Does Iowa require a front license plate?

Yes. Passenger cars registered in Iowa must display plates on the front and the rear. Motorcycles and trailers get only a rear plate.

What does an Iowa plate number look like?

Three letters and three numbers, like ABC 123, with the county name at the bottom of the plate.

How long can I drive on an Iowa temporary tag?

Up to 45 days after delivery, as long as the dealer’s “registration applied for” card is on the back of the car.

What do I do with my Iowa plates when I sell my car?

Remove them and keep them. If you buy another vehicle within 30 days, the plates can go on it once the fees are paid. Otherwise, turn them in to your county treasurer.

Can I get a VIN from an Iowa license plate?

Yes. Enter the license plate number with Iowa selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.

Can I find the owner of an Iowa license plate?

Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Iowa vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.

Iowa License Plate Lookup

Enter an Iowa plate number to get the vehicle’s VIN, year, make, model and trim.

Iowa plates are issued by the Iowa DOT but handed out by county treasurers, and standard plates show a county name along the bottom. The plate number is three letters and three numbers, and passenger cars carry plates on the front and the rear. Registration renews every year in the owner’s birth month.

Iowa plate to VIN

An Iowa platenumber points to one current registration, and the registration records the vehicle’s 17-character VIN. Enter the plate above to get the VIN with the year, make, model, trim, body and engine. It is the quickest way to get the VIN of a car you are not standing next to: one in a listing, one you are quoting a repair for, or your own when the title is in a drawer somewhere.

Iowa license plate formats

Standard passenger plates use these formats. Personalized, specialty, commercial and motorcycle plates follow their own rules, and every format works in the lookup.

Format	What it is
ABC 123	Three letters and three numbers, with the county name along the bottom. The current City and Country design has been issued since April 2018.

Iowa requires plates on the front and the rear.

Who issues plates in Iowa

Plates and registrations in Iowa come from the Iowa Department of Transportation, and people go in person to county treasurer offices. Plate Decoder is an independent service and is not affiliated with the Iowa DOT or any other government agency.

Temporary tags in Iowa

When you buy from a dealer, the dealer attaches a “registration applied for” card to the back of the car, which lets you drive without plates for up to 45 days after delivery. Since January 1, 2026, these cards must be printed on secure stock supplied by the Iowa DOT.

Personalized and specialty plates

Personalized plates can have up to seven characters on standard plates, with fewer on some designs. You can check availability and order online with an Iowa driver’s license or ID, and the plates are sent to your county treasurer’s office.

Plates expire in your birth month

Iowa registrations expire on the last day of the owner’s birth month. When a car has more than one owner, they choose whose birth month to use.

What an Iowaplate lookup can and can’t show

You get the vehicle: VIN, year, make, model, trim, body and engine. You do not get the person. See what a plate lookup shows for the full list.

What we don’t show, and why

No owner names, addresses, phone numbers or photos. Owner details in DMV records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, and looking someone up out of curiosity is not a purpose it allows. Any site that promises the owner of a plate for a few dollars is either breaking that law or not going to deliver.

Who can get owner records, and what to do instead

FAQ

Iowa plate lookup questions

Does Iowa require a front license plate?: Yes. Passenger cars registered in Iowa must display plates on the front and the rear. Motorcycles and trailers get only a rear plate.
What does an Iowa plate number look like?: Three letters and three numbers, like ABC 123, with the county name at the bottom of the plate.
How long can I drive on an Iowa temporary tag?: Up to 45 days after delivery, as long as the dealer’s “registration applied for” card is on the back of the car.
What do I do with my Iowa plates when I sell my car?: Remove them and keep them. If you buy another vehicle within 30 days, the plates can go on it once the fees are paid. Otherwise, turn them in to your county treasurer.
Can I get a VIN from an Iowa license plate?: Yes. Enter the license plate number with Iowa selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.
Can I find the owner of an Iowa license plate?: Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Iowa vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.