Crashes, insurance and registration in Iowa

By the end of this topic you can

• You can follow the four steps after a crash.
• You can decide when a crash must be reported and by when.
• You can name Iowa's minimum liability insurance limits.
• You can list the documents to keep in the car.
• You can describe how to register a newly bought vehicle.

What you need to know and understand

• After a crash with no injuries, move a drivable vehicle out of the traffic lanes.
• Report any crash involving injury or death to police immediately.
• If a crash causes injury, death or property damage of $1,500 or more, a written report must reach Iowa DOT within 72 hours unless police investigated and filed a report.
• Minimum liability insurance is $20,000 for one person injured, $40,000 for two or more people and $15,000 for property damage.
• Carry your license, registration and insurance card; an electronic insurance card on your phone is accepted.
• Driving without insurance carries a $325 scheduled fine, or $645 if it is connected to a crash.
• Register a vehicle you buy within 30 days at your county treasurer's office.

Four steps after a crash

Never leave the scene of a crash without stopping and sharing information. If you hit a parked car or property and cannot find the owner, leave your details where they will be seen and report it.

1. Steer it, clear it: if no one is hurt and the car can move, get it out of the travel lanes, turn the engine off and put on hazard lights.
2. Call 911 and give the location and any injuries. Iowa law requires immediate notice to police when anyone is injured or killed.
3. Share your license, vehicle registration and insurance information with the officer and the other driver.
4. Contact your insurance company. If police did not file a report and the crash caused injury, death or $1,500 or more in damage, send your own written report to Iowa DOT within 72 hours.

Insurance Iowa expects you to carry

Every vehicle driven in Iowa needs liability coverage of at least 20/40/15: $20,000 for injury to one person, $40,000 for injury to two or more people, and $15,000 for damage to property. When you borrow a car, make sure the policy covers you as a driver.

If you cause injury or more than $1,500 of damage and cannot prove you were insured, Iowa DOT will suspend your driving and registration privileges until you provide proof, post security or reach a settlement. An officer who stops an uninsured vehicle may also issue a citation and remove the license plates.

Registering a vehicle

• Get a properly signed title and a bill of sale from the seller; together they act as temporary registration.
• Within 30 days of purchase, take them to your county treasurer to title the vehicle and get plates.
• Display plates on the front and back of Iowa-registered vehicles and keep the registration in the car.
• New residents transfer registration and plates through their county treasurer's office.

Common mistakes

• Leaving cars in the lanes of a busy road after a minor crash while you swap details.
• Assuming a small dent needs no report. Repairs often pass $1,500, and the 72-hour clock still applies if police did not report.
• Driving a friend's car without checking the insurance covers you.
• Forgetting that the insurance card and registration must be in the vehicle, not at home.

Test yourself: Crashes, insurance and registration in Iowa

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Iowa Permit Test
• Iowa Driving Test
• Iowa Intermediate License Rules