Title VIII, TRANSPORTATION (Ch. 306 - 330B)

1. Whenever a motor vehicle is being operated on a roadway or shoulder during the times specified in section 321.384 , the driver shall use a distribution of light, or composite beam, directed high enough and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a safe distan…

Headlamps arranged to provide a single distribution of light not supplemented by auxiliary driving lamps shall be permitted on motor vehicles manufactured and sold prior to July 1, 1938, in lieu of multiple-beam road-lighting equipment specified in section 321.409 if the single d…

Any motor vehicle may be operated under the conditions specified in section 321.384 when equipped with two lighted lamps upon the front thereof capable of revealing persons and objects seventy-five feet ahead in lieu of lamps required in sections 321.409 and 321.415 , or section …

At all times specified in section 321.384 at least two lighted lamps, except where one only is permitted, shall be displayed, one on each side at the front of every motor vehicle except when such vehicle is parked subject to the regulations governing lights on parked vehicles. [C…

1. If a registration card, plate, or pair of plates is lost or becomes illegible, the owner shall immediately apply for replacement. The fee for a replacement registration card is three dollars. The fee for a replacement plate or pair of plates other than a replacement of a speci…

Whenever a motor vehicle equipped with headlamps as required in this chapter is also equipped with any auxiliary lamps or a spot lamp or any other lamp on the front of the vehicle, that projects a beam of an intensity greater than three hundred candlepower, not more than a total …

1. Any lighted lamp or illuminating device upon a motor vehicle other than headlamps, spot lamps, or auxiliary driving lamps which projects a beam of light of an intensity greater than three hundred candlepower shall be so directed that no part of the beam will strike the level o…

1. No person shall drive or move any vehicle or equipment upon any highway with any lamp or device thereon displaying or reflecting a red light visible from directly in front thereof. No person shall display any color of light other than red on the rear of any vehicle, except tha…

1. Definitions. As used in this section , unless the context otherwise requires: a. “Emergency medical care provider” means as defined in section 147A.1 . b. “Fire department” means a paid or volunteer fire protection service provided by a benefited fire district under chapter 35…

Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary: 1. An authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a combination of interior and exterior lights, flashing headlamps, and flashing tail lamps as provided in this section and in this chapter . 2. An official law enforcemen…

The department may assign a distinguishing number to a vehicle when the vehicle identification number on the vehicle is destroyed or obliterated and issue to the owner a special plate bearing the distinguishing number which shall be affixed to the vehicle in a position to be dete…

1. Every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, or motorized bicycle, when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, including two separate means of applying the brakes, each of which means shall …

1. The service brakes upon any motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles, when upon dry asphalt or concrete pavement surface free from loose material where the grade does not exceed one percent, when traveling twenty miles per hour shall be adequate: a. To stop such vehicle …

Every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than two hundred feet, but no horn or other warning device shall emit an unreasonably lou…

1. A vehicle shall not be equipped with and a person shall not use upon a vehicle any siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section or any other provision of law. 2. It is permissible but not required that any commercial vehicle be equipped with a theft a…

A bicycle shall not be equipped with and a person shall not use upon a bicycle any siren or whistle. This section shall not apply to bicycles ridden by peace officers in the line of duty. [C39, § 5034.43; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.434 ] 97 Acts, ch 71,…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a motor vehicle that is originally designed as a two-wheeled motorcycle and is modified using conversion hardware which allows for the attachment and detachment of two stabilizing rear wheels may be operated on a highway with the stabil…

Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke, and no person shall use a muffler cutout, bypass or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a highway. [S13, …

1. Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a mirror so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least two hundred feet to the rear of such vehicle. Any motor vehicle so loaded, or towing another vehicle in such manner, as to obstruct the v…

1. A person shall not drive a motor vehicle equipped with a windshield, sidewings, or side or rear windows which do not permit clear vision. 2. A person shall not operate on the highway a motor vehicle equipped with a front windshield, a side window to the immediate right or left…

The windshield on every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device for cleaning rain, snow, or other moisture from the windshield, which device shall be so constructed as to be controlled or operated by the driver of the vehicle. [C39, § 5034.48; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 7…

The director shall adopt and enforce rules governing registration and titling of motor vehicles as deemed necessary by the director and compatible with the public interest with respect to the change or substitution of engines, drivetrain assemblies or related parts in any motor v…

1. Every solid rubber tire on a vehicle shall have rubber on its entire traction surface at least one inch thick above the edge of the flange of the entire periphery. Any pneumatic tire on a vehicle shall be considered unsafe if it has: a. Any part of the ply or cord exposed. b. …

No person shall operate or move on a paved highway any motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer having any metal tire or metal track in contact with the roadway. [C24, 27, 31, 35, §4918, 4919; C39, § 5034.50; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.441 ] Referred to i…

No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway shall have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat, or spike or any other protuberances of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire except that it shall be permissible to use…

The department and local authorities in their respective jurisdictions shall review any application for a special permit and may, with good cause being shown, issue special permits authorizing the operation upon a highway of traction engines or tractors having movable tracks with…

1. No person shall sell any new motor vehicle nor shall any motor vehicle, manufactured since July 1, 1935, be registered, or operated unless such vehicle is equipped with safety glass wherever glass is used in doors, windows, and windshields. Replacements of glass in doors, wind…

1. Except for motorcycles or motorized bicycles, 1966 model year or newer motor vehicles subject to registration in Iowa shall be equipped with safety belts and safety harnesses which conform with federal motor vehicle safety standard numbers 209 and 210 as published in 49 C.F.R.…

1. a. A child under one year of age and weighing less than twenty pounds who is being transported in a motor vehicle subject to registration, except a school bus or motorcycle, shall be secured during transit in a rear-facing child restraint system that is used in accordance with…

1. a. A person shall not operate a commercial vehicle on the highways of this state except in compliance with rules adopted by the department of public safety, in consultation with the department of transportation, under chapter 17A . The rules shall be consistent with the federa…

1. A driver of a motor vehicle operated for hire which is designed to transport seven or more persons but fewer than sixteen persons including the driver and is used to transport railroad workers to or from their places of employment or during the course of their employment is su…

1. a. A person subject to rules adopted by the department of public safety pursuant to section 321.449 shall not operate a commercial motor vehicle while engaged in texting as prohibited by 49 C.F.R. §392.80 , except in an emergency or as otherwise permitted under 49 C.F.R. §392.…

For each application for registration or renewal, the county treasurer or the department shall request through use of a written form, and, if the application is made in person, through verbal communication, that an applicant make a voluntary contribution of one dollar or more to …

1. a. No manufacturer, importer, dealer, or other person shall sell or otherwise dispose of a new vehicle subject to registration under the provisions of this chapter to a dealer to be used by such dealer for purposes of display and lease or resale without delivering to such deal…

1. A person shall not transport or have transported or shipped within this state any hazardous material except in compliance with rules adopted by the department of public safety under chapter 17A . The rules shall be consistent with the federal hazardous materials regulations ad…

1. The director or the director’s designee may designate a privately owned vehicle as an authorized emergency vehicle and issue a certificate of designation for the vehicle, upon written request being made on forms provided by the department and showing necessity for the designat…

1. A person shall not drive or move, and the owner of such vehicle shall not cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved, on any highway any vehicle or vehicles of a size or weight exceeding the limitations stated in this chapter , and the maximum size and weight of vehicles …

1. Except as provided in sections 321.463 , 321.471 , and 321.474 , the provisions of this chapter governing size, weight, and load and the permit requirements of chapter 321E do not apply to any of the following: a. Fire apparatus. b. Road maintenance equipment owned by, under l…

1. The total outside width of a vehicle or the load on the vehicle shall not exceed eight feet six inches. 2. Notwithstanding subsection 1 , the total outside width of a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting a divisible load of hay, straw, stover, or bagged livestock be…

No passenger-type vehicle shall be operated on any highway with any load carried thereon extending beyond the line of the fenders on the left side of such vehicle nor extending more than six inches beyond the line of the fenders on the right side thereof. Passengers shall not rid…

1. A vehicle unladen or with load shall not exceed a height of thirteen feet six inches. 2. Notwithstanding subsection 1 , a vehicle or combination of vehicles coupled together and used exclusively for the transportation of passenger vehicles, light delivery trucks, panel deliver…

1. A combination of four vehicles is not allowed on the highways of this state, except for power units saddle mounted on other power units which shall be restricted to a maximum overall length of ninety-seven feet. 2. The maximum length of any motor vehicle or combination of vehi…

The load upon any vehicle operated alone, or the load upon the front vehicle of a combination of vehicles, shall not extend more than three feet beyond the front wheels of such vehicle or the front bumper of such vehicle if it is equipped with such a bumper. [C39, § 5035.07; C46,…

Axles of a motor vehicle, trailer, or semitrailer which are less than forty inches apart center to center shall be considered as a single axle for the purpose of determining permissible gross weight under section 321.463 . [C31, 35, §5067-d3; C39, § 5035.08; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, …

1. The transferee shall, within thirty calendar days after purchase or transfer, apply for and obtain from any county treasurer a new initial registration and a new certificate of title for the vehicle, except as provided in section 321.25 , 321.48 , or 322G.12 , or when the tran…

A vehicle shall not be driven or moved on any highway by any person unless such vehicle is so constructed or loaded or the load securely covered as to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking, or otherwise escaping or its load covering from dropping from the vehicl…