Iowa License Plate Lookup

Running an Iowa License plate lookup is very important before buying a car. This step helps you to find any information about your car. So you find out the owner, the car’s accidents, or its repairing. By doing it, you will be protected.

While running a lookup, you understand whether the auto is worth your money. If you go to a new state, always make sure that you have a chance to run a searching process there. For example, if you are in Delaware, try Delaware license plate lookup.

While doing it, there are some important steps to consider:

Firstly, your plate does not have to include offensive or rude words or a combination of them.
Secondly, for personalized license tags, they must have 7 characters. It includes both numbers and letters. However, it must not have more than 2 characters.
Thirdly, there are no punctuation marks on placards.
Fourthly, you do not have an opportunity to recommend a government agency.
Fifthly, you do not have a chance to make it only with numerals.
And lastly, you do not have to place a frame around the registration tag.

Up to 45 days you are able to use vehicles without a placard. But that must be written on the vehicle. You can use a car brought here, but it should include a temporary one. It is $10.

The Iowa Department of Transportation issues the IA placards. And for the whole process is responsible the Motor Vehicle Division. The County Treasurer is in charge of the titles. And it is in charge of registration renewal, too. It has one more responsibility: issue special and personalized tags.

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License Plate Number Lookup

The law allows running the search. Furthermore, you have a chance to do it on many websites. However, you may utilize Government Official Webpage. There are ways for requesting this information. You may do it by VIN or the number, in person, or by fax. Before you have access to the necessary information, you have to do the payment.

What do I get from it?

Firstly, you get access to the history of the auto. You get to know its accidents and how many times it has been repaired.
Secondly, you have an opportunity to know the owner’s name.
Thirdly, you obtain information about the title and enrollment.

You have to pay for each search. But you have the copies, too. There is a Privacy Act Agreement Form Request of Motor vehicle Records form to complete. This form is for the access of the stuff. Check How can you search a license plate in several states: Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia, and Washington.

What types of placards does IA give?

There are two sorts of tags in IA. They are a specialty and personalized ones. So let’s dig into them and find information about them.

Specialty

You find 63 types of specialty tags here. 24 of them are military ones. They are utilized as alternatives for standard ones. On the standards, you have a chance to see the graphic design. However, IA has no graphic design. It only includes personalized messages. You see images related to different organizations. All vehicles and trucks owners can apply for specialty types.

The fees are going to the Road Use Tax Fund. So this fund is the only beneficiary here. This fund receives the annual renewal fees and initial insurance.

How do I order specialty placards in Iowa?

You may see two ways of ordering. So here they are:

The first is doing it online.
The second is doing it by email.

You have to obtain an IA driver’s license to apply for it. But you are able to show your ID in online ways. You have to provide your credit card for the payment. You do not find all the types online. So there are some types that you have to order by email. Some of them are firefighters and the military.

Personalized

Many people choose this type because it gives them a unique and interesting personality. They choose the message they want. And it varies from different types very much. You have two ways to do it here.

Your first way is to choose from already existing designs for placards.
And the second way is to create your own customized message.

So the limits differ here, too. As it depends on the design. Before requesting a design, make sure you have checked all the requirements for it. When you check it, you have to find the maximum characters use for it.

In order to request the placard in IA, you have the same ways to do it. The first step is requesting it by mail. The second is requesting it online. In order to request it online, you have to know the following requirements:

You have to show your Driver’s license.
In order to complete the application process, you have to provide your credit card.

There is an interesting thing to do in IA. You can purchase this variety as a gift for your friends or relatives. The owner of the machine has to directly receive the gift certificate.

The costs to obtain a personalized tag

The fee for this variety is added to the fees of standard tags. But the costs and taxes are not included here. They charge $60 for a personalized tag.

But you do not have to pay for the annual registration price, as it includes that price. However, if you pay for the annual registration cost, you have to pay a $15 renewal price, too.

Time for getting the personalized tag

Let’s see the process of how your placard is coming to you. At first, the County treasurer’s office receives its prototype. After, the committee checks it and decides whether it is correspondent to the requirements or not. When it is approved, you get a notification of when it will be ready. It usually takes from 3 to 6 weeks.

Replacing and Title in IA

While many states do not replace titles and tags. You have an opportunity to replace both your placard and title in Iowa.

Replacement of the Tag

You have to return your tag and the registration. You have to give them to the local County Treasurer. There is a difference if you have a registration and you do not have it.

If you do not have an enrollment, you have to pay $8. But if you have it, you may pay $5. When you do the payment, you receive your replacement.

Replacement of Title

If you are in a bad situation and it is stolen or lost, do not worry. You have a chance to replace it. You have two ways for replacing.

Firstly, it is in person.
Secondly, it is by mail.

For this, you have to pay $25. If you lost it because of the accident, you may have a price waiver.

Renewal process

You have to do the renewal within 30 days before it is expired. The date of expiration is on the documents and on the sticker. After the expiration date, you have a chance to drive for 2 months.

However, you should do it within the state. But this does not refer to temporary residents. The Iowa Government has the official selector tool for renewing. It is very easy to utilize. You see options on how to renew machines within your city. It is designed for appointments.

Making an appointment takes a few weeks for you. You may apply for an extension. For example, if you cannot renew it because of the pandemic or you are in another situation. You may have a temporary extension. This will be valid from 6 to 12 months. You have to receive an extension from 7 to 10 days.

In order to apply online, you need a PIN. Doing it, you should have a renewal notice. After it, you have to go to your County Treasurer’s Office and do it in person and via mail.