Iowa criminal charge
Failure to assist in Iowa
Failure to assist is a criminal offense under Iowa law, defined by Iowa Code § 727.12. Its classification is not fixed: Iowa assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.
Defined by Iowa Code § 727.12.
What is the penalty for failure to assist in Iowa?
| Penalty | Range | Basis | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jail / prison | up to 30 days (Failure to assist resulting in serious bodily injury — Applies when a person's failure to assist, without lawful cause, results in the other person suffering serious bodily injury.; may be ordered in lieu of or in addition to the fine (§903.1(1)(a))) | discretionary | Iowa Code § 903.1 |
| Fine | $105 to $855 (Failure to assist resulting in serious bodily injury — Applies when a person's failure to assist, without lawful cause, results in the other person suffering serious bodily injury.; fine may not be suspended by the court (§903.1(1)); jail may be ordered in lieu of the fine; §911 surcharges added on top) | mandatory | Iowa Code § 903.1 |
| Jail / prison | up to 2 years (Failure to assist resulting in death — Applies when a person's failure to assist, without lawful cause, results in the death of the other person.; a sentence of more than one year is an indeterminate term (§903.1(2))) | discretionary | Iowa Code § 903.1 |
| Fine | $855 to $8,540 (Failure to assist resulting in death — Applies when a person's failure to assist, without lawful cause, results in the death of the other person.; fine may not be suspended by the court (§903.1(1)); §911 surcharges added on top) | mandatory | Iowa Code § 903.1 |
Applies to current (2026 Iowa Code; fine levels per 2020 Acts ch 1074).
How is failure to assist classified in Iowa?
The classification depends on the circumstances:
| Variant | Classification | When it applies | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Failure to assist resulting in serious bodily injury | Simple Misdemeanor | Applies when a person's failure to assist, without lawful cause, results in the other person suffering serious bodily injury. | Iowa Code § 727.12(2)(a) |
| Failure to assist resulting in death | Aggravated Misdemeanor | Applies when a person's failure to assist, without lawful cause, results in the death of the other person. | Iowa Code § 727.12(2)(b) |
Common questions about failure to assist in Iowa
Is failure to assist a felony or a misdemeanor in Iowa?
It depends on the circumstances: failure to assist ranges from a Simple Misdemeanor to a Aggravated Misdemeanor in Iowa under Iowa Code § 727.12.
Failure to assist resulting in serious bodily injury: Simple Misdemeanor (Iowa Code § 727.12(2)(a)) · Failure to assist resulting in death: Aggravated Misdemeanor (Iowa Code § 727.12(2)(b))
What are the penalties for failure to assist in Iowa?
Penalties for failure to assist in Iowa depend on how it is classified — from a Simple Misdemeanor up to a Aggravated Misdemeanor — with the ranges set by Iowa Code § 903.1; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.
Which Iowa statute covers failure to assist?
Failure to assist is governed by Iowa Code § 727.12 (Failure to assist).
Legal terms used in this law
This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.