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 WEIGHT RESTRICTIONS |
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Non-Interstate Highways
Single axle - 20,000 pounds
Tandem axle - 34,000 pounds
Group of axles - Use Table 1 or 2 weight chart
Gross weight - Use Table 1 or 2 weight chart
Maximum weight on state highways: 80,000 pounds, 96,000 pounds for construction and livestock vehicles
Interstate Highways
Single axle - 20,000 pounds
Tandem axle - 34,000 pounds
Group of axles - Use Table 3 weight chart
Gross weight - Use Table 3 weight chart
Maximum weight on interstates - 80,000 pounds
Spread-Axle Livestock Transports
Five-axle livestock transportation trucks with a spread axle trailer are allowed to carry a gross weight of 86,000 pounds under the following conditions:
Travel over 80,000 pounds gross weight is not allowed on the Interstate Highway System. This law applies only to the Non-Interstate Highway System.
Governor Culver declared Iowa to be in a state of disaster emergency due to the largest corn crop in harvest history. Weight limits have been increased for the next 60 days, beginning on September 14, 2007.
Click here for a copy of the proclamation.
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ANNUAL INSPECTION |
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Beginning July 1, 2005, special farm trucks weighing 10,000 lbs or more will need to undergo an annual inspection. Farm trucks traveling only intrastate used to be exempt from the annual inspection requirement, but due to changes at the federal level, Iowa law now requires farm trucks be inspected as well.
· Farm trucks now must pass thorough inspection by a “qualified inspector” at least once every 12 months.
· Each vehicle in a combination is considered a separate vehicle and must pass inspection individually.
· Proof of a current annual inspection must be carried or displayed on the truck or trailer.
· Proof may be in the form of an inspection decal or a copy of an inspection report and must be produced upon request.
· Annual inspections may be performed in-house or at a commercial truck repair facility.
· Keep copies of the credentials or proof of qualifications of your inspector for up to one year after the inspection.
The carrier is responsible for ensuring the person performing the annual inspection is a “qualified inspector.”
Inspectors may be qualified through experience or training, and knowledge of regulations.
Click here for inspector qualifications.
Maintenance, repair or service to farm truck brake systems must also meet the brake inspector qualifications.
Click here for brake inspector qualifications.
Free and legally compliant inspection forms can be accessed by clicking below:
Click here for a sample Annual Truck Inspection Form.
Otherwise, inspection kits, containing an inspection book, two inspection reports, and two labels, can be purchased through Farm Home Office (Sylvette Corporation) at 1-800-788-7218. Inspection kits cost $6.98 (+ shipping and handling) and usually take two to three business days to receive by regular mail.
Inspections need to be completed every year by July 1. Farmers without proof of inspection will be in violation of this law and will be required to pay fines in the amount of $49.50. Other penalties may result from equipment defects.
More information can be found at the IDOT website: http://www.iamvd.com/omve/specialtrucks.htm
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DRIVER LICENSING |
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Farmers and their hired help are not
required to obtain a Commercial Drivers License (CDL)
as long the following criteria are met:
1. The hauling vehicle is owned by the farmer
2. The hauling distance does not exceed a one hundred fifty air mile radius of home operation.
3. The only materials being transported are those that are owned by the farmer
Please note, you may still be required to obtain a Class D Chauffeur’s license.
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VEHICLE REGISTRATION |
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Registration fees for vehicles pay for road construction and maintenance.
Do you travel out of state to transport your commodities? Does your vehicle meet any one of the following criteria?
1. The vehicle or combination weighs more than 26,000 lbs; or
2. The vehicle or combination is registered for more than 26,000 lbs; or
3. The power unit has three or more axles
If you do not meet any of the above criteria, you may travel freely to any other state with the appropriate Iowa licensing, registration, and insurance.
If your vehicle meets the above criteria and you have a regular county plate you must comply with one of the following guidelines:
International Registration Plan (IRP)
Vehicles that meet the above criteria are required to have an International Registration Plan (IRP).
This type of registration and plating is designed for haulers who travel out of state frequently. The IRP is very complex and requires extensive recordkeeping.
Click here to connect to the International Registration Instruction Manual.
Click here for the required application(s) and other documents.
Registration Trip Permit
If your vehicle is registered with a regular county plate, it is advisable that you purchase a single trip permit insted of the International Registration Plan. This permit is much more affordable than the IRP and easier to obtain. The permit is valid for 72 hours or for one trip and costs $10.00.
Click here for a Registration Trip Permit Application
Please not that if your vehicle is registered with a special truck license plate and you plan to travel out of state, no additional registration is needed.
Reciprocity Agreements
Farm vehicles, regardless if the above criteria are met, may travel freely to states or regions that have reciprocity agreements with the state of Iowa. Currently, Iowa farmers are allowed to travel within 30 miles of the Iowa / Wisconsin border without obtaining IRP apportioned plates or trip permits.
Click here to see a map outlining registration permit requirements for non-farm plated trucks. |
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REGISTRATION TOLERANCE |
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When in Iowa, trucks or combinations transporting raw agricultural products are allowed to operate in excess of their registration weight by up to 25 percent, up to their maximum gross weight.
This list shall not be deemed conclusive and shall not exclude other commodities that might be considered raw farm products.
| Ag lime |
Fresh vegetables |
Peat |
| Blood |
Grain, threshed |
Potatoes |
| Corn cobs |
Grain, unthreshed |
Raw dairy products |
| Dead animals |
Hair |
Raw milk |
| Ear corn |
Hay, baled/loose |
Saw logs |
| Eggs, fresh/frozen |
Hides |
Separated cream |
| Firewood |
Honey |
Shelled corn |
| Flax |
Honeycomb |
Sod |
| Flax seed |
Live poultry |
Soil fertilizer |
| Fodder |
Livestock |
Soybeans |
| Fresh berries |
Melons |
Straw, baled/loose |
| Fresh fruit |
Nursery stock |
Wool |
The 25 percent registration weight tolerance for farm vehicles does not apply outside the state of Iowa, except for Iowa special (farm) plated vehicles transporting raw agricultural products operating in the state of Minnesota, which by written agreement, will be granted the 25 percent tolerance. All other states will honor the Iowa special (farm) plate as a valid license plate, but only up to the stated registered weight.
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FUEL PERMITS & TAXES |
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Farmers who transport their commodities to market to other states must pay fuel tax for the miles they travel in each state if their vehicle meets any one of the following criteria:
- vehicle or combination weighs 26,000 pounds or more,
- vehicle or combination is registered for 26,000 pounds or more
- vehicle power unit has three or more axles
If you do not meet any of the above criteria, you may travel freely to any other state with the appropriate Iowa licensing, registration, and insurance. If you meet any one of the above criteria, there are three ways to comply the fuel tax requirements:1. Comply with an International Fuel Tax Agreement License
2. Purchase a Temporary Fuel Permit
3. Travel only to cities and states with bordering state reciprocity agreements with Iowa. International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) license must be obtained from your home state. The IFTA license costs $10.00. A copy of this license must be carried in the vehicle and produced on request. IFTA decals are required to be displayed on the exterior of the power unit, one on each side. IFTA decals are 50 cents for a set of two.
Click here for the International Fuel Tax Reporting Compliance Manual
Click here for the required application(s) and other documents Temporary Fuel Permits are an alternative to an IFTA license. A temporary fuel permit can be purchased from the destination state for $20.00 and is valid for 72 hours or for one trip, whichever comes first. Please note that some states limit the number of temporary fuel permits they issue. If the state you wish to travel to a state that is not listed on the application, you will need to contact them directly.
Click here for the Temporary Fuel Permit application Iowa has reciprocity agreements with Minnesota and Wisconsin allowing farm vehicles to operate within 30 miles of the state boarder without a fuel license or decal. Nebraska and Iowa have an agreement to allow farm vehicles to operate without fuel license or decal within the Nebraska cities of Omaha, Bellevue, Dakota City, South Sioux City and Nebraska City; and the Iowa cities of Council Bluffs, Carter Lake, Port Neal and Sioux City.
Please note, Iowa-based carriers operating an IFTA qualified vehicle in another state will need to obtain either a permanent IFTA fuel permit from Iowa, or a fuel trip permit from the state they will be operating through. If they elect the fuel trip permit, when they return to Iowa they will also need an Iowa IFTA fuel trip permit for legal re-entry. If Iowa carriers operate within the provisions of the Nebraska, Minnesota, or Wisconsin border state fuel permit agreements, no fuel permit will be required on either side of the border.
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SPECIAL FARM LICENSE PLATE |
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Special farm license plates are available for trucks or truck-tractor if they are operated under the following criteria:
not for hire
gross weight registration between 6 and 32 tons
used by a person engaged in farming
transports commodities produced or purchased by the owner for
used on the owner’s own farming operation
may assist another person engaged in farming through an exchange of services
truck-tractor can not operated more than 15,000 miles annually.
All other states will honor the Iowa special (farm) plate as a valid license plate, but only up to the stated registered weight. This means that other states may not recognize the 25% registration weight overage allowance as used in Iowa. Contact the destination state for guidance.
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INTERSTATE TRAVEL |
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When crossing states lines, farmers need to be aware that law enforcement officials look for U.S. Department of Transportation number, medical cards if driving combination vehicles, annual inspection records, a fire extinguisher and warning triangles (also required for intrastate travel), fuel permits for states and cities without reciprocity agreements, a log book if traveling in more than a 100 mile radius and a commercial drivers license if traveling more than 150 miles.
Click here for a sample Interstate Travel Checklist.
When traveling to another state it is advisable to contact their state enforcement authorities to determine exactly what is required. It is also advisable to contact the other state office well in advance of your travel date so as to ensure there is adequate time to apply for and receive the required permits. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) field offices can assist with questions and provide you with guidance concerning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.
Click here for contact information of FMCSA state field offices.
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GENERAL USE MESSAGE |
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Transportation of commodities and farm supplies is an ever changing and complex component of an agricultural operation. This webpage is intended to help farmers comply with federal and state laws associated with the transportation of agricultural commodities and supplies as private carriers only.
This website is not intended to be an all-inclusive guide for all types of haulers and commercial business . It should not be used as a substitute for applicable laws of the state of Iowa or federal regulations.
Please refer to the Iowa Truck Guide if you have questions on transportation issues that are not covered here or call your local motor vehicle enforcement office.
Click here for contact information. |
