Iowa Motocross Inherent Risk Law
Law passedDoes Iowa have a motocross inherent risk law?
Yes. Iowa House File 917, approved May 19, 2026, provides that a motocross facility is not liable for injuries or deaths that result from the inherent risks of motocross activities, as long as it does not cause them through negligence or another exception in the law.
How many motocross tracks are in Iowa?
MXTA has verified 3 motocross tracks in Iowa. This is a confirmed subset, not every track in the state.
What does off-road motorcycling add to Iowa's economy?
Motorcycling and ATV recreation added $189 million to Iowa's economy in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account.
H.F. 917 (Acts 2026, chapter 1122), codified at Iowa Code chapter 673B (section 673B.1). Approved May 19, 2026.
“a motocross facility shall not be liable for any injury to or the death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of motocross activities”
Requirement: Every facility operator must post and maintain signs with the warning notice the law prescribes, in black one-inch letters on a white background, in a clearly visible location on or near the riding areas.
Who and what it covers
- Motocross facilities: areas created and maintained for motocross vehicles on natural or man-made terrain
- Facility operators, for profit or not, including fair authorities, and their owners, agents and employees
- Participants, amateur or professional, whether or not a fee is paid, riding, training or as a passenger
- Inherent risks such as operator error, heat and cold injuries, weather, animal attacks, and remote places with no medical facilities
What it does not cover
- Intentionally injuring a participant
- Negligence for the safety of a participant that is a proximate cause of the injury or death
- Providing equipment the operator knew or should have known was unsafe
- Failing to use the care a reasonably prudent person would use
- Injuries that occurred before the law took effect
Keep going
See where every state stands, run the economic impact numbers for Iowa, and read real court cases against motocross tracks in the Case Files.
This page reports what the law and the public record say. It is not legal advice; talk to your own attorney about your track.