Guide
Iowa Bankruptcy Search at a Glance
Iowa's bankruptcy cases are split among two federal courts by where the debtor lives. The court links below open each court's own site, and PACER, in the federal list further down, searches both at once.
Guide
Iowa Bankruptcy Court Resources
Use the resources below to identify the correct federal bankruptcy court, check electronic filing or docket access, and locate related bankruptcy guidance for Iowa.
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of IowaCourt locations: Cedar Rapids and Sioux City
- Unclaimed funds, Northern District of IowaMoney held by the court for people who never claimed it
- Filing without an attorney, Northern District of IowaThe court's help page for people filing without a lawyer
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of IowaHearing calendars, case status by phone and unclaimed funds
- Filing without an attorney, Southern District of IowaThe court's help page for people filing without a lawyer
- U.S. Courts, Bankruptcy BasicsOfficial overview of bankruptcy chapters, eligibility, and court process
Under Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 9037, filed papers may show only the last four digits of a Social Security number, the year of birth and a minor's initials. To tell apart two debtors with the same name, compare the home address and those four digits on the petition, Official Form 101.
Guide
Iowa bankruptcy files: districts and access
Iowa has two federal bankruptcy districts. The Northern District of Iowa (ianb.uscourts.gov) covers the northern half of the state, and the Southern District of Iowa (iasb.uscourts.gov) the southern half, including Des Moines. A name search that does not know the county starts at the PACER Case Locator, which covers both. Dockets and documents are public under 11 U.S.C. 107 at $0.10 per page on PACER, $3 at most per document, free in a quarter at $30 or less, and free to view at the courthouse. Unlike an Iowa dissolution file, where a financial statement can be sealed on an unopposed motion, the bankruptcy schedules that name deposit accounts and the employer stay open. The Iowa asset search page explains how they are read.
Guide
Related Iowa pages
A bankruptcy search often leads on to state court cases, judgments and liens, and criminal or vital records. These are our related Iowa pages.
- Iowa Court RecordsState and county court case research and docket searches
- Iowa Criminal RecordsBackground checks, criminal history, and arrest records
- Iowa Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Iowa Inmate SearchState DOC and county jail inmate lookup
- Iowa DMV & Driving RecordsDriver license, vehicle history, and DMV services
- Iowa Judgments & LiensCourt judgments, liens and UCC filings, and how to search them
By state
Bankruptcy search in other states
Each state's page names its federal bankruptcy districts and links each court's own site.
Guide
Public records directories
Our directories for Iowa, all 50 states and U.S. counties, and the federal FOIA guide.
Guide
Federal & National Authoritative Sources
Straight answers
Iowa Bankruptcy Search, questions
Are bankruptcy records public?
Yes. All documents filed in a bankruptcy case are public records under 11 U.S.C. § 107, subject only to narrow sealing for trade secrets and certain personal identifiers.
Do states have their own bankruptcy courts?
No. Bankruptcy is exclusively federal under Article I of the U.S. Constitution and Title 11 of the U.S. Code. Each U.S. judicial district has a bankruptcy court.
How long does a bankruptcy stay on a credit report?
Chapter 7 discharges remain on a consumer credit report for 10 years from the filing date. Chapter 13 remains 7 years from filing. This is controlled by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681c).
Is there a fee to use PACER?
Registration is free. Per-page viewing is $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document. Users who accrue less than $30 per quarter pay nothing.