Iowa Guys - Newer law on Titles

Has anyone run up against the issue of any car brought into the state older than 1960 must go through a complete DOT inspection? This is supposedly a law that has been enacted in the last few years and bascially screws the hot rodders.

Have a project car that we finally got titled - now the state wants the title back. Then they will come do the inspection and decide if they will give us a title. It was previously register in AL and had a title in TN.
Think the car may be sold anyway...WTF? Guess it needs to be now

Any help, ideas or input????

Maybe I should contact SEMA relations - they usually know and understand these laws.

 

Just a thought... Is the 'inspection' a complete safety inspection, or...just to verify that the VIN on the car matches the paperwork? First one sounds unreasonable...second one is believable.

 

I will go ahead and speculate... it may be less of an issue of there being a rule to inspect ALL cars, older than a certain year, and more related to the fact that some of the "lost title" companies use AL to create the new titles. (The way I understand it they in effect "purchase" your car in a non-title state, such as AL then register it, then "re-sell" the car to you registered in AL so you can then transfer and title it in Iowa, etc.) Feel free to correct me if I am wrong here.

Like Patman said, they may just want to verify VIN, etc. If you know a friendly DMV worker or IHP officer I would ask them first.

 

I do not know any DMV officers at this point. They do a complete inspection to determine that all safety equipement is installed - which I get - but it is still an inspection verifying a VIN and motor number. After all - it is still a project in progress.
Also, Missed the important part - they will only issue a "bonded title" because they inspect it. Anything they inspect gets a bonded title and you get to wait a number of years before you get a clean title.

 

And if the car is torn down, the VIN/Serial Number should be easy to verify. What's the problem. Are you saying there is no number on the car?

 

So they sent you a letter stating all of this?

Here is the SEMASAN registration toolbox, with info for all 50 states, hope it helps:

http://www.semasan.com/main/main.aspx?id=62843#tag-title-toolbox-2011

 

I just called the title dept in Linn county Iowa and they said there is no such inspection unless there is some discrepancy on the vin # so this a false inspection. I had transfered a 1956 car into my name last year and I noticed the vin# had an 8 instead of a B in the vin on the title. I mixed up some bondo and put it on the Vin plate pulled it off and sent it to the courthouse and they gave me a new title with the correct #. I could have taken a pic with a camera phone but I don't have one so the bondo worked. They suggested I take a piece of paper and put it over the Vin plate and rub the paper with a pencil. I tried that but the numbers were so shallow they didn't show up . So the bondo mold !!JB

 

I just registered my '37 Nash in Linn County last summer with no problems whatsoever...

 

I know they inspect for bonded titles, but normally a bonded title is used when registering a car with no paperwork. If you had a title and transferred it into your name I thought you would have been good.

These title issues and hassles that seem to keep popping up is why I've started registering any project cars I have with titles right away so I don't have to fight later when a law changes. Seems like it's only getting harder.

 

i have done the bonded title several times in iowa ,one just 2 yrs ago. they issue you a title but not a registration until it is inspected after it is done, to see if all the safety equip is there as was new,turn signals and such. as far as a bonded title you can sell it as soon as you get the title in hand no problem, the bond stays active for 3yrs in case there is anybody claiming ownership later,all they would get is the bond money not your car.
they didn't even do the second inspection until recently. atleast you can get a bonded title and if it's lagit there shouldn't be a problem. other route buy a title and go that route.
hope that helps.

 

I got a bonded title about 8 months ago, for a '29 Ford...complete, original, non-running. The DOT inspector stopped by to check the VIN, got a bond from the insurance company, I filed the paper work...no trouble at all.

The Inspector did suggest there could be problems with cars that have been modified. He also mentioned there was a "street rod" title that could be applied for, for cars with aftermarket parts...Brookville bodies, Cornhusker chassis', crate motors, etc.

 

Anybody have any experiences here in Blackhawk County / Suggestions?

 

I bought a car out of Kansas about a year and a half ago, took the title in and after giving them a bunch of money had an Iowa Title. I live in Pott county too.

 

The main DOT offices in DesMoines will answer all the questions you have, and
you can E-mail them. The local offices don't have a clue IMO.

All counties in Iowa will have the same rules just not the same assholes,
dummies at the counter at the Treasures offfices.

Bonded titles are fine just more paperwork. and some upfront cash that you get
back....in 3 years. I'd rather have a bonded title and an inspection then pay a
company to jump thru loop holes for me, or buy an old title and register it under my
name for a car that the numbers don't match.

Jeff

 

Des Moines DOT is the head office, however most county office have their own rules. A former home county office now inspects all old titles. My local office doesn't seem to care.... my wife got her tags in the mail for her off topic car, I put them on. month latter she gets another tag in the mail (different number...)
so i went to the office and she said "oh! just throw one away" I got a bill in the mail for my '53 stude in storage, went up to the office and she said yes you'll have to pay this Isn't this why I put it in storage??? she grabbed the paper work from me and threw it away in Lyon county there is a title in storage for a '66 f-85 i own. I cant get a clear title out of storage with out bonding the title!!!!! so i called a good friend that is a DOT inspector, he said wow thats strange never heard of such a thing, and said its their county and their rules!!!

 

I would like to know more about "street rod titles" . Never herad about that before. I'm in decatur co.

 

Never mind. Just went Ia DOT web site and found the info. ps snowing again!

 

I'm not sure because different DOT inspectors see your car differently. the street rod title will title the car as the car it most resembles recent conversation with DOT when i bonded my '65 cutlass, he said the new model A project would be a street rod title not the model A because its modified. how ever other DOT inspectors say it's clearly a model A.

 

The rules are the same, regardless of county. If they differ, then your county's office isn't following the Code. Some may be more lax with enforcement, but they can't be more stringent than what the state government has set forth.

 

wrong!!!!!!!!!!! one county issues new title number to a car every time it is transfered. the next county leaves the number with the car. a deceased friend was county treasurer in Lyon county, he had his own set of rules. and he took great pride in it!!! (near to impossible to title without 3 trips up to his office) we are a l o n g way from Des Moines!!!

 

Also been looking for a way to get a project titled instead of going with the 3 yr bonded route. I recently checked with a title company in NY. They said NY state doesn't issue titles for older cars. But rather they issue a registration. They said they can supply a current NY registration with my VIN and model information on it. As a way to issue a title in states that still require one. So I checked with our local DMV to see if they will issue a Iowa title from a current NY registration & bill of sale. They said they would check into the laws. And when I got back to them they said yes they could. Does that sound about right to you guys?

 

I agree. I am bonding my 26 T now, its not as bad as people make you think. If you need info or phone numbers pm me.

BTW the dot did tell me that after they stamp my frame, the registration will be held or put in storage until the car is done, at which point they will come out and reverify the vin is still there, and the car passes all safety requirments for Iowa, they emailed all the requirments to me, I can send it your way if any of you guys need it.

Brad

 

I'm alost completely sure I'll need to bond mine now. It has no title-hasn't for a very long time. Being a '29 Model A however I made sure not to fuck with the VIN that is stamped on the frame AND the body under the pass. side seat. Really only things original to the car now are the body and frame.
Here's my question now. Say my A bone is worth $5,5000 now as far as what it has cost to build.
That's the bond amount?
I can get a surity bond through my insurance company?
I'll have to pay $5,500 in cash out of my pocket just to get it titled!?
Three years and I get it back? My ass!
I'll never buy w/o a title ever again!!!!
No way I could come up with that kind of money-has taken me over 6 years to get where I am now on this car.
WHICH IS APPARENTLY NOWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. How does the bonded thing work? Isn't it like 1 1/2 times the current NADA value for the bond? Some of these cars have really gone up in value over the years. What happens if say, you buy a car that grampa left in the old barn several years ago. Grampa is now long gone & so is any trace of the title. Fast forward 30 years. The car has been resold without a title a few times since then. Now the new owner decides to restore it and apply for a bonded title. Does the state then send a letter of claim to the last know registered address? What happens if grampas living relatives decide they realize the current value of the car and want to cash in? What happens to the car then, or is the new owner just out the bond money?

 

I recently bought body, frame, and misc. parts of a '26 touring, including an original engine with the serial number on it. Paid $250 for the pile. Am about halfway through the bonding process now, and have already sent in my initial paperwork to the State and got my surety bond from my insurance company.

The State placed a value of $1,500 on the car (pile) sight unseen. And my insurance company charged me $100 for the surety bond, sight unseen, and probably based on the value the State wrote on their form.

I'm now waiting for the inspector to call me so he can come see the "car". I wonder what he'll say when he sees the pile. I didn't want to get too far time-wise and dollar-wise into it and find out I couldn't get a good title.

I'll let you guys know when the inspector gets here.

 

No, you don't put up the entire amount of the bond out of your pocket. You pay a fee to a bonding company, which puts up the money for you.

 

Oh-man that would be alot better! So at first I need to line THAT up. Wonder if my insurance company Guide One would do a bond like this.

 

Sounds like some headaches if you don't watch what your doing from the start!