Important Dates for Motor Vehicle

Vehicles may be renewed one month prior to your registration renewal month, your renewal month, or the month following without penalty, unless the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Holiday, then penalty applies the second business day of the delinquent month. 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.

A reminder will be sent to you by your county treasurer; however failure to receive a notice shall not have an effect upon the accrual of penalty on the appropriate date.

Iowa law requires the validation sticker to be affixed to the rear license plate on or before the “enforcement date”.  The date that law enforcement uses to determine compliance is the first day of the second month following the registration month.  Please note that there is a difference between “enforcement date” and “penalty date” when the renewal deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday. We recommend that renewal and affixing the sticker to the license plate occur on or before “enforcement date”.