LIABILITY OF HOTELKEEPERS AND STEAMBOAT OWNERS

Iowa Code tit. XV, ch. 671

in effect

Iowa Code § 671.1 Liability for precious articles — safe deposit.

671.1. Liability for precious articles — safe deposit. No keeper of any hotel, inn, or eating house, nor the owner of any steamboat, shall be liable to any guest for more than one hundred dollars for the loss of or injury to any money, jewelry, articles of gold or silver manufacture, precious stones, personal ornaments, documents of any kind, or other similar property, if such keeper or owner at all times provides: 1. A metal safe or vault, in good order and fit for the safekeeping of such property. 2. Locks or bolts on the door and proper fastenings on the transoms and windows of the sleeping quarters used by guests. 3. Printed notices posted up in a conspicuous place in the office or other public room and in the quarters occupied by guests, stating that such places for safe deposit are provided for the use and accommodation of guests and patrons. [C97, §3138; S13, §3138; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1685; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.1] C93, §671.1

Iowa Code § 671.2 Exception.

671.2. Exception. 1. The limited liability provided in section 671.1 shall not apply where: a. A guest has offered to deliver valuables to the keeper or owner for custody in such metal safe or vault, and b. The keeper or owner has omitted or refused to receive and deposit the valuables in the safe or vault and give such guest a receipt for the valuables. 2. The keeper or owner shall not be required to receive from any one guest for deposit in the keeper’s or owner’s safe or vault, property having a market value of more than five hundred dollars. [C97, §3138; S13, §3138; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1686; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.2] C93, §671.2 2013 Acts, ch 90, §182

Iowa Code § 671.3 Nature of liability.

671.3. Nature of liability. The liability of such keeper or owner for loss of or injury to personal property placed by any guest in the keeper’s or owner’s care, other than that described in sections 671.1 and 671.2, shall be that of a depository for hire. [C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1687; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.3] C93, §671.3

Iowa Code § 671.4 Limitation on liability.

671.4. Limitation on liability. In no event shall the liability of such keeper or owner exceed the following amounts: 1. For each trunk and its contents, two hundred fifty dollars. 2. For each valise and its contents, one hundred fifty dollars. 3. For each box, bundle, or package and its contents, fifty dollars. 4. For any and all other miscellaneous effects of each guest, not exceeding one hundred dollars. [C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1688; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.4] C93, §671.4

Iowa Code § 671.5 Leaving baggage after registering off.

671.5. Leaving baggage after registering off. In case baggage or other personal property of a guest has remained in any hotel, inn, eating house, or steamboat forty-eight hours after the guest has paid the guest’s bill and registered off and the relation of keeper and guest has ceased, such keeper or owner may hold such baggage or property at the risk of the owner. [C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1689; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.5] C93, §671.5

Iowa Code § 671.6 Forwarding baggage.

671.6. Forwarding baggage. In case baggage or other property has been forwarded to any hotel, inn, eating house, or steamboat, and the owner of such baggage or property does not within forty-eight hours become a guest, such keeper or owner may hold such baggage or property at the risk of the owner. [C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §1690; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.6] C93, §671.6

Iowa Code § 671.7 Nonliability — conveyance.

671.7. Nonliability — conveyance. No keeper or owner of any hotel, inn or eating house shall be liable by reason of the keeper’s or owner’s liability or responsibility as innkeeper to any guest for the loss of or damage to the automobile or other conveyance of such guest left in any garage not personally owned and operated by such hotel, inn or eating house or the owner or keeper thereof. [C31, 35, §1690-c1; C39, §1690.1; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.7] C93, §671.7

Iowa Code § 671.8 Liability — conveyance.

671.8. Liability — conveyance. The liability of the keeper or owner of any hotel, inn or eating house, for the loss of or damage to the conveyance of any guest or the personal property of such guest left in such conveyance, where said hotel, inn or eating house keeper, is the owner and operator of such garage, shall be that of a bailee for hire, except that such hotel, inn, rooming house or eating house keeper or owner shall not be liable to the guest in an amount in excess of fifty dollars for loss or damage to personal property left in the conveyance unless said guest shall have listed with said hotel, inn, rooming house or eating house, the personal property contained in said automobile or conveyance, at the time the same is left in said garage so owned by and operated by the said hotel, inn, rooming house or eating house. [C31, 35, §1690-c2; C39, §1690.2; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.8] C93, §671.8

Iowa Code § 671.9 Liability during transit.

671.9. Liability during transit. Except as provided in section 671.8 no keeper or owner of any hotel, inn, rooming house or eating house shall be liable for the loss of or damage to the personal property kept therein of any guest, while the said conveyance is in transit between the said hotel, inn, rooming house or eating house and any garage in which the same is temporarily stored, nor for any damage done by said conveyance while in transit, unless in said transit the same is being driven or operated by an employee or agent of the said hotel, inn, rooming house or eating house. [C31, 35, §1690-c3; C39, §1690.3; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §105.9] C93, §671.9

Source: Iowa Legislature (legis.iowa.gov)URL: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/iowaCode/sections?codeChapter=671&year=2026Fetched: 10/20/2026