Iowa Code § 321.20 — IA Code / Title VIII / Chapter 321 / Section 321.20
Application for registration and certificate of title.
Status: in_force

(1) Except as provided in this chapter, an owner of a vehicle, or a lessor of a vehicle pursuant to chapter 321F which has a gross vehicle weight of less than ten thousand pounds, which is subject to registration, shall make application to any county treasurer for the initial registration and issuance of a certificate of title for the vehicle upon the appropriate form furnished by the department. However, upon the transfer of ownership, the owner of a vehicle subject to the apportioned registration provisions of chapter 326 shall make application for issuance of a certificate of title to either the department or any county treasurer. The owner of a vehicle purchased pursuant to section 578A.7 shall present documentation that such sale was completed in compliance with that section. The application shall be accompanied by a fee of thirty dollars, and shall bear the owner’s signature. A nonresident owner of two or more vehicles subject to registration may make application for initial registration and issuance of a certificate of title for all vehicles subject to registration to any county treasurer. The owner of a mobile home or manufactured home shall make application for a certificate of title under this section from the county treasurer of the county where the mobile home or manufactured home is located. The application shall contain:

(1) (a) The full legal name; social security number or Iowa driver’s license number or Iowa nonoperator’s identification card number; date of birth; bona fide residence; and mailing address of the owner and of the lessee if the vehicle is being leased. If the owner or lessee is a firm, association, or corporation, the application shall contain the bona fide business address and federal employer identification number of the owner or lessee. Up to three owners’ names may be listed on the application. If the vehicle is a leased vehicle, the application shall state whether the notice of registration renewal shall be sent to the lessor or to the lessee and whether the lessor or the lessee shall receive the refund of the annual registration fee, if any. Information relating to the lessee of a vehicle shall not be required on an application for registration and a certificate of title for a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of ten thousand pounds or more.

(1) (b) A description of the vehicle including, insofar as the specified data may exist with respect to a given vehicle, the make, model, type of body, the number of cylinders, the type of motor fuel used, the vehicle identification number or other assigned number, and whether new or used and, if a new vehicle, the date of sale by the manufacturer or dealer to the person intending to operate the vehicle. If the vehicle is a new low-speed vehicle, the manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate required to accompany the application under paragraph “d” shall certify that the vehicle was manufactured in compliance with the national highway traffic safety administration standards for low-speed vehicles in 49 C.F.R. §571.500.

(1) (c) Such further information as may reasonably be required by the department.

(1) (d) A statement of the applicant’s title and of all liens or encumbrances upon the vehicle and the names and mailing addresses of all persons having any interest in the vehicle and the nature of every such interest. When the application refers to a new vehicle, it shall be accompanied by a manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate duly assigned as provided in section 321.45.

(1) (e) The amount of the fee for new registration to be paid under section 321.105A, the amount of tax to be paid under section 423.26, subsection 1, or the amount of tax to be paid under section 423.26A.

(1) (f) If the vehicle is owned by a nonresident but is subject to issuance of an Iowa certificate of title or registration, the application shall also contain the full legal name, Iowa driver’s license number or Iowa nonoperator’s identification card number, date of birth, bona fide residence, and mailing address of the primary user of the vehicle. If the primary user is a firm, association, or corporation, the application shall contain the bona fide business address and federal employer identification number of the primary user. The primary user’s name and address shall not be printed on the registration receipt or the certificate of title.

(2) Notwithstanding contrary provisions of this chapter or chapter 326 regarding titling and registration by means other than electronic means, the department shall develop and implement a program to allow for electronic applications, titling, initial registrations, and funds transfers for vehicles subject to registration in order to improve the efficiency and timeliness of the processes and to reduce costs for all parties involved. The program shall also provide for the electronic submission of any statement required by this section, except where prohibited by federal law.

(3) The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section, including rules relating to the method for providing signatures for applications and statements required by this section that are made by electronic means.

[S13, SS15, §1571-m2; C24, 27, 31, 35, §4869, 5008, 5009; C39, §5001.04; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.20; 82 Acts, ch 1251, §5]84 Acts, ch 1305, §47; 87 Acts, ch 46, §1; 87 Acts, ch 108, §1; 95 Acts, ch 194, §1, 12; 97 Acts, ch 104, §7; 98 Acts, ch 1073, §9; 99 Acts, ch 8, §1; 99 Acts, ch 188, §3; 2000 Acts, ch 1005, §2; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §39 – 41, 47; 2000 Acts, ch 1134, §1; 2001 Acts, ch 153, §17; 2003 Acts, 1st Ex, ch 2, §163, 2052004 Acts, ch 1013, §3, 35; 2005 Acts, ch 34, §3, 26; 2006 Acts, ch 1068, §9; 2006 Acts, ch 1070, §2; 2008 Acts, ch 1018, §5; 2008 Acts, ch 1113, §13, 21, 50, 51; 2010 Acts, ch 1108, §3, 15; 2012 Acts, ch 1093, §2; 2016 Acts, ch 1083, §1, 2; 2018 Acts, ch 1095, §2; 2019 Acts, ch 50, §12; 2024 Acts, ch 1145, §1, 2, 26