Seat belts, child seats and phone laws in Iowa

By the end of this topic you can

• You can say who in the car must wear a seat belt.
• You can choose the right restraint for a child by age and weight.
• You can explain what hands-free means under Iowa law.
• You can list the main exceptions to the phone law.
• You can name the three kinds of distraction and how to avoid them.

What you need to know and understand

• The driver and all front seat occupants must wear a seat belt.
• Everyone under 18 must be buckled or in a child restraint in every seating position.
• A child under 1 year and under 20 pounds must ride in a rear-facing child seat.
• A child under 6 must ride in a child restraint system, such as a car seat or booster seat.
• The scheduled fine is $70 for a seat belt violation and $135 for a child restraint violation, before court costs.
• Drivers may not hold or manually use a phone or other electronic device while driving; voice-activated or hands-free use is allowed.
• The scheduled fine for a phone violation is $100 and it counts as a moving violation on your record.

Buckling up everyone the right way

Wear the lap belt low and snug across your hips. The driver can be charged for a child under 14 who is not properly restrained; passengers aged 14 and over are charged themselves.

• Under 1 year old and under 20 pounds: rear-facing child seat.
• Under 6: a child restraint system (car seat or booster), not just a seat belt.
• Age 6 to 17: a child restraint or a seat belt, in the front and the back.
• 18 and over: a seat belt in the front seats is required by law, and strongly advised in the back.
• Under 18: not allowed to ride in the open bed of a moving pickup, according to the Iowa manual.

What hands-free means in Iowa

While the vehicle is moving, you may use a phone, tablet, laptop or gaming device only by voice commands or a single touch to turn a feature on or off. You may not:

• Hold the phone in any way.
• Type, scroll or tap through apps.
• Type an address into a phone GPS (enter your destination before you set off).
• Watch or stream video, or make a video call.
• Read texts, emails or social media.

Exceptions, teen rules and the cost of distraction

The law does not apply when you are fully stopped off the traveled part of the road, when you are reporting an emergency, or when you receive emergency, traffic or weather alerts. Equipment built into the vehicle is not covered.

The 2025 law replaced Iowa's old teen-only device ban with the hands-free rule for every driver, but Iowa DOT's teen license pages still advise drivers on an instruction permit, school license or intermediate license not to use a phone or electronic device at all while driving. The safest choice for any new driver is to silence the phone and put it out of reach. Causing a death while distracted can lead to more than $1,000 in fines, license suspension and a vehicular homicide charge.

Common mistakes

• Holding the phone at a red light. You are still driving on the traveled roadway.
• Typing a new address into a phone map while moving. Set it before you leave or pull off the road.
• Letting a 4-year-old use only the seat belt. Under 6 they need a car seat or booster.
• Thinking back seat passengers are never covered. Everyone under 18 must be restrained in every seat.

Test yourself: Seat belts, child seats and phone 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