Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 321.430 (2026)

Brake, hitch, and control requirements

✓ current as of July 2026

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1. Every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, or motorized bicycle, when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle, including two separate means of applying the brakes, each of which means shall be effective to apply the brakes to at least two wheels. If these two separate means of applying the brakes are connected in any way, they shall be so constructed that failure of any one part of the operating mechanism shall not leave the motor vehicle without brakes on at least two wheels.

2. Every motorcycle and motorized bicycle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with at least one brake, which may be operated by hand or foot.

3. Every trailer, semitrailer, or travel trailer of a gross weight of three thousand pounds or more shall be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and to stop and hold such vehicle when operated on the highways of this state. Every trailer, semitrailer, or travel trailer with a gross weight of three thousand pounds or more shall be equipped with a separate, auxiliary means of applying the brakes on the trailer, semitrailer, or travel trailer from the cab of the towing vehicle, or with self-actuating brakes, and shall also be equipped with a weight equalizing hitch with a sway control. Trailers or semitrailers with a truck or truck tractor need only comply with the brake requirements.

4. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, every new motor vehicle, trailer, or \n Tue Dec 09 22:17:00 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 321 (137, 2) §321.430, MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD 234\n\nsemitrailer hereafter sold in this state and operated upon the highways shall be equipped with service brakes upon all wheels of every such vehicle with the following exceptions:

a. Any motorcycle or motorized bicycle.

b. Any trailer or semitrailer of less than three thousand pounds gross weight need not be equipped with brakes.

c. Trucks and truck tractors equipped with three or more axles and manufactured before July 25, 1980, need not have brakes on the front wheels, except that such vehicles equipped with two or more front axles shall be equipped with brakes on at least one of the axles; however, the service brakes of the vehicle shall comply with the performance requirements of section 321.431.

d. Only such brakes on the vehicle or vehicles being towed in a driveaway-towaway operation need be operative as may be necessary to ensure compliance by the combination of vehicles with the performance requirements of section 321.431. The term “driveaway-towaway” operation as used in this subsection means any operation in which any motor vehicle or motor vehicles, new or used, constitute the commodity being transported, when one set or more of wheels of any such motor vehicle or motor vehicles are on the roadway during the course of transportation, whether or not any such motor vehicle furnishes the motive power. [S13, §1571-m17; C24, 27, 31, 35, §5039; C39, §5034.39; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.430] 88 Acts, ch 1044, §1; 97 Acts, ch 108, §24; 2006 Acts, ch 1068, §29; 2024 Acts, ch 1043, §84 Referred to in §321.189, 321.464, 805.8A(3)(ad) For applicable scheduled fine, see §805.8A, subsection 3 \n

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 7 cases, 1959–1975 · leading case: Iowa Mut. Ins. Co. v. Combes, 131 N.W.2d 751 (Iowa 1964).

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Iowa Mut. Ins. Co. v. Combes, 131 N.W.2d 751 (Iowa 1964). · cites it 4× “430, Code, 1962, requires every motor vehicle to be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and stop and hold the vehicle, including' two separate means of applying the brakes, each of which shall be effective to apply the brakes to at least two wheels.”

Kohler v. Sheffert, 96 N.W.2d 911 (Iowa 1959). · cites it 3× “Section 321.430(1), Code of Iowa, 1954 (1958), provides that every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with adequate brakes.”

Dubuque Area Chamber of Com. v. Adams, 225 N.W.2d 147 (Iowa 1975). · cites it 6× “By amendment plaintiff further alleged defendant was negligent “In failing to have adequate brakes on said truck in violation of Section 321.430 of the 1971 Code of Iowa.”

Dorcas v. Aikman, 143 N.W.2d 396 (Iowa 1966). · cites it 2× “Code section 321.430 states the type of brakes reqxdred on motor vehicles.”

Peters v. Rieck, 131 N.W.2d 529 (Iowa 1964). · cites it 2× “Section 321.430, Code, 1962, requires every motor vehicle operated upon a highway be equipped with brakes adequate to control the movement of and stop and hold the vehicle.”

Mass v. Mesic, 142 N.W.2d 389 (Iowa 1966). “” Implicit in this evidence is that the brake fully responded after the pedal was pushed three quarters of the way down. This coupled with the actual stopping by defendant is the only evidence on this question.”

Sellers v. Osmundson, 202 N.W.2d 54 (Iowa 1972). · cites it 2× “consideration in determining suspension or the length of suspension of an operator’s or chauffeur’s license in the following language: “However, a warning memorandum, summons, conviction or forfeiture of bail, not vacated, for a violation of any section of the Code or any…”

— Iowa Code § 321.430(1) — 1 case

Kohler v. Sheffert, 96 N.W.2d 911 (Iowa 1959). “Section 321.430(1), Code of Iowa, 1954 (1958), provides that every motor vehicle when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with adequate brakes.”

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