• Driver's Privacy Protection Act
• Vehicle License Renewals
• Non-Transferable Registration
• Storage of a vehicle license
• Transfer of Ownership for non-titled trailers under 2000 lbs
• Licensing a new specially constructed (homemade) trailer
• Handicapped placards and license plates
• Personalized plates
• Specialty plates
• Transit plates
• Regular Titles
• Replacement Titles
• Salvage Titles
• Surety Bonded Vehicles
• Transfers by Operation of Law
• Junking certificates
• Refunds:  Replacement Vehicle
• Refund Provision
• Credit Limitations
• Security Interest:  New title being issued
• Title already issued
• Delivery of title to first secured party
• Thirty day limit
• Cancellation of security interest

Iowa adopted the new federal law concerning privatizing owners' personal information in Motor Vehicle records. The new law closes personal information of an individual in the motor vehicle record to the general public and for the bulk distribution for surveys, marketing, or solicitation unless the department has the expressed consent from the person to whom such personal information pertains.

"Personal information" means information that identifies an individual, including an individual's photograph, Social Security number, driver identification number, name, address (but not the 5 digit zip code), telephone number and medical or disability information, but does not include information on vehicular accidents, driving violations, and driver's status. "Personal information" also includes an individual's non-operator's identification card number.

The following groups of persons may request and continue to receive personal information except the "sensitive" personal information and includes:

• In connection with matters of motor vehicle or driver safety and theft
• For use in normal course of business by a "legitimate" business, etc.
• For use in providing notice to owner of towed or impounded vehicle.
• For use by a licensed private investigative agency or licensed security service.
• For use in connection with the operation of private toll transportation facilities.

Iowa Code Section 321.11 prohibits the releasing of personal information if the request is made by plate number except to an officer or employee of a law enforcement agency, an employee of a federal or state agency or political subdivision in the performance of the employee's official duty, a contract employee of the Department of Inspection and Appeals in the conduct of his/her investigation, or a licensed private investigation agency or a licensed security service, or a licensed employee of either. In addition, an officer or employee of a law enforcement agency may release the name, address and telephone number of a motor vehicle registrant to a person requesting information by presentation of a registration plate if the officer or employee of the law enforcement agency believes that the release of the information is necessary in performance of the officer or employee's duties.

Vehicles are licensed in the birth month of the owner or in the case of a business either their fiscal year ending date or the month of December.

Trucks licensed for 06 ton and more are automatically licensed in December. The registration fee for these vehicles may be paid in two equal semiannual installments.

Renewals may be paid one month prior to the date of expiration, the month of registration, and the month following without penalty. After that, a penalty is charged at a rate of 5% per month with a minimum of $5.00 per vehicle.

Renewal notices are mailed to the owner 1 month prior to their registration date and a charge of $.50 per vehicle is added if the renewal is to be returned by mail to the owner.

Validation stickers are placed in the lower left corner of the rear license plate with the exception of small cycle and trailer plates when the sticker is placed in the upper left-hand corner. If the vehicle was issued a set of license plates, both must be displayed.

For rate information on a specific vehicle please contact our office at 712-662-7273.

A non-transferable registration is issued to the owner of a vehicle previously registered in another state under the following circumstances:

• The owner has been issued a title in the other state and is able to furnish evidence of being the registered owner of the vehicle to the county treasurer.
• Either the current out-of-state registration or a certified copy of the title from the security interest holder will be considered as evidence.
• Every owner listed on the registration or title must sign the Iowa application. .A non-transferable registration cannot be issued on a new vehicle for which the owner is unable to surrender a manufacturer's statement of origin.
• An Iowa certificate of title is required to be issued to the owner when the foreign certificate of title becomes available except when the foreign certificate of title is held by a lien holder and the owner has traded the vehicle to an Iowa licensed dealer who has forwarded the sum necessary to discharge the security interest. Foreign certificate of title maybe assigned to the dealer and the dealer may reassign the foreign certificate of title to a purchaser.

The owner of a vehicle may, before the vehicle becomes delinquent in any year, turn in the registration plates for a vehicle to the county treasurer of the county where the vehicle is registered and may register the vehicle at any later period of time by paying the full annual registration fee. Only a one-year fee is charged even if the vehicle has been in storage for several years or longer. Storing a vehicle that is intended to be used within the ensuing year does not save the owner any money.

The current registration for the trailer, properly assigned on the back to the new owner is surrendered to the county treasurer where the new owner resides and after the completion of an application and payment of fees, a new registration and license plate is issued to the new owner.

The individual selling the trailer should retain the license plates and they should be returned to their county treasurer for cancellation.

Sac County requires that a printed weight ticket be surrendered for a specially constructed trailer that has not been registered previously. The owner will also complete an application for title and/or registration and an affidavit in regards to how ownership of the trailer was obtained (whether purchased or assembled themselves). Trailers with an empty weight of less than 2000 lbs will be issued a registration and plate only. If the weight of the trailer exceeds 2000 lbs our local DOT Investigator will make arrangements with the owner to have the trailer inspected and an Iowa assigned VIN attached. When this has been completed, a title, registration, and license plate will be issued for the trailer.

Applications may be obtained from our office. Please call 712-662-7273.

Applications may be obtained from our office. Please call 712-662-7273.

Sac County has in inventory several series of specialty plates that may be purchased by the general public. These include:

• Cattlemen's
• Educational
• Heritage
• Love Our Kids
• Motorcycle Education
• Natural Resources
• God Bless America

These plates may be also be personalized by completing a form and forwarding it to the Iowa Department of Transportation office in Des Moines, Iowa with proper payment. Please call our office for costs at 712-662-7273.

For information on 30-day transit plates for vehicles purchased in Iowa by a nonresident or a 30-day permit to move an unregistered motor vehicle please contact our office at 712-662-7273.

When a vehicle has been purchased the new owner has 30 days to transfer ownership to their name. During that time the vehicle may be driven if it is currently licensed or has been in a dealer's inventory. Vehicles with delinquent licenses or those in storage cannot be driven on the roadway until licensed. Proof of ownership must be carried in the vehicle. Ownership evidence as defined in Iowa Code section 761-400.19(3) is as follows: "Ownership evidence under this rule shall consist of the certificate of title, or a photocopy thereof, properly assigned to the person who has acquired the vehicle. The ownership shall be shown to any peace officer upon request."

The individual selling the vehicle should keep their license plates and current registration receipt to return to their own county treasurer. The buyer should not drive on the seller's license plates. The seller when returning the plates and registration to their own treasurer's office can apply for a refund of fees when $10.00 or more of the original license paid remains. This must be done within 6 months of the date of sale.

Vehicles that are 1993 or newer are also required to have an odometer statement and a damage disclosure statement (completed), along with the title, in order to transfer ownership to the new buyer. This is generally on the back of most new conforming titles. There are some instances when the "flood" wording is not on the back of some older conforming titles issued prior to December 1995 and in those cases a separate Damage Disclosure Statement will be required. A separate damage disclosure statement will also be required if there is a designation listed in the upper right hand corner of the title such as PRIOR SALVAGE or REBUILT.

When a title has been lost, destroyed, or altered an application for replacement shall be made to the county where the original was issued. The application is made by the owner(s), or if a security interest is noted, by the secured party. After a period of five days from the date the application is received by the county treasurer, a replacement must be issued and delivered to the owner or secured party, if a security interest is noted. However the five-day waiting period does not apply to an applicant who has surrendered the original certificate of title to the treasurer. When a replacement title has been issued, the original is void.

Required signatures: If the vehicle is owned by two or more persons, the application for a replacement title must be signed by each owner. Cost is $15.00.

When a wrecked or salvaged vehicle (a damaged motor vehicle subject to registration and having a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 30,000 lbs) for which the cost to repair exceeds 50 percent of the fair market value before it was damaged or an insurance company who obtains ownership of a motor vehicle as a result of a damage settlement shall obtain a salvage title regardless of the value of the vehicle. (For exceptions for theft please contact our office at 712-662-7273).

Damage refers to damage to the motor vehicle caused by fire, vandalism, collision, weather, falling objects, submersion in water or flood, where the cost to repair is $5,000 or more per incident. But does not include normal wear and tear, glass damage, mechanical repairs or electrical repairs that have not been caused by fire, vandalism, collision, weather, falling objects, submersion in water or flood.

Damage does not include the sales tax or the cost of repairing, replacing or reinstalling tires, lights, batteries, windshields, windows, a sound system or an inflatable restraint system.

A determination of the amount of damage to a motor vehicle shall be based on estimates of the RETAIL cost of repairing the motor vehicle, including labor, parts, and other materials, if the motor vehicle has not been repaired; or the ACTUAL RETAIL cost to repair, including labor, parts and other materials if the motor vehicle has been repaired.

Only individual incidents in which the retail cost of repair is $5000 or more are required to be disclosed by the seller. If the motor vehicle has incurred damage of $5000 or more per incident in more than one incident, the damage must be combined and disclosed as the total of all separate incidents.

A salvage title may be obtained without payment of the current year registration fee or any delinquent registration fee or penalty.

Registration plates shall not be issued or assigned when a salvage title is issued.

A salvage titled vehicle is not eligible to be driven on the roadways until a regular title and plates have been issued following a salvage theft examination. An odometer and damage disclosure statement is required on vehicles 1993 or newer.

For information on where to have vehicles inspected, please contact our office at 712-662-7273.

If the applicant is unable to obtain correct title documents for a vehicle, a title bond (cash or surety) in an amount equal to one and one half times the current value of the vehicle is required as a condition of titling. The following are typical situation which require a title bond:

• Applicant is unable to obtain a title from the seller;
• Applicant received a title from the seller but the VIN or other pertinent data is incorrect and a corrected document cannot be obtained; or
• Vehicle was junked and is 25 years old or older.

Applications are available in our office. Please contact us at 712-662-7273.

Please contact our office for information at 712-662-7273. This includes the following:
Artisan's lien sale

• Bankruptcy order
• Death Intestate
• Death Testate
  Decree of Dissolution
• Execution sale
  Foreclosure sale (repossession)
• Landlord's lien sale
• Storage lien sale

The owner of a vehicle wishing to obtain a junking certificate shall turn in the title and license plates, unless the plates are retained for display on a replacement vehicle, and complete the application for a junking certificate.

There is no charge for junking a vehicle even if the license plates are delinquent or are in storage. Once the vehicle is junked it is not to be driven on the roadways or sold to another person who intends to do so. The exception is for vehicles 25 years old or older that are being bond titled.

When an owner disposes of a vehicle, the plate(s) shall be retained by that person.
If the owner obtains a replacement within 30 days then the plates shall be displayed on that vehicle. The owner may be entitled to a credit for the unexpired portion of the registration fee of the vehicle that was sold, traded, or junked. The registration fee for the newly acquired vehicle shall be reduced by the amount of the credit. Credits shall be computed on the basis of the number of unexpired months remaining in the registration year for the vehicle acquired, rounded to the nearest whole dollar. If the acquired vehicle requires a different type of plate, the old plates should be turned in to the county treasurer and cancelled.

If a vehicle is sold or junked, the owner may apply for a refund instead of credit. If a vehicle is traded the owner shall apply for a credit. If credit is not claimed for a vehicle traded, there is no provision to issue a refund, except for excess credit.

The credit shall be claimed within 30 days from the date the vehicle on which credit is granted was sold, traded, or junked. After 30 days all credit shall be disallowed.

When the amount of the credit is computed to be an amount of less than $10, the credit will not be given.

If the credit allowed exceeds the amount of the registration fee for the vehicle acquired, the owner may claim a refund for the balance of the credit.

Credit cannot be used on vehicles in storage, delinquent licenses or any type of a transaction where the vehicle is already titled in the current owner's name.

New Vehicle. Every security interest noted on the application for title must be noted on the title. An uncanceled security interest noted on the reverse side of a manufacturer's certificate of origin (MCO) shall be noted as a separate security interest on the certificate of title, in addition to any security interest acknowledged by the applicant, unless the applicant indicates in the security interest area on the title application that the security interest is the same as the one noted on the reverse side of the MCO. Up to 3 security interests may be perfected against a vehicle and shown on an Iowa Certificate of title.

Used Vehicle. Every security interest noted on the application for title must be noted on the title. A security interest noted on the face of the assigned title must be noted on the new title unless it has been canceled or unless the following statement is made on the application for title, "Same security interest as shown on the face of this title". Up to 3 security interests may be perfected against a vehicle and shown on an Iowa certificate of title.

A "Request for Notation of Security Interest" form, properly completed and signed by the owner(s) must be submitted to the county treasurer of the county of record with the title, when available. If not available for submission, the county treasurer must notify the holder (owner or first secured party) to surrender the title within 5 days.

Upon receipt of the title, the request for notation of a security interest form and the required fee, the county treasurer must note the security on the title.

The title must be delivered to the first secured party, as shown on the certificate of title.

Any person obtaining possession of a title that does not already have a security interest noted thereon, and who purports to have a security interest in the vehicle, must deliver the title to the county treasurer within 30 days from the date it came in to the possession of that person.

For purposes of determining the beginning of the 30-day period, it must be presumed that the purported security interest holder came into possession of the title on the date of creation of the security interest in the vehicle or the date the title was issued, whichever is later.

If the purported secured party did not come into possession of the title within the time mentioned in the preceding paragraph and has actually held possession of the title for 30 days or less before submitting it to the county treasurer, the 30-day presumption may be overcome by a statement in writing from the secured party to the county treasurer stating the actual date the title came into the possession of the secured party. If the date is within 30 days from the date of delivery of the title to the county treasurer, the security interest must be noted on the title.

When a security interest is discharged, the holder must note a cancellation on the face of the title over the holder's signature and deliver the title to any Iowa county treasurer for cancellation. The county treasurer must immediately cancel the security interest on the face of the title. On the same day, the county treasurer must deliver the title to the first secured party, or if there is no secured party, to the owner.

Form 411168 may be used to cancel a security interest on an Iowa certificate of title as indicated under 321.50(4) or the cancellation may be on the secured party's letterhead paper and shall include the county name that issued the title, title number, security interest number, VIN, owner's name, security interest holder's name, street address, city, state and zip code, date the security interest was cancelled and signature of authorized representative of the security interest holder.

If a separate release form is used and the owner needs a replacement title, the form must be notarized.