Iowa Code § 307.12 (2026)
Duties of the director
1. The director shall:
a. Manage the internal operations of the department and establish guidelines and procedures to promote the orderly and efficient administration of the department.
b. Employ personnel as necessary to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the department, consistent with chapter 8A, subchapter IV.
c. Assist the commission in developing state transportation policy and a state transportation plan.
d. Establish temporary advisory boards of a size the director deems appropriate to advise the department.
e. Prepare a budget for the department and prepare reports required by law.
f. Present the department’s proposed budget to the commission prior to March 31 immediately preceding the applicable fiscal year.
g. Appoint the administrators within the department.
h. Review and submit legislative proposals necessary to maintain current state transportation laws.
i. Enter into reciprocal agreements relating to motor vehicle inspections with authorized officials of any other state, subject to approval by the commission. The director may exempt or impose requirements upon nonresident motor vehicles consistent with those imposed upon vehicles of Iowa residents operated in other states.
j. Adopt rules in accordance with chapter 17A as the director deems necessary for the administration of the department and the exercise of the director’s and department’s powers and duties.
k. Reorganize the administration of the department as needed to increase administrative efficiency.
l. Establish divisions within the department as necessary or desirable in addition to any departmental division required or established by law.
m. Provide for the receipt or disbursement of federal funds allocated to the state and its political subdivisions for transportation purposes.
n. Include in the department’s annual budget all estimated federal funds to be received or allocated to the department.
o. Prepare and submit a report to the general assembly on or before January 15 of each fiscal year describing the prior fiscal year’s highway construction program, actual expenditures of the program, and contractual obligations of the program.\n\nTue Dec 09 22:16:48 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 307 (45, 0) 3 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (DOT), §307.20\n\n p. Apply for, accept, and expend federal, state, or private funds for the improvement of transportation.
q. Coordinate the transportation research activities within the department.
2. If in the interest of the state, the director may allow a subsistence expense to an employee responsible for highway programs and activities for continuous stay in one location while on duty away from established headquarters and place of domicile for a period not to exceed forty-five days; and allow automobile expenses in accordance with section 8A.363, for moving an employee and the employee’s family from place of present domicile to new domicile, and actual transportation expense for moving of household goods. The household goods for which transportation expense is allowed shall not include pets or animals. [C75, 77, 79, 81, §307.12] 86 Acts, ch 1245, §1909; 91 Acts, ch 268, §510; 92 Acts, ch 1210, §1; 98 Acts, ch 1074, §19; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §239, 240; 2005 Acts, ch 35, §31; 2005 Acts, ch 179, §125; 2006 Acts, ch 1068, §5; 2010 Acts, ch 1061, §105; 2015 Acts, ch 123, §4 – 6; 2023 Acts, ch 85, §8; 2024 Acts, ch 1182, §17 – 19 Referred to in §307A.2 \n