Iowa driver's license, tags, etc. (Iowa City)

[SharpHawkeye]

Originally Posted by capitalcityguy

wow....may wife was correct! We had a bit of an argument over this. I told her people were just ignorant. She said people did it on purpose.

Oh yeah, it's intentional. And I would guess that guy was just putting you on when he says he just wanted to break with convention.

It's a way of saying "I'm a native,". I never saw an "Iowa native" sticker in my life until very recently, but I would see people doing this every once in a while. My guess would be that 90% of people who do it are trying to make the "native" statement, with the other 10% either not getting how it works or thinking it gets them out of tickets or something.

[Sioux06Alum]

How long do you have until you have to change your license plate on your car? I just bought a car here in North Dakota before I move to Iowa and don't want to change plates... I like the ND plates (and it will help me find my car too!).

[serate]

Originally Posted by Sioux06Alum

How long do you have until you have to change your license plate on your car? I just bought a car here in North Dakota before I move to Iowa and don't want to change plates... I like the ND plates (and it will help me find my car too!).

Iowa law requires you to register your motor vehicle with the county treasurer's office in your county within 30 days from the date you establish residency. Iowa registration is required even though your license plates may still be valid in another state.

http://www.iamvd.com/ovs/register.htm

[SortaMobile]

[quote=serate;4717398]Iowa law requires you to register your motor vehicle with the county treasurer's office in your county within 30 days from the date you establish residency.


Of course, the law might require this, but the law enforcement might not care. One of my former colleagues was from Minnesota. She left those plates on until they expired. But she worked and lived in Des Moines, where the police are busy responding to real crimes or at least more urgent situations.

Windsor Heights cops on the other hand don't have anything better to do. They'll jump you for any minor infraction. So, it depends on where you'll be living. Iowa's larger cities; ride your old plates out. Otherwise, better change 'em.

[alwaystraveling25]

Originally Posted by Sioux06Alum

How long do you have until you have to change your license plate on your car? I just bought a car here in North Dakota before I move to Iowa and don't want to change plates... I like the ND plates (and it will help me find my car too!).

If you live in the Des Moines, Iowa City, or other bigger metro area when you move to Iowa, you don't need to worry. If you move to a smaller town (Clarinda, Corydon, Orange City, Sheldon), you better change those plates!

I live in Chicago now and see every plate known to man - no one ever bothers to change them, since it is a big transient city.

BUT I used to drive all over NW, SW and Central Iowa (South of Des Moines), for work when I lived in Kansas City for two years. You BETTER believe that a number of people asked me about "living in Kansas" or "are you in Kansas City", since I went to Grocery stores for a living (sales rep for a food company) and had Kansas Plates with Johnson County Tags. It was pretty unbelievable to me, especially since I was used to being in an area where it didn't matter.

I think if you move a small town, you should change them right away. You will get "noticed" more because of it, and I wouldn't doubt that any cop/sheriff/county officer, seeing your North Dakota plates several times without leaving, would definitely pull you over and insist you get local Iowa plates (especially since Iowa lists the county on the plate, which is another huge identifier of location).

[ICvegan]

Well, turns out I have to have proof of having lived in Iowa for at least 30 days. (utility bill, rental agreement) Since the utility bill is not in my name and the rental lease has a date that is actually a little over a week AFTER we moved in, I am not eligible to get an Iowa driver's license yet. Very weird.

[Chris19]

My brother had two vehicles that had South Dakota plates on them and had them on for longer than the required 30 days. He ended up getting a newer vehicle a few months later and that had Iowa plates and his older car (that was replaced by the newer vehicle) came back to South Dakota and was still valid in South Dakota. The other vehicle, he had the SD plates for a good six to nine months living in Iowa and was not given any problem having those plates on, but then again he was in the Des Moines area as opposed to a rural area. He ended up moving to Wyoming and will have Iowa ones on until the end of the year when his Iowa ones expire (vehicle registration is higher there than in Iowa by quite a bit and is even higher than vehicle registration in Minnesota).

I have relatives who live in NW Iowa and comment that there are enough people who try to get by with reigstering their vehicles in South Dakota instead of Iowa, because vehicle registration in South Dakota is dirt cheap compared to other states (especially with newer vehicles). The law enforcement has been tough on that issue in the past and should be in my opinion.

People often take the gamble due to cost. In some ways, I cannot blame them, but they are obviously taking a risk. If it were me, I would not wait as long as my brother to register vehicles if I were to move out of state. It costs under $40 to register an older vehicle in SD. Mine, which is two years old, was $55 a year for annual registration here. It cost me $8 to get a new drivers license.

[ICvegan]

Oh, I agree! I really want to do the right thing, so it frustrates me to no end to not be able to.

[ICvegan]

Well, I turned in my Oklahoma driver's license with the coolest number in the entire world for an Iowan one with a very ho-hum number. But, I'm official!

Oklahoman one was four zeros, four sixes and a 4. Can't remember a single digit of the Iowan one. :S

For anyone going in to get one, you need:

1. Something from each list: Applying for an Iowa Driver's LIcense or Non-Driver Identification Card
2. done one of the following:

• registered to vote.
• enrolled your children in public school.
• accepted a permanent job.
• resided in Iowa for 30 continuous days. (need proof like a utility bill or lease agreement)
  

3. $20 cash or check (no credit cards taken) (this is for just the license, no endorsements or anything like that)

[serate]

We moved to the Des Moines area 1-15-07 for my husband, 1-28-07 for me. Got our Iowa licenses January 31 in Des Moines as mine expired in Januray, hubby's in November but he decided to go ahead and change then since he had the time off of work. Although he had accepted and been working at a full time job since 1-16-07, nobody ever asked us if we had lived here for 30 days, accpeted a job, enrolled kids in public school. They could tell we hadn't registered to vote. Just filled out the paper work with our new address, gave them our Kentucky driver's licenses, took the eye test, registered to vote, gave them our money, got our pictures taken, waited about 3 minutes and we walked away with Iowa driver's licenses.