Iowa driving laws

“A person shall not use an electronic device while driving a motor vehicle unless the motor vehicle is at a complete stop off the traveled portion of the roadway”

“a. A person does not violate this section by using an electronic device in a voice-activated or hands-free mode.”

““Voice-activated or hands-free mode” does not include accessing nonnavigation video content, engaging in a video call, accessing or engaging in video streaming, accessing gaming data, or reading an electronic message or notification.”

“For violations under section 321.276, the scheduled fine is one hundred dollars.”

“b. A violation of this section shall be considered a moving violation for purposes of this chapter and rules adopted pursuant to this chapter.”

“a peace officer shall issue a warning memorandum in lieu of a citation to a person for violating this section. This paragraph is repealed January 1, 2026.”

“Sec. 4. Section 321.180B, subsection 6, Code 2025, is amended by striking the subsection.”

“a. While under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or other drug or a combination of such substances. b. While having an alcohol concentration of .08 or more.”

“A person who is under the age of twenty-one shall not operate a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration, as defined under section 321J.1, of .02 or more.”

“Operating a commercial motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration, as defined in section 321J.1, of 0.04 or more.”

“a. One year if the person has no previous revocation under this chapter; and b. Two years if the person has had a previous revocation under this chapter.”

“If the department revokes a person’s driver’s license or nonresident operating privilege under this chapter, the department shall assess the person a civil penalty of two hundred dollars.”

“A minimum period of imprisonment in the county jail of forty-eight hours, but not to exceed one year”

“c. Assessment of a fine of one thousand two hundred fifty dollars.”

“Revocation of the person’s driver’s license for a minimum period of one hundred eighty days up to a maximum revocation period of one year”

“the department shall revoke the person’s driver’s license or operating privilege for a period of sixty days if the person has had no previous revocation under this chapter”

“The driver and front seat occupants of a type of motor vehicle that is subject to registration in Iowa, except a motorcycle or a motorized bicycle, shall each wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt or safety harness”

“Not wearing a seat belt is considered a primary offense, meaning that you can be stopped for the sole purpose of non-compliance with the seat belt law.”

“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”

“b. A child under six years of age who does not meet the description in paragraph “a” and who is being transported in a motor vehicle subject to registration”

“A child at least six years of age but under eighteen years of age who is being transported in a motor vehicle subject to registration, except a school bus or motorcycle, shall be secured during transit by a child restraint system”

“(1) For a violation under section 321.445, the scheduled fine is seventy dollars. (2) For a violation under section 321.446, the scheduled fine is one hundred thirty-five dollars.”

“The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying flashing lights, as permitted under section 321.423, shall approach the authorized emergency vehicle with due caution”

“a stationary utility maintenance vehicle, a stationary municipal maintenance vehicle, a stationary highway maintenance vehicle, a stationary construction vehicle, or a stationary solid waste or recycling collection service vehicle”

“The operator of a motor vehicle approaching a stationary motor vehicle that is continually displaying its emergency signal lamps flashing simultaneously shall approach the vehicle with due caution”

“Make a lane change into a lane not adjacent to the authorized emergency vehicle if possible in the existing safety and traffic conditions.”

“reduce the speed of the motor vehicle to a reasonable and proper speed for the existing road and traffic conditions, which speed shall be less than the posted speed limit, and be prepared to stop.”

“For violations relating to the approach of certain stationary nonemergency vehicles under section 321.323A, subsections 2 and 3, the scheduled fine is one hundred thirty-five dollars.”

“For a violation causing death, the department shall suspend the violator’s driver’s license or operating privileges for one year.”

“when meeting a school bus with flashing amber warning lamps shall reduce the vehicle’s speed to not more than twenty miles per hour, and shall bring the vehicle to a complete stop when the school bus stops and the stop signal arm is extended.”

“overtaking a school bus shall not pass a school bus when red or amber warning signal lights are flashing. The driver shall bring the vehicle to a complete stop no closer than fifteen feet from the school bus”

“The driver of a vehicle upon a highway providing two or more lanes in each direction need not stop upon meeting a school bus which is traveling in the opposite direction even though the school bus is stopped.”

“punishable by a fine of at least three hundred forty-five dollars but not more than nine hundred thirty dollars or by imprisonment for not more than thirty days, or by both.”

“(1) Twenty miles per hour in any business district. (2) Twenty-five miles per hour in any residence or school district. (3) Forty-five miles per hour in any suburban district.”

“Unless otherwise provided in this section or by other speed restrictions, the speed limit for all vehicular traffic shall be fifty-five sixty miles per hour.”

“not greater than fifty-five miles per hour at any time between sunrise and sunset, and not greater than fifty miles per hour at any time between sunset and sunrise, on secondary roads unless such roads are surfaced with concrete or asphalt”

“the speed limit for all vehicular traffic on fully controlled-access, divided, multilaned highways is sixty-five miles per hour.”

“However, the speed limit for all vehicular traffic on highways that are part of the interstate road system, as defined in section 306.3, is seventy miles per hour.”

“The driver of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately by the quickest means of communication give notice of such accident to the sheriff of the county”

“or total property damage to an apparent extent of one five thousand five hundred dollars or more, or the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident regardless of injury, death, or property damage if the vehicle does not have financial liability coverage in effect”

“submit a written report of the accident to the department within seventy-two hours after the accident”

“However, such report is not required when the accident is investigated by a law enforcement agency.”

“in the amount of twenty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and, subject to the limit for one person, the amount of forty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident”

“the amount of fifteen thousand dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.”

“The department may issue an instruction permit to an applicant between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years if the applicant meets the requirements of sections 321.184 and 321.186”

“An instruction permit issued under this section shall be valid for a period not to exceed four years from the licensee’s birthday anniversary in the year of issuance. A motorcycle instruction permit issued under this section is not renewable.”

“A motorcycle instruction permit will be issued for one four-year term with no renewal permitted.”

“if the permittee is operating a motorcycle in accordance with this section or section 321.180B, the accompanying person must be within audible and visual communications distance from the permittee and be accompanying the permittee on or in a different motor vehicle.”

“Only one permittee shall be under the immediate supervision of an accompanying qualified person.”

“a member of the permittee’s immediate family if the family member is at least twenty-one years of age, an approved driver education instructor”

“who is a member of the permittee’s immediate family if the family member is at least twenty-one years of age, an approved driver education instructor”

“A person under the age of eighteen applying for an intermediate or full driver’s license valid for the operation of a motorcycle shall be required to successfully complete a motorcycle education course”

“The department may waive the skills test if you have successfully completed an Iowa-approved course in motorcycle education.”

“A motorcycle or motorized bicycle shall not be operated between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.”

“The operator of a motorcycle or motorized bicycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken unless the vehicle being overtaken is a motorcycle or motorized bicycle.”

“Persons shall not operate motorcycles or motorized bicycles more than two abreast in a single lane.”