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

Iowa Code § 321.238 (2026)

Use of electronic devices while driving — preemption of local legislation

✓ Iowa Code 2026 (laws through the 2025 session)
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The provisions of this chapter restricting the use of electronic devices by motor vehicle operators shall be implemented uniformly throughout the state. Such provisions shall preempt any county or municipal ordinance regarding the use of an electronic device by a motor vehicle operator. In addition, a county or municipality shall not adopt or continue in effect an ordinance regarding the use of an electronic device by a motor vehicle operator. 2010 Acts, ch 1105, §5; 2025 Acts, ch 14, §8 Referred to in §331.362 Section amended\n\nTue Dec 09 22:16:59 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 321 (137, 2) 175 MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD, §321.247

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8 cases, 1974–2003 · leading case: Sullivan v. Skeie Pontiac, Inc., 270 N.W.2d 814 (Iowa 1978).
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Sullivan v. Skeie Pontiac, Inc., 270 N.W.2d 814 (Iowa 1978). · cites it 27× “owned a 1972-model used car which was subject to inspection under § 321.238. On June 29, 1974, Steven Clark agreed to buy the car and paid $100 down.”
Iowa Kemper Ins. Co. v. Cunningham, 305 N.W.2d 467 (Iowa 1981). · cites it 16× “The trial court held that the assignment of title from Keith to Joel was ineffective as a transfer of ownership because Keith did not have the vehicle inspected as required by section 321.”
Weber v. Warnke, 658 N.W.2d 90 (Iowa 2003). · cites it 16× “In Campbell , the court concluded a bona fide sale or transfer could not be made unless the transferor complied with the motor vehicle inspection provisions of section 321.238. 380 F.Supp. at 558-59 . (Section 321.”
Campbell v. LeClaire Wrecking Serv., 380 F. Supp. 555 (S.D. Iowa 1974). · cites it 16× “Although Iowa’s -motor vehicle inspection statute, Iowa Code § 321.238 , was in force at all times material herein, the auto never successfully passed an inspection.”
Farm & City Ins. Co. v. United States Fid. & Guar. Co., 323 N.W.2d 259 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 3× “In turn, Rolling purported to sell the van to Sutherland without compliance with either the inspection statute, section 321.238, The Code, or the restricted certificate of title statute, section 321.”
Griffith v. Farm & City Ins. Co., 324 N.W.2d 327 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 2× “493 on the date of the accident, August 21, 1976, due to its failure to obtain a motor vehicle inspection certificate pursuant to § 321.238 for the Plymouth it had sold and delivered to Guess prior to August 21.”
Francis v. Farmers Cas. Co.(Mut.), 319 N.W.2d 273 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 4× “Neither the plaintiff nor the buyer, however, ever obtained a safety inspection certificate demanded by section 321.238, The Code 1979. Plaintiff had no further contact with either the vehicle or buyer.”
Barnett v. Bowers, 284 N.W.2d 231 (Iowa 1979). · cites it 6× “unless there is a valid official certificate of inspection affixed to such vehicle at the time of sale.”
Iowa Code § 321.238(10): 1 case
Sullivan v. Skeie Pontiac, Inc., 270 N.W.2d 814 (Iowa 1978). “owned a 1972-model used car which was subject to inspection under § 321.238. On June 29, 1974, Steven Clark agreed to buy the car and paid $100 down.”
Iowa Code § 321.238(11): 1 case
Sullivan v. Skeie Pontiac, Inc., 270 N.W.2d 814 (Iowa 1978). “owned a 1972-model used car which was subject to inspection under § 321.238. On June 29, 1974, Steven Clark agreed to buy the car and paid $100 down.”
Iowa Code § 321.238(12): 1 case
Farm & City Ins. Co. v. United States Fid. & Guar. Co., 323 N.W.2d 259 (Iowa 1982). “In turn, Rolling purported to sell the van to Sutherland without compliance with either the inspection statute, section 321.238, The Code, or the restricted certificate of title statute, section 321.”
Iowa Code § 321.238(15): 1 case
Sullivan v. Skeie Pontiac, Inc., 270 N.W.2d 814 (Iowa 1978). “owned a 1972-model used car which was subject to inspection under § 321.238. On June 29, 1974, Steven Clark agreed to buy the car and paid $100 down.”
Iowa Code § 321.238(17): 1 case
Campbell v. LeClaire Wrecking Serv., 380 F. Supp. 555 (S.D. Iowa 1974). “Although Iowa’s -motor vehicle inspection statute, Iowa Code § 321.238 , was in force at all times material herein, the auto never successfully passed an inspection.”
Iowa Code § 321.238(18): 4 cases
Sullivan v. Skeie Pontiac, Inc., 270 N.W.2d 814 (Iowa 1978). “owned a 1972-model used car which was subject to inspection under § 321.238. On June 29, 1974, Steven Clark agreed to buy the car and paid $100 down.”
Iowa Kemper Ins. Co. v. Cunningham, 305 N.W.2d 467 (Iowa 1981). “The trial court held that the assignment of title from Keith to Joel was ineffective as a transfer of ownership because Keith did not have the vehicle inspected as required by section 321.”
Weber v. Warnke, 658 N.W.2d 90 (Iowa 2003). “In Campbell , the court concluded a bona fide sale or transfer could not be made unless the transferor complied with the motor vehicle inspection provisions of section 321.238. 380 F.Supp. at 558-59 . (Section 321.”
Barnett v. Bowers, 284 N.W.2d 231 (Iowa 1979). “unless there is a valid official certificate of inspection affixed to such vehicle at the time of sale.”
Iowa Code § 321.238(4)(b): 1 case
Sullivan v. Skeie Pontiac, Inc., 270 N.W.2d 814 (Iowa 1978). “owned a 1972-model used car which was subject to inspection under § 321.238. On June 29, 1974, Steven Clark agreed to buy the car and paid $100 down.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.