Drunk and drugged driving laws in Iowa

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the legal alcohol limits for adults and for drivers under 21.
• You can explain Iowa's any-amount rule for controlled substances.
• You can describe implied consent and what happens if you refuse a test.
• You can outline the penalties for a first OWI.
• You can follow the open container law.

What you need to know and understand

• OWI means driving under the influence, with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or more, or with any amount of a controlled substance in your blood or urine.
• Drivers under 21 face a zero tolerance revocation at a BAC of .02 or more.
• Your license is revoked for at least 180 days for a first OWI, even if you are not convicted in court.
• A first OWI conviction is a serious misdemeanor with at least 48 hours in jail and a $1,250 fine.
• By driving in Iowa you give implied consent to a chemical test of breath, blood or urine.
• Refusing a test brings a one-year revocation, longer than for failing one.
• Open containers of alcohol are illegal anywhere in the passenger area; carry them in the trunk.

The limits that apply to you

• Age 21 and over: OWI at .08 BAC or higher, or at any level if alcohol or drugs affect your driving.
• Under 21: a BAC of .02 or more triggers a zero tolerance revocation of at least 60 days, or at least 180 days if your BAC is .08 or more.
• Under 18: no temporary restricted license (work permit) is available during an OWI revocation.
• Drugs: any amount of a controlled substance, such as marijuana, found in your blood or urine can be OWI. Even legal medicines can impair you, so read the label.

Implied consent and refusing a test

Holding an Iowa license, or simply driving in Iowa as a visitor, means you have agreed to chemical testing if an officer has grounds to ask (Iowa Code section 321J.6). Refusing does not stop an OWI charge. Iowa DOT says refusal leads to an automatic one-year revocation, and the court may also order a substance use evaluation or an ignition interlock device.

What a first OWI costs

Second and later offenses carry longer revocations, higher fines and can become felonies. An OWI revocation stays on your Iowa driving record for 12 years. The only safe plan is to never drive after drinking or using drugs; arrange a sober driver or a ride instead.

1. Revocation of at least 180 days and up to one year, starting through Iowa DOT even before any court case ends.
2. At least 48 hours in jail and a $1,250 fine, plus surcharges and court costs, on conviction.
3. A course for drinking drivers and a substance use evaluation with any treatment recommended.
4. To drive on a temporary restricted license, an ignition interlock device in every vehicle you drive (drivers 18 and over only; Iowa DOT can grant a medical waiver in limited cases).
5. To get your license back: a $200 civil penalty, a $20 reinstatement fee, and SR-22 proof of insurance for two years (not needed for a zero tolerance revocation).

Common mistakes

• Believing you are fine to drive after one or two drinks as a teen. At .02 a driver under 21 already faces revocation.
• Thinking refusing the breath test protects you. Refusal brings a longer revocation and the case can still go ahead.
• Assuming cannabis is treated like alcohol with a set limit. Iowa's rule is any detectable amount of a controlled substance.
• Keeping an opened bottle under the seat. Put it in the trunk.

Test yourself: Drunk and drugged driving laws in Iowa

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

Go deeper

• Iowa Permit Practice Test
• Iowa Permit Test
• Iowa Driving Test