Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The new owner does not need to be present at the time of transfer. However, the new owner will have to have the appropriate forms completed beforehand. If you are transferring a title on behalf of another person, you may download Form 411007 from the Iowa DOT website. They must complete and sign this form.

Depending on what you need to do. If you are only needing to renew your registration(s), turn in plates for refunds, swap out for vanity plates, or do a title transfer you do NOT need an appointment.  Please allow appropriate time to complete your transacation as our last transaction will be 4:00 PM daily.

Driver’s License is the only department within the Treasurer’s office that requires appointments.

Owners of a motor vehicle can dispose of a vehicle to a licensed recycler for scrap or junk without a certificate of title or a junking certificate IF:

• The motor vehicle is twelve model years old or older, and
• The motor vehicle is sold to the vehicle recycler for less than $1,000

For vehicle registrations, you can do that:

• on the Iowa Treasurers website
• at the counter or
• by mail

Complete the Application for Replacement of Iowa Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle (Iowa DOT Form 411033). The application must be signed by all owners and must be returned to the county the title originated.  If there is an open lien on the vehicle, the application will need to be signed by the lien holder.

If there is an open lien on the title, but the lien holder does not have an interest in the vehicle any longer, they may complete a separate notarized Cancellation of Security Interest (Iowa DOT Form 411168) form.

A notarized letter from the security interest holder on their letterhead paper is acceptable if it has the following information:

• Make
• Year
• VIN
• Owners name(s) and address

Once the application is received there is a mandatory 5-day waiting period before the replacement title can be issued. The fee for a replacement title is $25.00. *Fee increases to $35.00 January 1, 2025

Download Form 411033 from the Iowa DOT website.

There is a 5-day waiting period if the original title is lost. (If the original has been altered or spoiled in some way, please submit the original title to us with Form 411033 and we will process a replacement title in the same day.)

Anybody whose name is on the face of the title MUST sign the replacement application. 

The replacement title must be ordered where the title was made (county-specific). The fee is $25.00. *Fee increases to $35.00 January 1, 2025

You must complete the inspection form on the DOT website and then contact the sheriff’s office to schedule an inspection with them.

Most personalized license plates can be ordered online on the Iowa DOT website.

To place your vehicle in storage, you must surrender your license plates and registration for each vehicle to the Treasurer on or before the last day of the month following the owner's registration renewal month.  You can re-register your vehicle at any time in the future with the payment of the full annual tax due at that time.  You CANNOT store any delinquent plates or first ½ truck, truck tractor or farm special plates.

With Probate

If the individual’s death went through probate, the person(s) assigned as the executor(s) must use their Letter of Appointment to properly assign the title to a new owner. The Letter of Appointment must be provided with the title to the new owner. If the title is not available, the executor(s) can apply for a replacement title using the Letter of Appointment and the Application for Replacement of Iowa Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle (Iowa DOT form 411033).

Without Probate

If the individual’s death did not go through probate, the vehicle can be transferred to the next of kin using the Certification of Death Testate (With a Will) (Iowa DOT form 411083) or Affidavit of Death Intestate (Iowa DOT form 411088) form. If the person entitled to the vehicle is not the next of kin but is given the vehicle per a will, then they also can use the Certification of Death Testate (With a Will) (Iowa DOT form 411083). A copy of the death certificate must be provided at the time of transfer. If there are any unreleased security interests on the vehicle, those will carry forward to the new owner unless a separate, notarized Cancellation of Security Interest (Iowa DOT form 411168) or an original letter on the lien holder’s letterhead releases interest. The letter must be notarized and contain the following information:

• Make
• Year
• VIN
• Owner’s name(s) and address
• Signature of authorized person

Registration fees are determined by Iowa Statute which factors in the type of vehicle, the manufacturer’s list price, the age of the vehicle, and the vehicle's weight.  To estimate your registration fee, please see the Registration Fees by Vehicle Type.

Renewal Notices are created and mailed by a third party and counties do not have the ability to reprint them.  

If you do not have your Web PIN, you can also use the Audit Number that is included on the bottom left portion of your current vehicle registration to renew online.  See the following Example Vehicle Registration.

If you do not have your current vehicle registration, you can contact us to obtain your Web PIN.

Individuals or organizations that purchase a salvage vehicle with a salvage title must transfer the title in their county of residence within 30 days of purchase. 

In order to transfer your salvage title to a regular title, you must first have the vehicle repaired, inspected, and titled within 30 days of the date of purchase.

Junking certificates are only issued on titled vehicles. If you sell your vehicle for junk or scrap, the purchaser must surrender the title to the County Treasurer in their county of residence within 30 days and apply for a junking certificate.
If the owner junks or dismantles a vehicle, they must:

• Surrender the title and registration
• Surrender the license plates (unless the plates are being transferred to a replacement vehicle)
• Apply for a junking certificate using the Application for Junking Certificate (DOT form#411123)
   

If the vehicle is registered for the current year and the owner has entered the military service of the United States in time of war and the vehicle has been placed in storage, a refund may be applied for on the unexpired months of the registration year by making a verbal statement.

Registration plates must be turned in. Upon the owner's return to the state of Iowa, the vehicle will be registered for the remaining months of the registration year.

Iowa Residents

A member of the armed forces who is a resident of Iowa must pay the same registration fees that apply to other residents when registering a vehicle in this state.

Non-Residents

If you are a nonresident member of the armed forces you are not required to register a vehicle in Iowa provided that your vehicle is properly registered in your state of residency.

A nonresident may register a vehicle in this state, if desired, in the same manner as any nonresident, with the following exceptions that apply to passenger cars:

• The fee on a passenger car or multipurpose vehicle is based on vehicle weight; the part based on value is not included.
• Application for registration of a passenger car or multipurpose vehicle must include a certification of residency, attested to by the commanding officer of the nonresident.
  • Application for Certification of Title and/or Registration (Iowa DOT Form 411007)
  • Nonresident Military Personnel Certification

Your PIN is specific to you and should not change so you can use it from year to year. The PIN is located on your renewal notice in the top right-hand corner. If you cannot find it, you can contact our office at 641-585-4430.

Visit the Iowa DOT website for more information.

If you fail to pay your registration renewal within your renewal window, a penalty is assessed at a rate of 5% of the annual renewal amount, per vehicle, per month with a $5.00 per vehicle minimum. If the last day of the month is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, renewals can be completed on the first business day of the following month without added penalty.

All motor vehicles, mobile homes, travel trailers, and semi-trailers must be titled (exception: regular and semi trailers with an empty weight of 2,000 lbs. or less are only registered).