How can I find out how much I owe for my court fines that are suspending my license?
You may find the balance for your fines by looking them up using Iowa Courts Online. You can pay your fines online using the Iowa Courts Online payment service. Otherwise, you can call or visit the clerk of court in the county where the fine is owed to determine the current balance. Their contact information is on the official notice of suspension.
How can I pay my fines?
Court fines can be paid in full directly to the clerk of court either online or in person. Please provide your receipt or confirmation of online payment to the Iowa DOT to end your suspension. Submit your proof of online.
I am not able to pay the fine in full, is there a payment plan available?
A payment plan referred to as either the License Reinstatement Program or County Attorney Payment Plan (CAPP) may be available. 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 office contact information.
*Note: The License Reinstatement Program in Linn County is administered through the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Do I pay interest or additional fees with my payment plan?
If the payment plan is through the applicable county attorney office, there is no interest involved. Iowa law authorizes the Judicial Branch to contract with a private debt collector for collection of debt owed to the state of Iowa. If a payment plan is established through this entity, there will be a fee up to 25% added to the total debt owed.
How does a payment plan with the county attorney’s office 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 Department of Transportation to withdraw the suspension(s) for failure to pay the fine(s).
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 Temporary Restricted License (TRL/work permit) and to see if you have other reinstatement requirements to meet. You can view your reinstatement requirements by logging into https://mymvd.iowadot.gov.
Who do I set up a payment plan with ?
Court debt: If you owe court debt, who you set up a payment plan with will depend on the situation. It may be the judge, the clerk of court, the county attorney, the sheriff’s office or the Department of Revenue. The rules about who collects these debts are complicated. If you owe court debt for more than one case, more than one of these agencies may be in charge of collecting the different debts.
Clerk of Court: Court debt stays with the clerk of court for the first 30 days. You cannot get a payment plan with the clerk for a debt that is $300 or less. If you already have a payment plan with the clerk that you are current on, you may be able to add a new court debt of less than $300 to that plan.
Department of Revenue: If you default on your court debt, it is first sent to the Department of Revenue. They may charge a collection fee. The Department of Revenue is under no limitations as to how low monthly payments may be, and there is no minimum total to qualify for a payment plan.
County Attorney: In some (but not all) counties in Iowa, the county attorney may collect delinquent debt 90 days after imposition. Like the Department of Revenue, county attorneys under no limitations as to how low monthly payments may be, and there is no minimum total to qualify for a payment plan. Many county attorneys have developed their own programs which have varied rules. You should contact the county attorney in the county where your debt is.
What if the county I owe the fines does not have an installment agreement program?
If the person enters into an installment agreement with the county attorney or the county attorney’s designee, the person shall execute an installment agreement in the county where the fine, penalty, surcharge, or court cost was imposed. If the county where the fine, penalty, surcharge, or court cost was imposed does not have an installment agreement program, the person shall execute an installment agreement in the person’s county of residence. If the county of residence does not have an installment agreement program, the person may execute an installment agreement with any county attorney or county attorney’s designee.
I owe court fines out of state. What can I do to end the suspension for failure to pay the fine?
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 Department of Transportation.