Selling or junking a car in Iowa

How do I sign over a car title in Iowa?

The seller signs the back of the title as seller, prints the buyer's name and address on the top assignment line, and prints the date of sale. The seller also completes the odometer statement in the assignment area. The seller must give the buyer a damage disclosure statement at or before the sale (vehicles more than seven model years old are exempt); titles issued before Jan. 1, 2005 may need a separate statement. The seller must endorse an assignment and warranty of title that lists all liens, hand the title to the buyer when the vehicle is delivered, and tell the buyer the county where the vehicle was last registered and when the registration expires (Iowa Code 321.45(3)). A title cannot be issued without a federally compliant odometer statement from the seller unless an exemption under 49 CFR 580.17 applies (Iowa Code 321.71(7)). If your title has no 'Transfer/Sale Date' section, a separate bill of sale is required. The buyer must apply for a new title within 30 days (Iowa Code 321.46).

Can I sell or junk a car without a title in Iowa?

Generally no. Nobody gains ownership of a vehicle except through an assigned title (Iowa Code 321.45(2)). There is one exception for junk. An owner who has neither a title nor a junking certificate may sell the vehicle for scrap or junk to a vehicle recycler licensed under Iowa Code chapter 321H. The vehicle must be 12 model years old or older, and the recycler must pay less than $1,000 for it (Iowa Code 321.52(2)(b)). Outside that exception, a licensed recycler needs a properly assigned title or junking certificate. An owner whose title is lost or defective can also ask local police for authority to sell the vehicle to a demolisher. The owner files an application with an affidavit, police handle the notice steps, and they then issue a certificate of authority. The owner uses that certificate to get a junking certificate within 30 days, and the demolisher accepts the junking certificate instead of a title (Iowa Code 321.90(2)).

How do I get a duplicate title in Iowa?

If a title is lost or destroyed, the owner or lienholder applies for a replacement at any county treasurer or through the DOT. The application must be signed by the owner or lienholder. The fee is $30 (Iowa Code 321.42(2)), plus a $5 certificate-of-title surcharge (Iowa Code 321.52A). The replacement is issued after a 5-day wait and mailed to the applicant's most recent address. The wait does not apply to lienholders or to anyone who turns in the original title. The replacement is marked 'replacement', and the old title becomes void.

Do I need to file a release of liability in Iowa?

Optional. The seller may file Form 411107, 'Notice of Sale of Vehicle and Delivery of Title', with any county treasurer. Once it is filed, the law presumes the seller assigned and delivered the title (Iowa Code 321.46(5)). No filing deadline is set. DOT also suggests keeping a buyer's receipt or a copy of the assigned title as proof of sale.

What do I do with the plates after selling a car in Iowa?

Plates stay with the seller. The owner must take the plates off when the vehicle is sold. The owner then either turns them in to any county treasurer or has them assigned to another vehicle within 30 days, paying the required fees (Iowa Code 321.34(1)). If the vehicle is junked, the owner turns the plates in to the county treasurer unless they are properly assigned to another vehicle (Iowa Code 321.52(3)).

What happens to the title when a car is junked or salvaged in Iowa?

Iowa uses a junking certificate, which the county treasurer issues for free. There are two ways to junk a car. (1) The owner turns in the title, registration receipt and plates to the county treasurer, gets a junking certificate, and signs it over to the buyer. DOT recommends getting a bill of sale or receipt as well. (2) The owner signs the top section on the back of the title over to the buyer. The buyer then must turn in the title and apply for a junking certificate within 30 days (Iowa Code 321.52(2)(a)). A junking certificate lets the holder keep, move, or transfer the junked vehicle by signing it over. After a junking certificate is issued, the vehicle normally cannot be titled again. The owner has 14 days to reverse it by paying fees. After 14 days, only the DOT can approve a new title, and only for 'good cause', meaning the junking certificate was obtained by mistake (Iowa Code 321.52(3)). Separately, a dealer or rebuilder who buys a wrecked or salvage vehicle worth $500 or more before damage must apply for a salvage title within 30 days. The fee is $20 (Iowa Code 321.52(4)(b)).

What can I do about an abandoned vehicle on my property in Iowa?

Under Iowa Code 321.90(2), a property owner who finds an abandoned vehicle on their land can apply to the local police authority for permission to sell, give away, or otherwise dispose of it to a demolisher. The application must list the vehicle details and the facts, and include a sworn affidavit. Police follow the owner and lienholder notice steps in Iowa Code 321.89(3). If no one reclaims the vehicle, police issue a certificate of authority. The applicant uses it to get a junking certificate from the county treasurer within 30 days. A separate process covers garagekeepers (Iowa Code 321.90(1)): they send a 10-day certified-mail notice, and the police authority can then take the vehicle into custody.

Official sources

1. Iowa DOT - How to Sell a Vehicle
2. Iowa DOT - Vehicle Disposal
3. Iowa DOT - Seller's Checklist (PDF)
4. Iowa DOT - Vehicle & Title Fraud
5. Iowa Code 321.52 - Junked, dismantled, wrecked or salvage vehicles
6. Iowa Code 321.45 - Title must be transferred with vehicle
7. Iowa Code 321.46 - New title on transfer; seller affidavit
8. Iowa Code 321.42 - Lost or damaged certificates (replacement title)
9. Iowa Code 321.52A - Certificate of title surcharge
10. Iowa Code 321.34 - Plates retained by owner
11. Iowa Code 321.71 - Odometer requirements
12. Iowa Code 321.90 - Disposal of abandoned motor vehicles

This guide summarizes public rules and is not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division (titles and plates are handled at county treasurer offices) before you sell.