip search or a visual strip search unless there is probable cause to believe that the person is concealing a weapon or contraband, and a search warrant is obtained.

c. A strip search conducted pursuant to this section that involves the physical probing of a body cavity, other than the mouth, ears, or nose, shall require a search warrant and shall only be performed by a licensed physician unless voluntarily waived in writing by the arrested person.

2. Any person arrested for a scheduled violation or a simple misdemeanor may be subjected to a search probing the mouth, ears, or nose.

3. All searches conducted pursuant to this section shall be performed under sanitary conditions.

4. All searches conducted pursuant to this section, except for the probing of the mouth, ears, or nose, shall be conducted in a place where the search cannot be observed by persons not conducting the search.

5. All searches conducted pursuant to this section shall be conducted by a person of the same sex as the arrested person, except for the probing of the mouth, ears, or nose, unless the search is conducted by a physician.

6. Subsequent to a strip search pursuant to this section, a written report shall be prepared which includes the written authorization required by this section, the name of the person subjected to the search, the names of the persons conducting the search, the time, date, and place of the search, and a copy of the search warrant, if applicable authorizing the search. A copy of the report shall be provided to the person searched. [C81, §804.30] 2013 Acts, ch 30, §219; 2015 Acts, ch 71, §2 \n

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 1982–2016 · leading case: Florence v. Bd. of Chosen Freeholders of Cnty. of Burlington, 132 S. Ct. 1510 (2012).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Florence v. Bd. of Chosen Freeholders of Cnty. of Burlington, 132 S. Ct. 1510 (2012). · cites it 2× “§22–2521(a) (2007) (similar); Iowa Code §804.30 (2009) (similar); 725 Ill.”

McCabe v. Parker, 608 F.3d 1068 (8th Cir. 2010). “Mais's conduct not only violated the jail's policy, but also Iowa law, see Iowa Code § 804.30 (prohibiting a strip search of a person arrested for a simple misdemeanor absent probable cause to believe the person is concealing contraband or weapons) as well as the Fourth…”

McCabe v. Mais, 580 F. Supp. 2d 815 (N.D. Iowa 2008). · cites it 2× “For example, at the time of Plaintiffs’ arrests, Iowa Code § 804.30 provided: A person arrested for a scheduled violation or a simple misdemeanor shall not be subjected to a strip search unless there is probable cause to believe the person is concealing a weapon or contraband.”

Hunt v. Polk Cnty., Iowa, 551 F. Supp. 339 (S.D. Iowa 1982). “See Iowa Code § 804.30 (1981);. Iowa Acts, 68th G.”

State of Iowa v. Antonio Rayshaun Evans (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). “See Iowa Code § 804.30 ; State v. Gaskins, 866 N.”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.