Amendment H-1312 to HF 974

Filed May 12, 2025 in the House by

What it changes

1. Page 1, before line 1 by inserting: “Section
2. Section 321.18, subsection 7, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
3. Any school bus in this state used exclusively for the transportation of pupils to and from school or a school function or for the purposes provided in section 285.1, subsection 1 , and section 285.10, subsection 9 , or used exclusively for the transportation of children enrolled in a federal head start program. Upon application the department shall, without charge, issue a registration certificate and a registration plates plate . The plates plate shall be attached to the front and rear of each bus exempt from registration under this subsection . Sec. ___. Section 321.22, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
4. An urban transit company or system having a franchise to operate in any city and any regional transit system may make application to the department, upon forms furnished by the department, for a certificate containing a distinguishing number and for one or more pairs of registration plates to be attached to the front and rear of buses owned or operated by the transit company or system. Sec. ___. Section 321.26, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
5. The county treasurer may adjust the registration renewal or expiration date of vehicles for which the county treasurer is responsible for renewal under section 321.40 when deemed necessary to equalize the number of vehicles registered in each twelve-month period or for the administrative efficiency of the county treasurer’s office. The adjustment shall be accomplished by delivery of a written notice to the vehicle owner of the adjustment and allowance of a credit for the remaining months of the unused portion of the annual registration fee, rounded to the nearest whole dollar, which amount shall be deducted from the annual registration fee due at the time of registration. Upon receipt of the notification the owner shall, within thirty days, surrender the registration card and registration plates plate to any county treasurer, except that the registration plates plate shall not be surrendered if a validation stickers sticker or other emblems are emblem is used to designate the month and year of expiration of registration. Upon payment of the annual registration fee, less the credit allowed for the remaining months of the unused portion of the annual registration fee, the county treasurer that adjusted the registration renewal or expiration date of the vehicle shall issue a new registration card and registration plates plate , validation stickers sticker , or emblems emblem which indicate indicates the month and year of expiration of registration. Sec. ___. Section 321.34, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:
6. Plates Plate issued. The county treasurer upon receiving application, accompanied by proper fee, for registration of a vehicle shall issue to the owner one registration plate for a motorcycle, motorized bicycle, autocycle, truck tractor, trailer, or semitrailer and two registration plates for every other motor vehicle . The registration plates plate , including any special registration plates plate , shall be assigned to the owner of a vehicle. When the owner of a registered vehicle transfers or assigns ownership of the vehicle to another person, the owner shall remove the registration plates plate from the vehicle. The owner shall forward the plates plate to any county treasurer or the owner may have the plates plate assigned to another vehicle within thirty days after transfer, upon payment of the fees required by law. The owner shall immediately affix the registration plates plate retained by the owner to another vehicle owned or acquired by the owner, providing the owner complies with section 321.46 . The department shall adopt rules providing for the assignment of a registration plates plate to the transferee of a vehicle for which a credit is allowed under section 321.46, subsection 6 .
7. Validation stickers. a. In lieu of issuing a new registration plates plate each registration year for a vehicle renewing registration, the department may reassign the registration plates plate previously issued to the vehicle and may adopt and prescribe an annual validation sticker indicating payment of annual registration fees. The department shall issue one validation sticker for each set of registration plates plate . The sticker shall specify the month and year of expiration of the registration plates plate . The sticker shall be displayed only on the rear registration plate , except that the sticker shall be displayed on the front registration plate of a truck tractor . b. The state department of transportation shall adopt rules to provide for the placement of the motor vehicle registration validation sticker.”
8. Page 2, by striking lines 23 through 29 and inserting: “Sec. ___. Section 321.37, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 321.37 Display of plates plate .
9. Registration plates The registration plate issued for a motor vehicle other than an autocycle, motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or a truck tractor shall be attached to the rear of the motor vehicle , one in the front and the other in the rear. The registration plate issued for an autocycle, motorcycle, or other vehicle required to be registered hereunder shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle . The registration plate issued for a truck tractor shall be attached to the front of the truck tractor. The special plate issued to a dealer shall be attached on the rear of the vehicle when operated on the highways of this state.
10. Registration plates issued for a motor vehicle which is model year 1948 or older, and reconstructed or specially constructed vehicles built to resemble a model year 1948 vehicle or older, other than a truck registered for more than five tons, autocycle, motorcycle, or truck tractor, may display one registration plate on the rear of the vehicle if the other registration plate issued to the vehicle is carried in the vehicle at all times when the vehicle is operated on a public highway.
12. It is unlawful for the The owner of a vehicle to shall not place any a frame around or over the registration plate which does not permit full view of all numerals and letters printed on the registration plate , other than the name of the county . Sec. ___. Section 321.115, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: c. The owner of a motor vehicle registered under this subsection may display an authentic Iowa registration plate or set of plates from the model year of the motor vehicle, furnished by the person and approved by the department, in lieu of the current and valid Iowa registration plates plate issued for the vehicle, provided that the current and valid Iowa registration plates plate and the registration card issued for the vehicle are simultaneously carried within the vehicle and are available for inspection to any peace officer upon the officer’s request. Sec. ___. Section 321.115A, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
13. A motor vehicle may be registered as a replica vehicle or street rod. The annual registration fee is the fee provided for in section 321.109 , 321.113 , 321.122 , or 321.124 . The owner of a vehicle registered under this section may display a registration plate or set of plates from or representing the model year of the motor vehicle or the model year of the motor vehicle the registered vehicle is designed to resemble, furnished by the person and approved by the department, in lieu of the current and valid Iowa registration plates plate issued for the vehicle, provided that the current and valid Iowa registration plates plate and the registration card issued for the vehicle are simultaneously carried within the vehicle and are available for inspection to any peace officer upon the officer’s request.”
14. Page 3, after line 20 by inserting: “Sec. ___. Section 321.385A, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: b. A citation issued for failure to have rear lamps as required under section 321.387 or a rear registration plate light as required under section 321.388 shall first provide for a seventy-two hour period within which the person charged with the violation shall replace or repair the lamps or light. Sec. ___. Section 321.385A, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
15. If the person complies with the directive to replace or repair the headlamp, rear lamps, or rear registration plate light within the allotted time period, the citation shall be expunged. If the person fails to comply within the allotted time period, the citation shall be processed in the same manner as other citations. Sec. ___. Section 321.388, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: 321.388 Illuminating plates Registration plate illuminated . Either the rear lamp or a separate lamp shall be so constructed and placed as to illuminate with a white light the rear registration plate attached to the rear of the vehicle and render it clearly legible from a distance of fifty feet to the rear. When the rear registration plate is illuminated by an electric lamp other than the required rear lamp, the two lamps shall be turned on or off only by the same control switch at all times when headlamps are lighted. This section does not apply to commercial vehicles engaged exclusively in intrastate commerce that are dump trucks or that are used exclusively for the movement of construction materials and equipment to and from construction projects. Sec. ___. Section 321J.4B, subsection 5, paragraph f, subparagraph (1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows: (1) If the vehicle subject to the court order is not in the custody of a law enforcement agency, the person or agency designated in the order as the person or agency responsible for executing the order shall, upon receipt of the order, promptly locate the vehicle specified in the order, seize the motor vehicle and the license plates registration plate , and send or deliver the vehicle’s license plates registration plate to the department. Sec. ___. Section 321J.4B, subsection 7, Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
16. a. Upon receipt of a notice of conviction of the defendant for a violation of subsection 2 , the impounding authority shall seize the motor vehicle’s license plates registration plate and registration, and shall send or deliver them to the department. b. The department shall destroy license plates a registration plate received under this section and shall not authorize the release of the vehicle or the issuance of a new license plates registration plate for the vehicle until the period of impoundment or immobilization has expired, and the fee and costs assessed under subsection 10 have been paid. The fee for issuance of a new license plates registration plate and certificates certificate of registration shall be the same as for the replacement of a lost, mutilated, or destroyed license plates registration plate and certificates certificate of registration. Sec. ___. CODE EDITOR DIRECTIVE. The Code editor may make any change the Code editor deems necessary to correct any Code section or any enacted legislation that refers, in any context, to a set of, a pair of, or two motor vehicle registration plates for one vehicle, rather than one registration plate, when there appears to be no doubt as to the proper method of making the correction. Sec. ___. TRANSITION PROVISIONS. The transition from the use of motor vehicle registration plates on both the front and rear of certain vehicles to the use of such plates on only the rear of certain vehicles, as directed by this Act, shall be accomplished in stages. A person applying for a new or replacement registration plate on or after the effective date of this Act shall receive only one registration plate. Otherwise, the transition shall not be accomplished until a new series of registration plates is issued to replace a current series. A person who was issued a pair of registration plates, including special registration plates, may attach only one plate in accordance with this Act on and after the effective date of this Act. A person who is required to transfer a registration plate, or to return a registration plate to the department of transportation or to a county treasurer, shall transfer or return both plates, as applicable, if the person was issued a pair of plates. The department of transportation may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to implement the transition.”
17. Title page, line 1, after “including” by inserting “the issuance and display of one registration plate,”
18. Title page, line 2, by striking “frames” and inserting “frames,”
19. By renumbering as necessary.

Official amendment (PDF) · In the Bill Book