Vehicle Code

Have you ever wondered what the citation numbers on a traffic ticket refer to? Would you like to learn more about the laws surrounding title and registration procedures? Are you interested in Iowa's financial responsibility requirements for drivers? If so, reviewing Iowa's vehicle code―Subtitle 2 within the transportation code―may provide the answers you seek.

Subtitle 2 of Iowa's transportation code is the legal framework for most of the activities within the Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Division. For example, it outlines the penalties for various moving violations. If you ever have questions about a ticket you've received, this is an excellent resource for additional information.

Many sections of Subtitle 2 of Iowa's transportation code were written to protect motorists, pedestrians, and property. These rules and regulations tell us what is considered safe and legal behavior for Iowa drivers.

The first chapter you should read, Chapter 321―titled Motor Vehicles and Law of the Road―covers everything from driver's licenses to all the rules about speeding, passing, turning, towing, and so forth. This is the portion of the transportation code that most people expect to see when they think of the "vehicle code."

Chapter 321J outlines the penalties for drivers who are convicted of operating while intoxicated. It discusses Iowa's implied consent law as well as how to obtain a temporary restricted license and how to determine if a person will be required to complete a course for drinking drivers.

In addition to governing our activities on Iowa roads, the state's vehicle code also provides residents with certain legal rights relating to the purchase of their motor vehicles. For example, Chapter 322G allows drivers to request a refund or replacement if their vehicle develops a substantial defect within two years or 24,000 miles after purchase. This section of Iowa's vehicle code is sometimes known as the state's Lemon Law.