Court fines can be paid in person at the clerk of court in the county where the fine is owed, or you can pay online. Pay the fine online.
What if I don't know what I owe?
You can find the balance for your fines by looking them up using Iowa Courts Online, or you can call or visit the clerk of court in the county where the fine is owed. Their contact information is on the official notice of suspension.
Fines paid today do not immediately update your driving record.
What if I don't have the money to pay the fine in full?
3. Reinstate your driving privileges, if your license was suspended
If your license was suspended, you will need to schedule an appointment to come in to the DMV to reinstate your privileges, pay a $20 reinstatement fee and a $10 duplicate license fee.
If it has been more than one year since you have had a valid driver’s license, you will need to pass a knowledge test and a driving test before you can reinstate your license.
You may be able to use a payment plan to pay your fine. The payment plan is referred to as the License Reinstatement Program or County Attorney Payment Plan (CAPP). You can apply for this program by contacting the county attorney’s office in the county where the fine is due. If that county does not offer the program, contact the county attorney’s office in the county where you live or the county nearest you that offers the program.
Note: The License Reinstatement Program in Linn County is administered through the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
List items for Payment Plans - Frequently Asked Questions
Staff with the county attorney’s office will work with you to set up the details of your payments. Once the plan is finalized, your first payment will be sent to the clerk of court. The clerk of court will then ask the Iowa DOT to withdraw the suspension(s) for failure to pay the fine(s).
Proof of payment for the payment plan must come from the clerk of court.
A payment plan with the county attorney only ends suspensions for non-payment of fines. If your license is suspended, revoked, or barred for another reason, you can check with the DOT to see if you are eligible for a work permit and to see if you need to meet other reinstatement requirements.
The length of time to takes to clear your driving record will vary. We cannot update your driving record until we receive an official notice from the clerk of court. Once we have received the official notice, we will mail you a notice informing you of your next steps. You can check your driving record or view your reinstatement requirments to determine your eligibility date.
If you haven’t paid your court debt, your debt will be sent to the Department of Revenue. If this happens, you will receive a notice from the Department of Revenue. To set up a payment plan with the Department of Revenue, contact 866-569-1077.
List items for Suspension for Non-payment of Fines - Frequently Asked Questions
If you owe court fines to another state, you must contact that state to determine a way to pay the fine or make a payment arrangement. The contact information for the court in the other state is included on your official notice of suspension from the Iowa DOT.
If the Iowa Department of Revenue held your income tax return to apply it to unpaid court fines, you may wish to contact the Iowa Department of Revenue to see if they have forwarded payment to the clerk of court in the county where the fine is owed. Once the clerk of court receives full payment for that fine, the Iowa DOT will be notified and the suspension for the failure to pay the fine(s) will end.
If your ticket was dismissed in court, you may still owe court costs. Contact the clerk of court or visit Iowa Courts Online to determine if you owe court costs.
