SR-22 Insurance in Iowa

When the Iowa DOT requires proof of financial responsibility after a suspension or revocation, it is required from the first day of the suspension or revocation and must be maintained for two years. It can be provided by an Iowa-authorized insurer filing an SR-22, by filing a surety bond, cash or securities totaling $55,000, by an employer's fleet insurer filing an SR-23 (employer vehicles only), or by driving a vehicle of a self-insured certificate holder or Motor Carrier Services permit holder with written authorization. Only vehicles listed on the SR-22 may be driven and registered. Failing to show or maintain the proof results in suspension of the license and registrations.

If a driver of an Iowa-registered vehicle cannot show proof of coverage at a stop, the officer may issue a warning, issue a citation, issue a citation and remove the plates and registration (the vehicle may then be driven for up to 48 hours only to get it off the road), or issue a citation, remove the plates and registration and impound the vehicle. The scheduled fine is $325, or $645 if the violation is connected with a motor vehicle accident; a court may order unpaid community service instead of the fine. To get new plates and registration the owner must show proof of coverage, proof the fine was paid, and pay a $15 administrative fee to the county treasurer; an impounded vehicle also requires payment of towing and storage and may be treated as abandoned if not claimed within 30 days. A citation is dismissed (with court costs) if the driver shows the clerk that coverage was in effect at the time of the stop.