Frost Line Depth in Des Moines, IA: Nearby Codes Require 42 in

No official local value

No official frost line depth is published for Des Moines.

Nearby official codes require 42 in (3 verified codes).

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 128 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Des Moines International Airport, 3.5 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

42 in3 verified codes within 24 mi
128nights a year at or below 32 °F
57%of nearby soil rated “moderate” for frost action (USDA)

Does Des Moines have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for Des Moines in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). The nearest official values, from codes we verified, are 42 in. Use the deepest of them until the building department confirms Des Moines’s own number.

What frost line depth does Des Moines use for footings under Table R301.2(1)? Is it 42 in, like West Des Moines?

Call 811 (Iowa One Call) at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Des Moines building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 42 in (the deepest nearby value) unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Des Moines?

Drawn with the deepest nearby official value (42 in). Confirm Des Moines’s own depth before you dig.

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Des Moines: dig at least 42 in (107 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Using the nearby official value of 42 in until Des Moines confirms its own
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	42 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	42 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	48 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	42 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Des Moines?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Nov to Mar. 128 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 13.8 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Des Moines International Airport station, 3.5 mi away, elevation 957 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	13.8	18	29.6	40.6	52.3	62.4	66.4	64.2	55.4	42.9	30.2	19.5
High	30.9	35.7	49.2	62	72.4	81.9	85.6	83.6	76.9	63.4	48.3	35.9

Des Moines has fewer freezing nights than 25 of the 28 other Iowa places we track. The Iowa median is 144. Coldest: Cerro Gordo County; mildest: Davenport.

What frost line depth do towns near Des Moines use?

3 official codes near Des Moines are verified; each links to its document.

Official frost line depths near Des Moines
Place	Verified frost line	Distance
West Des Moines	42 in	9 mi away
Ankeny	42 in	11 mi away
Dallas County	42 in	24 mi away

How likely is the soil in Des Moines to heave?

Moderate 57%High 43%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Des Moines as 57% moderate, 43% high for frost action (main soils: Nodaway, Ladoga, Sharpsburg).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

Des Moines at a glance

Frost line depth: No official local value
County: Polk County
Population (2023 est.): 210,381
Mean annual temperature: 50.9 °F
ZIP codes (16): 50009 · 50047 · 50211 · 50309 · 50310 · 50311 · 50312 · 50313 · 50314 · 50315 · 50316 · 50317 · 50319 · 50320 · 50321 · 50322