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Kim Reynolds OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR Chris Cournoyer
GOVERNOR LT GOVERNOR
June 02, 2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 2617, an Act relating to abandoned vehicles.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
Kim keynolds VjLeynolds
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 2617
AN ACT
RELATING TO ABANDONED VEHICLES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 321.89, Code 2026, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 2A. Cease and release. When a private
entity ceases a tow after attaching towing equipment to an
abandoned vehicle and releases the vehicle to the registered
owner or operator prior to removing the vehicle from the
location where the vehicle was abandoned, the private entity
shall accept payment by credit card, in addition to other forms
of payment, for any fee charged to release the vehicle.
Sec. 2. Section 321.89, subsection 3, paragraphs a, e, and
f. Code 2026, are amended to read as follows:
a. A police authority or private entity that takes into
custody an abandoned vehicle shall send notice by certified
House File 2617, p. 2
mail that the vehicle has been taken into custody no more than
twenty ten days after taking custody of the vehicle. Notice
shall be sent to the last known address of record of the last
known registered owner of the vehicle, all lienholders of
record, and any other known claimant to the vehicle.
e. If the persons receiving notice do not ask for a hearing
or exercise their right to reclaim the vehicle or personal
property within the ten-day twenty-day reclaiming period, the
owner, lienholders, or claimants shall no longer have any
right, title, claim, or interest in or to the vehicle or the
personal property.
f, A court in any case in law or equity shall not recognize
any right, title, claim, or interest of the owner, lienholders,
or claimants after the expiration of the ten-day twenty-day
reclaiming period.
Sec. 3. Section 321.89, subsection 3, paragraph b,
subparagraph (3), Code 2026, is amended to read as follows:
(3) Information for the persons receiving the notice of
their right to reclaim the vehicle and personal property
contained therein within t-ea twenty days after the effective
date of the notice. Persons may reclaim the vehicle et
personal property upon payment of all towing, preservation, and
storage charges resulting from placing the vehicle in custody
and upon payment of the costs of notice required pursuant to
this subsection.
Sec. 4. Section 321.89, Code 2026, is amended by adding the
following new subsections:
NEW SUBSECTION. 3A. Abandoned vehicles in custody.
a. A lienholder of record who received notice under
subsection 3 may request information regarding the condition
of the abandoned vehicle. A private entity with custody of
an abandoned vehicle may charge the lienholder of record an
inspection fee not to exceed one hundred dollars. If such
request is made and when the fee is paid, the private entity
with custody of the abandoned vehicle shall satisfy the
request by either allowing a representative of the lienholder
of record onto the premises to inspect the vehicle, subject
to policies established by the private entity to promote
safety and security of the premises, or by sending photos
House File 2617r p. 3
that sufficiently depict the condition of the vehicle to the
lienholder of record so that the lienholder can reasonably
ascertain the condition of the vehicle.
b, (1) While a private entity has custody of an abandoned
vehicle, a registered owner may reclaim personal property that
is not attached to the vehicle on one occasion during the
twenty-day vehicle reclamation period. The registered owner
shall provide the private entity a written list identifying
the personal property to be reclaimed from inside the vehicle,
which shall be reclaimed during the normal business hours of
the private entity. Reclaiming personal property from within
the vehicle does not constitute reclaiming the vehicle. A
private entity may determine the manner in which personal
property is retrieved from a vehicle subject to safety and
security procedures established by the private entity for
the area where the vehicle is stored. Retrieval of personal
property does not constitute a waiver of the private entity's
lien upon the vehicle or any remaining contents in the private
entity's custody, if applicable.
(2) For purposes of this paragraph, ^personal property'' is
limited to items that are readily accessible from the vehicle
and that do not require dismantling of any part of the vehicle,
including all of the following:
(a) Prescription medication for the vehicle owner or for a
legal dependent of the vehicle owner.
(b) Prosthetic devices, durable medical equipment, and
mobility enhancing equipment as defined under 701 lAC 220.7.
(c) Child care items.
(d) Uniforms or clothing required for the vehicle owner's
employment.
(e) Personal identification.
(f) Credit cards or debit cards.
(g) A cellular telephone.
(h) A portable or mobile computer including but not limited
to a tablet.
(i) Tools of trade which are essential equipment,
instruments, or machinery required to perform a specific job,
profession, or craft in which the vehicle owner is currently
employed.
House File 2617, p. 4
(j) A purse or wallet.
(k) Essential documents or records relating to legal,
financial, tax, or employment matters.
(1) Prescription eyeglasses.
(m) Hearing aids.
(n) Dentures.
(o) Keys not associated with the vehicle in the custody of
the private entity.
NEW SUBSECTION. 3B. Display of charges. A private entity
that takes custody of an abandoned vehicle shall display at the
entity's place of business in a manner that is readily visible
to visitors and on the entity's internet site, if applicable,
the daily storage and impound fees the entity will charge.
NEW SUBSECTION. 6. Preemption, This section shall be
implemented uniformly throughout the state. This section
preempts any county or municipal ordinance regarding the towing
of an abandoned vehicle.
Sec. 5. Section 321.89, subsection 4, Code 2026, is amended
to read as follows:
4. Reclamation of abandoned vehicles. A private entity
with custody of an abandoned vehicle shall provide an itemized
account of all fees assessed to the registered owner when
the registered owner reclaims the vehicle. Prior to driving
an abandoned vehicle away from the premises, a person who
received or who is reclaiming the vehicle on behalf of a person
who received notice under subsection 3 the registered owner
shall present to the police authority or private entity, as
applicable, the person's valid driver's license and proof of
financial liability coverage as provided in section 321.20B.
Sec. 6. Section 321.90, subsection 2, paragraph f. Code
2026, is amended to read as follows:
f. Tbe If notice was provided in accordance with section
321.89, subsection 3, and an abandoned motor vehicle was not
reclaimed, the owner of an abandoned motor vchiclo and all
lienholders shall no longer have any right, title, claim, or
interest in or to the motor vehicle; and no court in any case
House File 2617, p. 5
in law or equity shall recognize any right, title, claim, or
interest of any owner or lienholders after the disposal of the
motor vehicle to a' demolisher.
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of tne House
AMY SINCLAIR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 2617, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved , 2026
MEGI^ NELSON
Chief tflerk the House
KIM R^^OLDS
Governor