Iowa Code § 321.30 - Grounds for refusing registration or title

1. The department or the county treasurer shall refuse registration and issuance of a certificate of title or any transfer of title and registration upon any of the following grounds: a. That the application contains any false or fraudulent statement or that the applicant has failed to furnish required information or reasonable additional information requested by the department or that the applicant is not entitled to registration and issuance of a certificate of title of the vehicle under this chapter. b. That the vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated or moved upon the highways, providing such condition is revealed by a member of this department, or any peace officer. c. That the department or the county treasurer has reasonable ground to believe that the vehicle is a stolen or embezzled vehicle or that the granting of registration and issuance of a certificate of title would constitute a fraud against the rightful owner. d. That the registration of the vehicle stands suspended or revoked, or the person applying for registration is prohibited from registering a motor vehicle, for any reason as provided in the motor vehicle laws of this state, except that the department and the county treasurer shall not refuse registration and issuance of a certificate of title or transfer of title as provided in section 321A.5 or 321A.17, or in accordance with rules adopted by the department. e. That the required registration fees have not been paid except as provided in section 321.48. f. For a vehicle subject only to a certificate of title or a manufactured home, that the required use tax has not been paid. g. If application for registration and certificate of title for a new vehicle is not accompanied by a manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate duly assigned. h. If application for a transfer of registration and issuance of a certificate of title for a used vehicle registered in this state is not accompanied by a certificate of title duly assigned. i. If application and supporting documents are insufficient to authorize the issuance of a certificate of title as provided by this chapter, except that an initial registration or transfer of registration may be issued as provided in section 321.23. j. In the case of a mobile home or manufactured home, that taxes are owing under chapter 435 for a previous year. k. In the case of a mobile home or manufactured home converted from real estate, real estate taxes which are delinquent. l. If a commercial motor vehicle has been assigned to be operated by a commercial motor carrier whose ability to operate has been terminated or denied by a federal agency. m. If the applicant is under eighteen years of age, unless the applicant has an Iowa driver’s license or the application is being made by more than one applicant and one of the applicants is at least eighteen years of age. 2. a. Unless otherwise provided for in this chapter, the department or the county treasurer shall refuse registration and issuance of a certificate of title unless the vehicle bears a manufacturer’s label pursuant to 49 C.F.R. pt. 567 certifying that the vehicle meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. b. A military vehicle, other than a vehicle that runs on continuous tracks or wheels and tracks, that was originally manufactured for and sold directly to the armed forces of the United States in conformity with contractual specifications, as provided in 49 C.F.R. §571.7, may be registered and issued a certificate of title if the owner provides satisfactory evidence to the department that the vehicle is substantially in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards. The department may adopt rules as necessary concerning the registration and titling of military vehicles in accordance with this chapter. 3. The department or the county treasurer shall refuse registration of a vehicle if the applicant for registration of the vehicle has failed to pay the required annual registration fee or the fee for new registration of any vehicle owned or previously owned when the fee was required to be paid by the applicant, and for which vehicle the registration was suspended or revoked under section 321.101, subsection 1, paragraph “d”, or section 321.101A, until the fee is paid together with any accrued penalties. [C39, §5001.14; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §321.30; 82 Acts, ch 1164, §1, ch 1251, §9] 85 Acts, ch 98, §3; 87 Acts, ch 108, §3 – 5; 95 Acts, ch 55, §4; 95 Acts, ch 194, §2, 12; 99 Acts, ch 188, §5; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §4, 5; 2001 Acts, ch 153, §17; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §245; 2006 Acts, ch 1068, §10, 41; 2007 Acts, ch 126, §53; 2008 Acts, ch 1018, §7, 8; 2008 Acts, ch 1113, §56, 57; 2012 Acts, ch 1091, §1; 2023 Acts, ch 67, §1 Referred to in §321.101, 331.557 Refusal to renew, see §321.40