Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 321.174 (2026)

Operators licensed — operation of commercial motor vehicles

✓ current as of July 2026

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1. A person, except those expressly exempted, shall not operate any motor vehicle upon a highway in this state unless the person has a driver’s license issued by the department valid for the vehicle’s operation.

2. a. A person operating a commercial motor vehicle shall not have more than one driver’s license. A nonresident may operate a commercial motor vehicle in Iowa if the nonresident has been issued a license by another state, a nonresident commercial driver’s license or nonresident commercial learner’s permit, or a driver’s license issued by a foreign jurisdiction which the federal highway administration has determined to be issued in conformity with the federal commercial driver testing and licensing standards, if the license, commercial driver’s license, commercial learner’s permit, or driver’s license is valid for the vehicle operated.

b. A person who operates a commercial motor vehicle upon the highways of this state without having been issued a driver’s license valid for the vehicle operated commits a simple misdemeanor.

c. A person who operates a commercial motor vehicle upon the highways of this state after the person’s commercial driver’s license or commercial learner’s permit has been downgraded to a noncommercial status pursuant to section 321.207 commits a simple misdemeanor.

3. A licensee shall have the licensee’s driver’s license in immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand of a judicial magistrate, district associate judge, district judge, peace officer, or examiner of the \n Tue Dec 09 22:16:59 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 321 (137, 2) §321.174, MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD 122\n\ndepartment. If the licensee has been issued a commercial learner’s permit, the licensee’s driver’s license includes both the licensee’s commercial learner’s permit and the licensee’s underlying commercial or noncommercial driver’s license. However, a person charged with violating this subsection shall not be convicted and the citation shall be dismissed by the court if the person produces to the clerk of the district court, prior to the licensee’s court date indicated on the citation, a driver’s license issued to that person and valid for the vehicle operated at the time of the person’s arrest or at the time the person was charged with a violation of this section. Upon dismissal, the court or clerk of court shall assess the costs of the action against the defendant named on the citation. [C31, 35, §4960-d2, -d29; C39, §5013.01, 5013.15; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, §321.174, 321.190; C77, 79, §321.174, 321.189; C81, §321.174] 90 Acts, ch 1230, §20; 98 Acts, ch 1073, §9; 2004 Acts, ch 1120, §2; 2006 Acts, ch 1144, §4; 2011 Acts, ch 38, §7; 2015 Acts, ch 123, §48 Referred to in §321.176, 321.515, 805.8A(4)(a) For applicable scheduled fines, see §805.8A, subsection 4 \n

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 11 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1989–2021 · leading case: State of Iowa v. Jayel Antrone Coleman, 890 N.W.2d 284 (Iowa 2017).

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State of Iowa v. Jayel Antrone Coleman, 890 N.W.2d 284 (Iowa 2017). · cites it 2× “; see also Iowa Code § 321.174 (3) (2013) (“A licensee shall have the licensee’s driver’s license in immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand of a .”

Dejuan Haynes v. Brian Minnehan, 14 F.4th 830 (8th Cir. 2021). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code §§ 321.174 (3), .189(2)(a), .482.”

Kolbe v. State, 625 N.W.2d 721 (Iowa 2001). “See Iowa Code §§ 321.174 -.200. These provisions clearly suggest that Iowa Code section 321.”

United States v. Deandre Warren, 984 F.3d 1301 (8th Cir. 2021). “See Iowa Code § 321.174 . At this point, Warren began to exit the car.”

State v. Ewoldt, 448 N.W.2d 676 (Iowa Ct. App. 1989). “The Department is specifically charged with licensing drivers, Iowa Code § 321.174 -.200, and is authorized to cancel, suspend, and revoke drivers’ privileges.”

State of Iowa v. Jayel Antrone Coleman (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). “Iowa Code § 321.174 (3). Jackson does not specifically address whether it is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment for the officer to prolong the detention of the motorist to demand his or her driver’s license.”

State of Iowa v. Jayel Antrone Coleman (Iowa 2017). “; see also Iowa Code § 321.174 (3) (2013) (“A licensee shall have the licensee’s driver’s license in immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand of a .”

State of Iowa v. Lara L. Welch (Iowa Ct. App. 2017). “; see also Iowa Code § 321.174 (3) (2013) (“A licensee shall have the licensee’s driver’s license in immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand of a .”

Amended April 19, 2017 State of Iowa v. Jayel Antrone Coleman (Iowa 2017). “; see also Iowa Code § 321.174 (3) (2013) (“A licensee shall have the licensee’s driver’s license in immediate possession at all times when operating a motor vehicle and shall display the same upon demand of a .”

Est. of Payton Montana Casteel, by & through its Adm'r, Anna Hutt & Tiran Casteel, individually v. Patricia Cherie Wray (Iowa Ct. App. 2018). “” Iowa Code § 321.174 (1). 12 had Payton been licensed, he would have had the knowledge and skill to safely drive a vehicle on the road—including following speed limits, how to safely pass other vehicles, and how to safely control his vehicle in a variety of situations.”

State of Iowa v. Oscar Villafana-Ray (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). “” Iowa Code § 321.174 (3). So when Villafana-Ray told Officer Michael he had no form of identification, there was probable cause to believe Villafana-Ray had operated the Buick without a license in his possession.”

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