Iowa DOT to begin replacing license plates April 2

ISUAgronomist

Well-Known Member
Nov 5, 2009
26,648
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On the farm, IA
Is it for covering the county name or is it actually for covering one or both of the stickers on the plate?

Don't remember. I think he said because the frame covered the text on the bottom of the sticker. Had to cut it off as all the metal parts (screws/plate/frame) had rusted together.
 

IcSyU

Well-Known Member
Nov 27, 2007
27,756
5,948
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Rochester, MN
I've often wondered why the vanity plates weren't illegal since they don't have a county name but the plates on my car are illegal because the county name is covered (registration is clearly visible).
 

VeloClone

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
45,768
35,133
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Brooklyn Park, MN
I've often wondered why the vanity plates weren't illegal since they don't have a county name but the plates on my car are illegal because the county name is covered (registration is clearly visible).

Move to Iowa county and the county name will be visible at the top of the plate.
 

aeroclone

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
9,808
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I've often wondered why the vanity plates weren't illegal since they don't have a county name but the plates on my car are illegal because the county name is covered (registration is clearly visible).

This doesn't make any sense to me either. I think it is just on the books as an excuse cops can use to pull someone over. I know somebody who had this happen in Ames before.
 

intrepid27

Well-Known Member
Oct 9, 2006
5,707
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Marion, IA
They should require you to bring your plates in every time they're renewed and if you have stickers all over on it, revoke your driver's license. And additionally take out the ridiculous law that you can be ticketed for having something over the county name.

Is that a fact that you can be ticketed for having something over the county name?

My son got pulled over by Marion cops due to his plate holder covering up the county. A CR attorney offered to fight charges for a nominal fee. His argument is that the state issues plates with NO county name on them. So how can they be upset if it is covered up??

Marion cops = SS Storm Troopers
 

IcSyU

Well-Known Member
Nov 27, 2007
27,756
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Rochester, MN
This doesn't make any sense to me either. I think it is just on the books as an excuse cops can use to pull someone over. I know somebody who had this happen in Ames before.

I think its a secondary violation like texting. I'd have to look it up though and the Iowa Code is a pain in the *** to search.

That said, having something illegal but not being able to pull someone over for it is also utterly stupid. I can be sitting at a stop light texting with a sheriff in the next vehicle over and he can't cite me for it unless he has other reason to pull me over. What a bunch.
 

ISUCyclones2015

Doesn't wipe standing up
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Dec 19, 2010
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Chicago, IL
Need a new plate design. Just throwing it out there.

Then you could start down the slippery slope of Ohio, all these plates are on the road and it is super annoying tbh:

1996-2001
aa-oh98pass.jpg


2001-2004
oh-el46db.jpg


2004-2008
ohio.jpg


2009-2011
oh2011.jpg


2012
license-plates-art-grlf0sff-1license-plates-jpg.jpg
 

ItsCyence

Well-Known Member
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Apr 28, 2010
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Sioux City
South Dakota does it better IMO. Each county has a number and then has letters after it.

My SD tags will be 38X XXX when I establish residency.

EDIT: To post above: Ohio must not do it right because SD comes out with new plates every few years and pretty much everyone has them. Less people there though.
 
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ISUCyclones2015

Doesn't wipe standing up
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Dec 19, 2010
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South Dakota does it better IMO. Each county has a number and then has letters after it.

My SD tags will be 38X XXX when I establish residency.

Ohio does something similar. It has a sticker with the county's number on it in the lower left.
 

IcSyU

Well-Known Member
Nov 27, 2007
27,756
5,948
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Rochester, MN
South Dakota does it better IMO. Each county has a number and then has letters after it.

My SD tags will be 38X XXX when I establish residency.

We're brilliant in Iowa. Instead of just giving one county all the AAA's or BBB's, we'll spread them all over the state so we have to do something stupid like put the county on them, which you can't read 99% of the time anyways. Am I going to remember what's in a 96 point font on the plate or the stuff that's a 24 point font?
 

VeloClone

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
45,768
35,133
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Brooklyn Park, MN
South Dakota does it better IMO. Each county has a number and then has letters after it.

My SD tags will be 38X XXX when I establish residency.

EDIT: To post above: Ohio must not do it right because SD comes out with new plates every few years and pretty much everyone has them. Less people there though.

Iowa used to do that too. But when you get a larger population of vehicles it becomes more difficult.

Iowa License Plates (C) by Michael W. Scheel
 

IcSyU

Well-Known Member
Nov 27, 2007
27,756
5,948
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Rochester, MN
Iowa used to do that too. But when you get a larger population of vehicles it becomes more difficult.

Iowa License Plates (C) by Michael W. Scheel

The 2 digit county identifier (all the counties are already numbered for tax purposes) with 4 letters would leave half a million permutations for each individual county to use. Throw in a 5th letter and you're at 11 million-plus permutations for each county.
 

TykeClone

Burgermeister!
Oct 18, 2006
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The 2 digit county identifier (all the counties are already numbered for tax purposes) with 4 letters would leave half a million permutations for each individual county to use. Throw in a 5th letter and you're at 11 million-plus permutations for each county.

Now you're assuming that state government grasps math :biglaugh:

It shouldn't be a huge issue anymore anyway - aren't new plates "printed" rather than stamped?
 

IcSyU

Well-Known Member
Nov 27, 2007
27,756
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Rochester, MN
Now you're assuming that state government grasps math :biglaugh:

It shouldn't be a huge issue anymore anyway - aren't new plates "printed" rather than stamped?

I deal with the Iowa Department of Revenue on a normal basis. I'm quite aware the state doesn't understand math, or really anything else for that matter. I had to send in some corrections ($5 each) for forms we did for clients a month or so back and got a call for them because I sent a $20 check for the 4 forms I sent. Got a call from the Secretary of State's office wondering where the return check should be sent. :confused:
 

VeloClone

Well-Known Member
Jan 19, 2010
45,768
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Brooklyn Park, MN
The 2 digit county identifier (all the counties are already numbered for tax purposes) with 4 letters would leave half a million permutations for each individual county to use. Throw in a 5th letter and you're at 11 million-plus permutations for each county.

Well in 2005 there were over 365,000 households in Polk County. I don't know the average number of cars per household but they better be using the digits along with the letters or add that 7th character to the plates. The number of households doesn't take into account commercially owned vehicles either.
 

TykeClone

Burgermeister!
Oct 18, 2006
25,799
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Well in 2005 there were over 365,000 households in Polk County. I don't know the average number of cars per household but they better be using the digits along with the letters or add that 7th character to the plates. The number of households doesn't take into account commercially owned vehicles either.

About the DOT - Iowa Department of Transportation
The total number of vehicles registered in Iowa (autos, buses, trucks, trailers, etc.) equaled 4,141,397 in 2010.
 

alarson

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Mar 15, 2006
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Ankeny
Well in 2005 there were over 365,000 households in Polk County. I don't know the average number of cars per household but they better be using the digits along with the letters or add that 7th character to the plates. The number of households doesn't take into account commercially owned vehicles either.

You could give some counties more than one identifier. You'd use up all the counties first identifier just from AA through DZ, It would only be a couple counties that would likely need more than one identifier anyways.
 

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