Suspension for failure to pay fines

Why am I suspended?

We received a notification from the court to suspend your driving privileges for failure to pay the fine, penalty, surcharge, or court cost.

How do I get my driving privileges back?

Pay the court fines.

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?
You may be able to set up a payment plan. See more information about payment plans below.

Provide confirmation of payment to the Iowa DOT.
Submit the confirmation of payment online or call 515-244-8725.

The confirmation/receipt needs to include:

The citation number or case number.
Proof that the fine(s) was paid in full.
The date the fine was paid.

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.

If you are not sure if your license is suspended, you can view your driving record online to check the status.

Payment Plans

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.

Find your county attorney's contact information.

Note: The License Reinstatement Program in Linn County is administered through the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.

How does a payment plan with the county attorney work?

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.

Check the status of your driving privileges to see if we have received proof of payment from the clerk of court.

If I start a payment plan, will I automatically get my license back?

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.

View your reinstatement requirements.

How long does it take for my driving record to update once I enter into a payment plan?

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.

View your driving record to check the status.
View your reinstatement requirements.

Court Fines Payment Plan

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.

Frequently asked questions

Q: I owe court fines out of state. What can I do to end the suspension?

A: 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.

Q: Money from my income tax return was supposed to be applied toward my fines. Why is my license still suspended for failure to pay these fines?

A: 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.

Q: My ticket was dismissed in court. Why is this case still causing my license to be suspended?

A: 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.

Q: Am I eligible for a work permit while my license is suspended for failure to pay court fines?

A: You may be eligible for a temporary restricted license while you are working to pay off your fines.

Complete and submit Form 430100, Application for Temporary Restricted License. If you meet all requirements, you will be sent a notice that your application has been approved.

Find out more about work permits.

DMV