How to get dealer plates in Iowa
What Iowa dealer plates cost, the types you can get, how to apply, and the rules on using them. Verified as of October 2026.
IA dealer plates at a glance:
- Issued by
- Iowa DOT (Dealer Programs)
- Cost per plate
- $40 per plate per two years (+ $70 certificate)
- Requirement
- Iowa dealer license under chapter 322
- Use them for
- Moving, testing, demoing and selling inventory
- Term
- Expires December 31 of even-numbered years
Informational only — confirm current fees and rules with the Iowa DOT (Dealer Programs, Vehicle Central Programs) before you apply.
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What Iowa dealer plates are
Iowa calls them special plates. Once you're a licensed dealer under Iowa Code chapter 322, the Iowa DOT issues you a certificate with a general distinguishing number and as many plates as you order. Your inventory can then run on the road without each vehicle being registered.
Iowa is more flexible than most states on use. A dealer can drive an inventory vehicle for private or business purposes, as long as it's continuously offered for sale at retail. The catch is the paperwork: you have to keep a written record of which vehicle each plate was on, and the DOT inspects it.
Types of IA dealer plates
The standard plate for transporting, testing, demonstrating and selling vehicles in your inventory. $40 per plate for a two-year period or part of one (Iowa Code § 321.60), on top of the $70 certificate fee (§ 321.58). Iowa also issues motorcycle dealer plates.
If an inventory vehicle will haul a load or tow a trailer on the dealer plate, that plate costs $750 for a two-year period or part of one (§ 321.60).
For businesses that deliver vehicles owned by other people for pay. Applied for on the Application for Special Plates form.
For insurers selling total-loss vehicles, sellers of repossessed vehicles (banks and credit unions included), special body equipment sellers, and a few others. Same uses as dealer plates, but they don't license you to run a dealership.
How to get dealer plates in Iowa
- 1
Get your Iowa dealer license
Plates follow the dealer license. The DOT requires a $75,000 surety bond and liability coverage of $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury and $50,000 property damage. Restricted dealers can't get dealer plates.
- 2
Apply for the certificate and plates
Pay the $70 two-year fee for a certificate with your general distinguishing number, and $40 for each plate. New-vehicle dealers also have to show a valid franchise.
- 3
Order more plates mid-term if you need them
Send a Dealer Plate Order Form to Vehicle Central Programs with $40 per plate. Added plates expire on the same date as your dealer license. We didn't find a fixed plate cap in Iowa Code §§ 321.57–321.62, so ask Dealer Programs (515-237-3156) if you plan a big order.
- 4
Keep a plate log
Iowa Code § 321.62 requires a written record of the vehicles each plate is used on, open to police and DOT inspection. The DOT's Bureau of Investigation and Identity Protection inspects dealer records periodically.
- 5
Renew every two years
Special plates expire at midnight December 31 of even-numbered years. Your dealer privileges lapse unless the renewal is in by the last day of the month the license expires. A lost, damaged or stolen plate is replaced for $40, with a police case number if it was lost or stolen.
Rules on using IA dealer plates
- Only on vehicles you own that are in inventory and continuously offered for sale at retail
- A dealer may drive an inventory vehicle for private or business purposes, including hauling a load or towing a trailer (that plate is the $750 one)
- A service customer may drive a dealer-plated loaner while their own vehicle is in your shop, but not a motor truck or truck tractor
- Never on rental or leased vehicles, vehicles offered for hire, or your work and service vehicles
- A loaded truck on a dealer plate needs a demonstration permit: free, Iowa only, one run, void after five days
- Keep a written record of which vehicle each plate was on (Iowa Code § 321.62)
- Sold vehicles leave on a free "registration applied for" card (45 days), not your dealer plate
Common questions
How much are dealer plates in Iowa?+
Iowa Code § 321.60 sets the fee at $40 per plate for a two-year period or part of one. You also pay $70 for the dealer certificate (§ 321.58). A plate used on a vehicle hauling a load or towing a trailer is $750 for the two years. Duplicate plates are $40 each.
When do Iowa dealer plates expire?+
At midnight on December 31 of even-numbered years (Iowa Code § 321.61). The statute gives one month after expiration before driving on the plate counts as an expired registration. Plates ordered mid-term expire with your dealer license.
Can I drive a dealer-plated car for personal use in Iowa?+
Yes. Iowa Code § 321.57 lets a dealer drive an inventory vehicle for private or business purposes, as long as the vehicle is in inventory and continuously offered for sale at retail and carries your dealer plate. Pull it off the market and it needs its own registration.
Can a customer drive on my Iowa dealer plate?+
A service customer can drive a dealer-plated loaner while their own vehicle is being serviced or repaired, except a motor truck or truck tractor. Dealer plates also cover demonstrating vehicles. For a loaded truck demo, issue the buyer a demonstration permit.
Do I need insurance for Iowa dealer plates?+
Iowa requires dealers to carry financial liability coverage of $100,000 for one person, $300,000 for two or more, and $50,000 for property damage. Every driver on Iowa roads also has to carry proof of coverage for the vehicle (Iowa Code § 321.20B).
What's the difference between dealer plates, transporter plates and in-transit permits in Iowa?+
Dealer plates cover your own inventory. Transporter plates are for businesses delivering other people's vehicles for pay. An in-transit permit costs $2, is void 15 days after the dealer issues it, and covers a dealer bringing an unregistered purchase to the lot or a nonresident buyer driving home to register.
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