On September 28, 2002, a man aged 20 years residing in Linn County, Iowa, died from rabies encephalitis caused by infection with a variant of rabies virus associated with silver-haired (Lasionycteris noctivagans) and eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) bats. This is the first case of human rabies in Iowa since 1951. This report summarizes the investigation of the case by the Linn County and Iowa public health departments. Bats found in living quarters should be submitted to local public health laboratories for rabies testing.