1. Registration plates issued for a motor vehicle other than an autocycle, motorcycle, motorized bicycle, or truck tractor shall be attached to the motor vehicle, one in the front and the other in the rear. The registration plate issued for an autocycle, motorcycle, or other vehicle required to be registered under this chapter shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. The registration plate issued for a truck tractor shall be attached to the front of the truck tractor. The special plate issued to a dealer shall be attached on the rear of the vehicle when operated on the highways of this state.
2. A motor vehicle, other than a truck registered for more than five tons, autocycle, motorcycle, or truck tractor, which is model year 1948 or older, and a reconstructed or specially constructed vehicle built to resemble a model year 1948 vehicle or older, may display one registration plate on the rear of the vehicle if the other registration plate issued to the vehicle is carried in the vehicle at all times when the vehicle is operated on a public highway.
3. It is unlawful for the owner of a vehicle to place any frame around or over the\n\nTue Dec 09 22:16:58 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 321 (137, 2) 57 MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD, §321.40\n\nregistration plate which does not permit full view of all numerals and letters printed on the registration plate. [S13, §1571-m11; C24, 27, 31, 35, §4877; C39, §5001.21; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.37] 84 Acts, ch 1305, §50; 90 Acts, ch 1233, §16; 97 Acts, ch 104, §11; 2016 Acts, ch 1098, §12; 2025 Acts, ch 30, §56 Referred to in §321.57, 331.557, 805.8A(2)(f) For applicable scheduled fine, see §805.8A, subsection 2 Subsections 1 and 2 amended \n
Notes of Decisions
State of Iowa v. Craig E. Harrison, 846 N.W.2d 362 (Iowa 2014).
· cites it 118× “Iowa Code § 321.37 (3) (emphasis added). The language “all numerals and letters” unambiguously requires drivers to display all information printed on the license plate, including the county name.”
State of Iowa v. Tommy Tyler, Jr., 830 N.W.2d 288 (Iowa 2013).
· cites it 29× “” Iowa Code § 321.37 (3). He did not claim that he had probable cause to stop Tyler for any traffic violation such as speeding or disobeying a traffic signal.”
State of Iowa v. Jayel Antrone Coleman, 890 N.W.2d 284 (Iowa 2017).
· cites it 8× “This failure would ordinarily be a violation of section 321.37, [t]he Code. When the department of transportation paper plates were pointed out to the officer there arose no requirement that he treat the defendant as if he had never seen him.”
State of Iowa v. Scottize Danyelle Brown, 930 N.W.2d 840 (Iowa 2019).
· cites it 2× “Iowa Code section 321.37(3) (2009) made it unlawful to place a frame over the registration plate which did not give a full view of all "numerals and letters.”
State v. Carter, 696 N.W.2d 31 (Iowa 2005).
· cites it 2× “Wissink was driving: While the officers were stopped for a red light at the intersection of 19th and Clark Street, they saw a black 1991 Chevy Blazer with its front license plate in the dash rather than affixed to the bumper in violation of Iowa Code section 321.37 (2001)…”
State v. Jackson, 315 N.W.2d 766 (Iowa 1982).
· cites it 4× “Defendant’s car was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy because it bore no license plates (a violation of section 321.37, The Code 1979). Upon being alerted to the reasons for the stop, defendant directed the officer’s attention to a properly displayed department of transportation…”
State v. Lloyd, 701 N.W.2d 678 (Iowa 2005).
· cites it 2× “Turning to the facts of this case, we note that Deputy Pilch saw that Lloyd’s car had no license plate on the rear bumper, a clear violation of Iowa Code section 321.37(1). Further, the deputy did not see the temporary plate.”
United States v. Tereall Green, 946 F.3d 433 (8th Cir. 2019).
“See Iowa Code §321.37 (3) (“It is unlawful for the owner of a vehicle to place any frame around or over the registration plate which does not permit full view of all numerals and letters printed on the registration plate.”
United States v. Kenny Eugene Smart, 393 F.3d 767 (8th Cir. 2005).
“Knowing that vehicles licensed in Iowa must display both front and rear plates, see Iowa Code § 321.37 (1), Officer Nicolino turned his car around to follow the Explorer.”
Jared Clinton v. Ryan Garrett, 49 F.4th 1132 (8th Cir. 2022).
“Iowa Code § 321.37 . However, it affords an exception “for a period of forty-five days after the date of delivery of the vehicle to the purchaser from a dealer if a card bearing the words ‘registration applied for’ is attached on the rear of the vehicle.”
United States v. Gregory Givens, 763 F.3d 987 (8th Cir. 2014).
“” Iowa Code Ann. § 321.37 . The plates shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued so as to prevent the plate from swinging and at a height of not less than twelve inches from the *990 ground, measuring from the bottom…”
Roosevelt Whitfield v. United States, 99 A.3d 650 (D.C. 2014).
“” (emphasis added)); Iowa Code § 321.37 (3) (1997) ("It is unlawful for the owner of a vehicle to place any frame around or over the registration plate which does not permit full view of all numerals and letters printed on the registration plate.”
— Iowa Code § 321.37(1) — 3 cases
State v. Lloyd, 701 N.W.2d 678 (Iowa 2005).
“Turning to the facts of this case, we note that Deputy Pilch saw that Lloyd’s car had no license plate on the rear bumper, a clear violation of Iowa Code section 321.37(1). Further, the deputy did not see the temporary plate.”
— Iowa Code § 321.37(3) — 10 cases
State of Iowa v. Craig E. Harrison, 846 N.W.2d 362 (Iowa 2014).
“Iowa Code § 321.37 (3) (emphasis added). The language “all numerals and letters” unambiguously requires drivers to display all information printed on the license plate, including the county name.”
State of Iowa v. Tommy Tyler, Jr., 830 N.W.2d 288 (Iowa 2013).
“” Iowa Code § 321.37 (3). He did not claim that he had probable cause to stop Tyler for any traffic violation such as speeding or disobeying a traffic signal.”
State of Iowa v. Jayel Antrone Coleman, 890 N.W.2d 284 (Iowa 2017).
“This failure would ordinarily be a violation of section 321.37, [t]he Code. When the department of transportation paper plates were pointed out to the officer there arose no requirement that he treat the defendant as if he had never seen him.”
State of Iowa v. Scottize Danyelle Brown, 930 N.W.2d 840 (Iowa 2019).
“Iowa Code section 321.37(3) (2009) made it unlawful to place a frame over the registration plate which did not give a full view of all "numerals and letters.”
— Iowa Code § 321.37(7) — 2 cases
State of Iowa v. Craig E. Harrison, 846 N.W.2d 362 (Iowa 2014).
“Iowa Code § 321.37 (3) (emphasis added). The language “all numerals and letters” unambiguously requires drivers to display all information printed on the license plate, including the county name.”
— Iowa Code § 321.37(8) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Craig E. Harrison, 846 N.W.2d 362 (Iowa 2014).
“Iowa Code § 321.37 (3) (emphasis added). The language “all numerals and letters” unambiguously requires drivers to display all information printed on the license plate, including the county name.”
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