Iowa Code § 321.23 — IA Code / Title VIII / Chapter 321 / Section 321.23
Titles to specially constructed and reconstructed vehicles, street rods, replica vehicles, and foreign vehicles.
Status: in_force

(1) (a) If the vehicle to be registered is a specially constructed vehicle, reconstructed vehicle, street rod, replica vehicle, or foreign vehicle, such fact shall be stated in the application. A fee of thirty dollars shall be paid by the person making the application upon issuance of a certificate of title by any county treasurer. For a specially constructed vehicle, reconstructed vehicle, street rod, or replica vehicle subject to registration, the application shall be accompanied by a statement from the department authorizing the motor vehicle to be titled and registered in this state. The owner of a specially constructed vehicle, reconstructed vehicle, street rod, replica vehicle, or foreign vehicle purchased pursuant to section 578A.7 shall present documentation that such sale was completed in compliance with that section.

(1) (b) The department shall cause a physical inspection to be made of all specially constructed vehicles, reconstructed vehicles, street rods, and replica vehicles upon application for a certificate of title by the owner, to determine whether the motor vehicle complies with the definition of specially constructed vehicle, reconstructed vehicle, street rod, or replica vehicle in this chapter and to determine that the integral component parts are properly identified and that the rightful ownership is established before issuing the owner the authority to have the motor vehicle registered and titled. The purpose of the physical inspection under this section is not to determine whether the motor vehicle is in a condition safe to operate.

(1) (c) The owner of a specially constructed vehicle, reconstructed vehicle, street rod, or replica vehicle shall apply for a certificate of title and registration for the vehicle at the county treasurer’s office within thirty days of the inspection. For a foreign vehicle which has been registered outside this state, the owner shall surrender to the treasurer all registration plates, registration cards, and certificates of title, or if the vehicle to be registered is from a nontitle state, the evidence of foreign registration and ownership as may be prescribed by the department except as provided in subsection 2.

(1) (d) Upon completion of every specially constructed vehicle, reconstructed vehicle, street rod, or replica vehicle, the owner shall certify on a form prescribed by the department that such vehicle is in compliance with all equipment specifications required under this chapter.

(2) Where in the course of operation of a vehicle registered in another state it is desirable to retain registration of said vehicle in such other state, such applicant need not surrender but shall submit for inspection said evidence of such foreign registration and the treasurer upon a proper showing shall register said vehicle in this state but shall not issue a certificate of title for such vehicle.

(3) In the event an applicant for initial registration of a foreign vehicle for which a certificate of title has been issued is able to furnish evidence of being the registered owner of the vehicle to any county treasurer, although unable to surrender such certificate of title, the county treasurer may issue a registration receipt and plates upon receipt of the required annual registration fee and the fee for new registration but shall not issue a certificate of title thereto. Upon surrender of the certificate of title from the foreign state, the county treasurer shall issue a certificate of title to the owner, or person entitled thereto, of such vehicle as provided in this chapter. The owner of a vehicle registered under this subsection shall not be required to obtain a certificate of title in this state and may transfer ownership of the vehicle to a motor vehicle dealer licensed under chapter 322 or an insurance carrier authorized to do business in this state if, at the time of the transfer, the certificate of title is held by a secured party and the dealer or insurance carrier, as applicable, has forwarded to the secured party the sum necessary to discharge the security interest pursuant to section 321.48, subsection 1.

(4) A vehicle which does not meet the equipment requirements of this chapter due to the particular use for which it is designed or intended, may be registered by the department upon payment of appropriate fees and after inspection and certification by the department that the vehicle is not in an unsafe condition. A person is not required to have a certificate of title to register a vehicle under this subsection. If the owner elects to have a certificate of title issued for the vehicle, a fee of thirty dollars shall be paid by the person making the application upon issuance of a certificate of title. If the department’s inspection reveals that the vehicle may be safely operated only under certain conditions or on certain types of roadways, the department may restrict the registration to limit operation of the vehicle to the appropriate conditions or roadways. This subsection does not apply to snowmobiles as defined in section 321G.1. Section 321.382 does not apply to a vehicle registered under this subsection which is operated exclusively by a person with a disability who has obtained a persons with disabilities parking permit as provided in section 321L.2, if the persons with disabilities parking permit is carried in or on the vehicle and shown to a peace officer on request.

[C39, §5001.07; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.23]83 Acts, ch 9, §4, 8; 84 Acts, ch 1305, §48; 88 Acts, ch 1158, §65; 89 Acts, ch 247, §3; 96 Acts, ch 1171, §1; 97 Acts, ch 70, §2; 98 Acts, ch 1073, §5; 99 Acts, ch 13, §4; 2005 Acts, ch 8, §6; 2008 Acts, ch 1044, §5, 8; 2008 Acts, ch 1113, §15, 21, 53; 2008 Acts, ch 1191, §127[A change in fee amount in subsection 1, paragraph a, by 2008 Acts, ch 1113, §15, inadvertently overwritten and omitted beginning with the 2009 Code Supplement through Code 2023]2019 Acts, ch 50, §14; 2022 Acts, ch 1027, §1; 2024 Acts, ch 1145, §4, 5, 26