17-09-2021

Iowa Auto Registration

Office Hours:
Vehicle Registration: Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
(Driver's License Closes at 4PM)
Closed Holidays
Early Closure last working day of June and December
Ways to Pay:
By Mail, coming into the office, or via our Iowa Tax and Tags Website. If you are unable to utilize any of these payments we would be happy to allow you to pay over the phone. We do not accept phone payments between 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM due to limited staffing. Please visit our 'Acceptable Forms of Payments' page to see what types of payments are accepted.
Privacy Policy:
Due to recent clarification from DOT on the Drivers Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C §2721) the following is the Buchanan County Treasurer’s new policy on renewing registrations and issuing titles:

  • You can pay for another person’s registration
  • However, if your name is not listed as an owner on the vehicle then:
    • We will collect postage and can mail it to the owner
    • The owner can stop in and pick it up
    • The owner can give you written consent for us to release the registration to you
      • An example of written consent would be: “I, Jane Doe, give permission to John Doe to receive my vehicle registration and/or titles and plates.”

Please refer to the frequently asked questions below for additional questions.

When can I renew my vehicle registration?

Vehicles may be renewed during a three month window around your renewal month without penalty. This includes the month prior to your renewal month, your renewal month, and the month following your renewal month. If the last day of the three month window falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday, renewals can be completed on the first business day of the following month without penalty.

A vehicle registration in Iowa is required for all resident-owned cars that will be driven on state roads. Overall, the IA DMV registration process differs depending on whether you are buying a new car, buying a used car or bringing a vehicle from another state.

  • If the vehicle is a truck select the tonnage that is needed. The lowest tonnage is 3 tons. Net Purchase Amount: Key in net purchased price of vehicle. Registration Credit amount: It a vehicle was traded, sold or junked there may be registration credit. Key in the dollar amount of credit from the vehicle that was traded, sold or junked.
  • The annual registration fees are determined by Iowa Code sections 321.109 and 321.115 through 321.124 and are to be paid to the county treasurer’s office in the county of residence. Below is a summary of registration fees by vehicle type.
  • Council Bluffs, IA 51503 Get Directions Get Directions. 15.6 miles Mills County Driver License & Vehicle Registration.
  • Iowa Lien Fee = $10.00; Iowa Registration = Variable. In Iowa, vehicle rates are based on make, model, year, weight and list price. However, vehicles that are 12 years or older are a flat rate of $50/year. You may call or email our office with the VIN of your vehicle to verify the annual fee. Is this a leased vehicle?

Penalty and Enforcement Information:

Johnson County Iowa Auto Registration

Following the three month renewal window a penalty is assessed at the rate of 5% of the fee due, per vehicle, per month, rounded to the nearest dollar, with a minimum penalty of $5.00 per vehicle. When 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. Vehicle owners receive an annual renewal notice sent from their County Treasurer. Penalty will still accrue and cannot be waived if you do not receive your notice.
On or before the 'enforcement date', for large plates, Iowa law requires the registration validation sticker, often called a tag, to be affixed to the lower left side of the rear plate; for small plates the tags should be affixed to the upper left corner. Law enforcement defines the enforcement date as the first day of the second month following the registration month. It is recommended that the renewal be processed and the sticker be affixed to the license plate on or before the enforcement date.

How do I get Specialty Plates?

Please visit the Iowa DOT Personalized & Specialty Plates page to complete your order through a NEW and EASY online process.
Or complete a Special Plate Application and mail it to: Iowa DOT Office of Vehicle Services PO Box 9278 Des Moines, IA 50306-9278.
The plates will be mailed to the Treasurer's Office. We will send you notification when the plates are in. You will need to surrender your old plates to receive your new plates.

How do I register a truck with 28 ton or higher?

If you are renewing a truck registered with 28 Ton or higher you will need a current 2290 Form that has the correct VIN of the vehicle being renewed. The form must also be stamped by the IRS with a received date. More information, including the form and instructions, can be found at the IRS website.
You can only renew semi-annually if your registration month is December. You can choose a different month for registration, however you will be required to pay one full year's registration fee.

How do I register a homemade trailer?

You will need to come into the office to register the homemade trailer. We will need you to be sure that the trailer weighs 2000 pounds or less. We will need to know the color of the homemade trailer, and a description of the trailer. We will complete an application for registration that all owners of the homemade trailer will sign. It will be registered as a specially constructed small regular trailer. Small trailers are not issued titles, they are only issued a registration.

How do I store a Vehicle?

Linn County Iowa Auto Registration

In order to store a vehicle the vehicle registration must be current. Bring in the plates and registration for the vehicle. We will place the vehicle in storage and stamp your registration with our 'stored' stamp.
When you bring the vehicle out of storage a full years license fee will be due.

The majority of vehicle forms are created and maintained by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). To ensure you have the most up to date information, the DOT forms linked below are downloaded directly from the Iowa Department of Transportation website.

Iowa DOT forms are in a fillable PDF format that do not open in most internet browsers so to make it easier for users to access these forms, the Iowa DOT includes the forms in a zip file that will download to the downloads folder or other drive on your machine.

Registration

Trouble Shooting– Adobe Reader is required to access PDF documents. If you do not have Adobe Reader on your machine, it is a free program, available for download from Adobe Reader.

If you have Adobe Reader installed and your PDF still won't open:

  1. Right-click on the PDF file and select 'Open With'
  2. Select 'Adobe Reader' from the list of programs
  3. If Adobe Reader is not listed, check to make sure it is installed.

Common Title/Registration and related Forms:

Iowa Department of Transportation Forms
Description: Database of Iowa Department of Transportation forms that can be browsed or searched based on document title, or form number.

Affidavit for Artisan, Storage, & Possessory Lien (Iowa DOT Form 144358)
Description: This form is used for title transfers by operation of law.

Affidavit of Correction(Iowa DOT Form 411219)
Description: This form is used to correct information that has been written in error on a title, application for title, damage disclosure statement, or other document required for title transfer or when these documents contain an alteration or erasure.

Affidavit of Death Intestate(Iowa DOT Form 411088)
Description: This form is used for transferring motor vehicle when the decedent does not have a will.

Affidavit of Death Testate(Iowa DOT Form 411083)
Description: This form is used when a death has occurred and there is a will, but did not go through probate.

Affidavit of Foreclosure Sale(Iowa DOT Form 411067)
Description: This form is used when a lien holder is foreclosing on a vehicle.

Affidavit of Non Use
Description: This form is used if plates have not been surrendered for storage, registration fees have not been paid for more than three years, and the vehicle has not been operated or moved upon the highway during that period of time. If these conditions are met the owner of the vehicle may file a statement of non-use with the County Treasurer and the vehicle may be registered upon payment of the current year registration fee.

Fees

Application for Certificate of Title and/or Registration(Iowa DOT Form 411007)
Description: This form is used when transferring a vehicle into Iowa or a new vehicle transfer.

Application for Certificate of Title and/or Registration for a Leased Vehicle(Iowa DOT Form 411179)
Description: This form is used when making application for a title and/or registration for a leased vehicle.

Application for Iowa Replacement Plate(Iowa DOT Form 411006)
Description: This form is used when applying for a replacement specialized plate.

Application for Iowa Special Plates
Description: Iowa Specialty Plates can be ordered and paid for online from the Iowa DOT Website.

Application for Junking Certificate(Iowa DOT Form 411123)
Description: This form is used if you are junking a vehicle.

Application for Notation of Security Interest(Iowa DOT Form 411046)
Description: This form is used when you are adding a security interest to a title.

Iowa Auto Registration Fee Calculator

Application for Persons with Disabilities Parking Permit(Iowa DOT Form 411055)
Description: This form is used to apply for persons with disabilities windshield placard, special plates, parking sticker.

Application for Registration and Bonded Certificate of Title(Iowa DOT Form 411008)
Description: If your vehicle cannot be titled and registered by your County Treasurer because you do not have proper title documents, you may be able to file a bond as a condition of obtaining a title and registration plates.

Application for Replacement of Iowa Certificate of Title to a Motor Vehicle(Iowa DOT Form 411033)
Description: In order to apply for a replacement title in your county the title must have been issued in your county. If issued in another county you must contact that county. The county of issuance is shown on the title. This form is used to apply for a replacement title if your title has been lost or destroyed.

Bill of Sale
Description: This form is used for a Bill of Sale.

Business Trade Truck Information
Description: This document provides information on business trade usage on a 2010 or newer truck.

Cancellation of Security Interest(Iowa DOT Form 411168)
Description: This form is used for canceling a security interest.

Certification of Correction(Iowa DOT Form 411097)
Description: This form is used when the previous title indicates a six-digit odometer reading, or the sellers has certified a six-digit odometer, and vehicle is equipped with ONLY a five-digit odometer.

Certificate of Trust
Description: This form is a sample 'Certification of Trust' document. A title application in the name of a trust and the transfer of ownership of a vehicle already titled to a trust are both required to be accompanied by a copy of the entire trust agreement. In lieu of requiring a copy of the entire trust, a 'Certification of Trust' can be accepted as well. A 'Certification of Trust' is a document that is simply a condensed version of a trust.

Iowa Auto Registration

Claim for Refund(Iowa DOT Form 411047)
Description: This form is used when registration refunds are available due to excess credit, overcharge, official error, apportioned registration, military storage, selling or junking a vehicle.

Damage Disclosure Statement(Iowa DOT Form 411108)
Description: This form is used to disclose previous damage on vehicles seven model years and newer.

Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax Return (Internal Revenue Service Form 2290)
Description: Form 2290 from the Internal Revenue Service is used to figure and pay tax due on highway motor vehicles used during the period with taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more. A copy of the submitted form is needed when renewing the registration on your heavy highway vehicle with your county treasurer.

Leased Termination a/k/a Notice of Sale of Vehicle and Delivery of Title (Iowa DOT Form 411107)
Description: This form is used when a vehicle has been sold and delivered but ownership not transferred to the new purchaser.

Leased Vehicle Worksheet (Department of Revenue Form 35-050)
Description: The sale or lease price of vehicles subject to registration is exempt from sales tax. These vehicles are subject to a one-time registration fee equal to 5% of the sales or lease price. This one-time registration fee also applies when vehicles are sold between private individuals.

Leased Vehicle Worksheet for Move-Ins (Department of Revenue Form 35-051)
Description: The remaining amount of the lease due at the time a leased vehicle is brought into Iowa is subject to a on-time registration fee equal to 5% of the remaining lease price.

Lost in Mail Form
Description: This form is used by an applicant to certify that a vehicle document sent by the County Treasurer through the United States Postal Service was not received.

Non-Resident Military Personnel
Description: This form is used to certify that an individual registering a vehicle is a nonresident on active duty in the military stationed in Iowa.

Notice of Sale of Vehicle and Delivery of Title(Iowa DOT Form 411107)
Description: This form is used when a vehicle has been sold and delivered but ownership not transferred to the new purchaser.

Notice to Deliver a Title Certificate to a Person Other Than the Owner (Iowa DOT Form 411094)
Description: This form is used when title is to be forwarded to person other than the owner, upon lien release.

Odometer Disclosure Statement(Iowa DOT Form 411077)
Description: This form is used to report the current odometer reading upon transfer of ownership.

Owner's Certification (Motor Home) (Iowa DOT Form 411057)
Description: This form is used to determine motor home classification for registration purposes.

Personalized Plate Assignment
Description: This form is used to assign interest in a personalized plate to a person other than the current owner.

Power of Attorney Authorization (Iowa DOT Form 411021)
Description: This form is used to allow vehicle owners to appoint an attorney in fact to sign documents pertaining to titling and registering vehicles.

Seller’s Checklist
Description: This checklist was created by Iowa DOT and provides a checklist you can use when selling your vehicle. The checklist also includes a ‘Buyer’s Acknowledgement of Delivery of Vehicle & Title’ receipt form.

Specially Equipped Vehicle Owner's Certification
Description: This form is used to certify that a vehicle has equipment installed to assist a disabled person or a vehicle is used by a person that has a wheelchair as their only means of mobility.

Thank you for the ability and ease of paying my taxes and vehicle registration online. The website is great!