Iowa Code » Chapter 321 — MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 321.18 (2026)

Vehicles subject to registration — exception

✓ current as of July 2026
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Every motor vehicle, trailer, and semitrailer when driven or moved upon a highway shall be subject to the registration provisions of this chapter except:

1. Any such vehicle driven or moved upon a highway in conformance with the provisions of this chapter relating to manufacturers, transporters, dealers, or nonresidents as contemplated by section 321.53 and chapter 326, or under a temporary registration permit issued by the department as hereinafter authorized.

2. Any such vehicle which is driven or moved upon a highway only for the purpose of crossing such highway from one property to another. \n Tue Dec 09 22:16:57 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 321 (137, 2) §321.18, MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD 26\n\n 3. Any implement of husbandry.

4. Any special mobile equipment as defined in this chapter.

5. Any vehicle which is used exclusively for interplant purposes, in the operation of an industrial or manufacturing plant, consisting of a single unit comprising a group of buildings separated by streets, alleys, or railroad tracks, and which vehicle is used solely to transport materials from one part of the plant to another or from an adjacent railroad track to the plant and in so doing incidentally using said streets or alleys for not more than one thousand feet.

6. Any vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails.

7. Any school bus in this state used exclusively for the transportation of pupils to and from school or a school function or for the purposes provided in section 285.1, subsection 1, and section 285.10, subsection 9, or used exclusively for the transportation of children enrolled in a federal head start program. Upon application the department shall, without charge, issue a registration certificate and registration plates. The plates shall be attached to the front and rear of each bus exempt from registration under this subsection.

8. Any mobile home or manufactured home and any temporary undercarriage used solely for transporting manufactured homes, modular homes, or other portable buildings used or intended to be used for human occupancy.

9. Any trailer that is used exclusively for the transportation, display, and distribution of flags honoring deceased veterans in parades or ceremonies held on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, or other patriotic occasions as authorized by resolution of the local government of the community where the parade or ceremony takes place. A trailer exempt from registration under this subsection shall only be used on city streets or secondary roads on the day of a parade or ceremony specified in the local government’s resolution, and a copy of the resolution shall be carried at all times in the vehicle pulling the trailer. [C24, 27, 31, 35, §4864; C39, §5001.02; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.18; 82 Acts, ch 1251, §4] 95 Acts, ch 118, §4; 99 Acts, ch 188, §2; 2001 Acts, ch 153, §17; 2006 Acts, ch 1068, §8; 2007 Acts, ch 131, §1, 6; 2009 Acts, ch 130, §21; 2010 Acts, ch 1193, §122; 2012 Acts, ch 1021, §65, 142; 2023 Acts, ch 66, §68 Referred to in §321.20B, 331.557, 423.1, 423B.2, 452A.17 \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1955–2021 · leading case: First Fed. Bank v. Mulder (In Re Mulder), 306 B.R. 265 (Bankr. D. Iowa 2004).
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First Fed. Bank v. Mulder (In Re Mulder), 306 B.R. 265 (Bankr. D. Iowa 2004). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code §§ 321.18 , 321.20, and 321.24 (1997).”
City of Cedar Falls v. Flett, 330 N.W.2d 251 (Iowa 1983). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code § 321.18 (1981) (“Every motor vehicle .”
Durant-Wilton Motors, Inc. v. Tiffin Fire Ass'n, 164 N.W.2d 829 (Iowa 1969). · cites it 8× “A careful consideration of sections 321.18, 321.19 and 321.21 seems to sustain that view.”
Crown Concrete Co. v. Conkling, 75 N.W.2d 351 (Iowa 1956). · cites it 6× “” *613 Section 321.18 provides in six numbered paragraphs that certain vehicles therein referred to are not subject to the registration provisions of chapter 321.”
State v. Gobeli, 342 N.W.2d 898 (Iowa Ct. App. 1983). · cites it 4× “3 snowmobiles have registration requirements different from those under section 321.18. Similarly, the licensing provision of section 321.”
Federated Mut. Implement & Hardware Ins. v. Rouse, 133 F. Supp. 226 (N.D. Iowa 1955). “§ 321.18. On March 17th, 1954, the defendant Rouse acquired for purpose of resale a 1947 Plymouth automobile.”
Al Poller & Deb Poller v. Okoboji Classic Cars, LLC (Iowa 2021). · cites it 5× “22 Finally, according to OCC, the disassembled vehicle was not “subject to registration” within the meaning of Iowa Code section 321.18. OCC argues that the Pollers have never held a certificate of title to the ’31 Chevy and have never registered the vehicle.”
Al Poller & Deb Poller v. Okoboji Classic Cars, LLC (Iowa 2021). · cites it 5× “22 Finally, according to OCC, the disassembled vehicle was not “subject to registration” within the meaning of Iowa Code section 321.18. OCC argues that the Pollers have never held a certificate of title to the ’31 Chevy and have never registered the vehicle.”
State v. De Dios, 540 N.W.2d 293 (Iowa Ct. App. 1995). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code § 321.18 . Nonresident owners are generally exempted from Iowa’s registration laws.”
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