State assisted-living licensing record · Iowa DIAL · record as pulled September 22, 2026· Not the federal nursing home survey

Iowa assisted living rules

88 DIAL rules cited across 279 facilities in the last 5 years. The grouping is TagProof’s; the wording, codes are DIAL’s. Building-related rules — the ones a maintenance director owns — come first.

Life safetyBuilding

Life safety tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-69.32-2An operating alarm system shall be connected to each exit door in a dementia-specific program357
481-67.4-6Program notification to the department when a fire occurs in a program and the fire requires the…10
481-69.32-3The program shall obtain approval from the state fire marshal division of the department of public safety…10

Physical plantBuilding

Physical plant tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-69.35-1Structural requirements201

Emergency managementBuilding

Emergency management tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-69.29-2In lieu of providing access to a personal emergency response system, a program serving one or more tenants…71
481-69.29-1Each tenant shall have access to a 24-hour personal emergency response system that automatically…60
481-67.9-2Emergency procedures30
481-67.4-2Program notification to the department when damage to the program is caused by a natural or other disaster10
481-69.4-7The policy and procedure for accidents and emergency response, including provisions related to head injuries10

Resident care

Resident care tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-69.26-1Service plan12652
481-69.22-3Evaluation of tenant12445
481-69.26-3When a tenant needs personal care or health-related care, the service plan shall be updated within 30 days…10228
481-67.3-2Tenant Rights10034
481-69.26-4The service plan shall be individualized and shall indicate, at a minimum9225
481-69.27-1If a tenant receives personal or health-related care, the program shall provide for a registered nurse8415
481-69.25-1Tenant Documents7624
481-69.22-2Evaluation within 30 days of occupancy588
481-69.23-1A program shall not knowingly admit or retain a tenant who4410
481-69.26-2Prior to the tenant's signing the occupancy agreement and taking occupancy of a dwelling unit, a…383
481-69.22-1Evaluation of tenant prior to occupancy315
481-67.3-1Tenant Rights283
481-69.24-1The program shall immediately provide to the office of long-term care ombudsman, by certified mail, a copy…162
481-67.3-5Tenant Rights100
481-69.32-4A program serving a person(s) with cognitive disorder or dementia shall have70
481-69.34-1The program shall provide appropriate activities for each tenant40
481-69.34-3A written schedule of activities shall be developed at least monthly and made available to tenants and…40
481-67.3-6Tenant Rights30
481-69.39-1Length of stay30
481-69.33-6When transportation services are provided directly or under contract with the program, the driver shall…20
481-67.3-3Tenant Rights10
481-67.3-4Tenant Rights10
481-67.3-9To be free from restraints10
481-67.7Waiver of criteria for retention of a tenant in the program10
481-69.23Criteria for Admission and Retention10
481-69.33-4When transportation services are provided directly or under contract with the program, wheelchairs shall…10
481-69.33-7Each vehicle shall have a first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, safety triangles and a device for two-way…10
481-69.38-1Within 30 days of a tenant's admission to an assisted living program that receives reimbursement through…10

Medication

Medication tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-67.5-2Medications. Each program shall follow its own written medication policy, which shall include when…10832
231C.16AMedications10
481-57.19-4Drugs10

Staffing and training

Staffing and training tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-67.9-4Nurse delegation shall, at a minimum, include within 30 days of beginning employment, all program staff…9022
481-67.19-3Background check requirements for employer prior to employing an individual646
481-69.30-1All personnel employed by or contracting with a dementia-specific program shall receive a minimum of eight…574
481-67.9-6Dependent adult abuse training384
481-69.30-3Dementia-specific continuing education252
481-67.9-1Number of staff246
481-69.29-3The owner or management corporation of the program is responsible for ensuring that all personnel employed…211
481-67.19-5Employment prohibition142
481-69.29-4A dementia-specific assisted living program shall have one or more staff persons who monitor tenants as…142
481-69.30-5Dementia-specific training shall include hands-on training and may include any of the following100
481-67.9-3Staffing. Pursuant to Iowa Code section 135C.33, a prospective employee of a program shall have a criminal…70
481-67.18-3Record Checks60
481-67.19-4Validity of background check results50
481-69.27-2A licensed practical nurse via nurse delegation may complete the tasks required by this rule, except when…50
481-69.29-6All programs employing a new delegating nurse after January 1, 2010, shall require the delegating nurse…30
481-69.39-4Written direction to staff20
481-67.19-9The employer shall act to verify the information within seven calendar days of notification10
481-69.29-5All programs employing a new program manager after January 1, 2010, shall require the manager within six…10

Food service

Food service tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-69.28-5Personnel who are employed by or contract with the program and who are responsible for food preparation or…351
481-69.28-8Food Service70
481-69.28-4Therapeutic diets may be provided by a program50
481-69.28-3Menus shall be planned to provide the following percentage of the daily recommended dietary allowances as…20
481-69.28-6Programs engaged in the preparation and service of meals and snacks shall meet the standards of state and…20
481-69.28-7Programs may have an on-site dietitian10

Records and administration

Records and administration tags in Iowa
TagWhat DIAL checksFacilitiesCited twice or more
481-67.2-3The program shall follow the policies and procedures established by the program13956
481-67.2-1Program policies and procedures397
481-67.2-2Program policies and procedures241
231C.5Written occupancy agreement required191
481-69.25-2The program records relating to a tenant shall be retained for a minimum of three years after the transfer…151
481-67.2Program policies and procedures70
481-67.4-4Program notification to the department when a tenant elopes from a program60
481-69.25-3All records shall be protected from loss, damage and unauthorized use60
481-69.21-3The occupancy agreement shall be reviewed and updated as necessary to reflect any change in services or…51
481-69.21-2In addition to the requirements of Iowa Code section 231C.5, the written occupancy agreement shall…41
231C.5-2231C.5 Written occupancy agreement required40
481-67.4-1Program Notification to Department40
481-67.7-2Waiver of Criteria for Retention Waiver petition procedures32
481-67.4-3Program notification to the department when there is an act that causes major injury to a tenant or when a…30
235E.2-3Dependent adult abuse reports in facilities and programs20
481-67.4-5Program notification to the department when a tenant attempts suicide, regardless of injury20
481-69.21-1Occupancy Agreement20
235E.2-10Dependent adult abuse reports in facilities and programs The department shall adopt rules which require…10
481-52.2-2Reporting suspected dependent adult abuse in facilities or programs10
481-69.2-1Posting requirements10
481-69.21-4A copy of the occupancy agreement shall be provided to the tenant or the tenant's legal representative, if…10
481-69.21-5A copy of the most current occupancy agreement shall be made available to the general public upon request10
481-69.31-2The managed risk policy shall include a consensus-based process to address specific risk situations10
481-69.4-4The policy and procedure for evaluation of each tenant10