Car Registration

Registering your vehicle is surprisingly simple. If you purchased or leased your new car from a licensed dealer, the dealer will most likely take care of the paperwork for you. However, when you buy or transfer a used vehicle from a private owner, you will be responsible for making sure the forms are filled out correctly.

How to Register

The seller will provide you with their title, an odometer reading, an estimate of fair market value, and a disclosure of any vehicle damages. You must then take these documents, a title and registration application, and the appropriate registration fee to your county treasurer's office.

The application asks for the following information:

• The owner's name, driver's license number, and Social Security number

• The owner's address

• The vehicle identification number (VIN), make, model, and year

• Any lienholder information

• The purchase price, minus any trade-in value

If you are leasing the vehicle, you will use a different application form. Complete the title and registration application for a leased vehicle.

Iowa law requires that you register your car within 30 days of purchase. Your registration information should be carried in your car at all times.

If you are ever stopped by a police officer, they will ask to see this paperwork. If you do not have the vehicle's registration documents, you could be fined up to $100.

Learn more about Iowa's car registration policies when we answer your frequently asked questions. The Iowa State County Treasurer's Association also has a list of FAQs.

Renewing Your Registration

Your Iowa vehicle registration will expire at the end of your birth month, regardless of the actual day you were born. However, there is a one-month grace period that allows you to renew your registration without penalty.

Before your registration expires, you'll receive a renewal notice in the mail. For your convenience, you may also renew your registration online. Your renewal notice will indicate whether you are eligible for this shortcut, which carries a small additional service fee.

Registration Credit

If you junk, trade, or sell your old vehicle before purchasing a replacement, you may be eligible to receive a credit on your Iowa car registration fees. However, you must claim the credit within 30 days and indicate that the credit is due on your replacement vehicle's title application. A credit will be given if you are owed more than $10.

If you are transferring your vehicle to a spouse, parent, or child, this fee credit can also be transferred. For additional information, call the Motor Vehicle Information Center at (800) 532-1121.

Nonoperable Vehicles

If your vehicle is nonoperational or you simply want to place it in storage, you may cancel your registration by taking the plates and your registration to your county treasurer's office. By doing so, you won't have to pay your registration fees while the vehicle is not in use or remains in storage.

Should you decide to take your vehicle out of storage, or if your vehicle becomes operable, you can go back to your county treasurer's office to re-start your registration after paying the necessary fees.

Driving Privileges for Non-Citizens

If you have a valid license from another country, and are either visiting Iowa or attending school here, you may drive in the state. Be sure to always have your license with you when driving.

While it's not required, it's a good idea to have an International Driver Permit, issued from your home country. These permits basically translate your license to make it understandable to U.S. officials.

Temporary foreign nationals interested in obtaining an Iowa license should bring their Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) documents to a driver license issuance location. The state provides more information on this process.

Licenses are valid as long as the visa is valid or two years, whichever period is shortest. However, permanent resident foreign nationals are granted the standard, five-year license.