A state and county records system shall be maintained in the following manner:
 1.

 State records system.
 a. The department shall install and maintain a records system which shall contain the name and address of the vehicle owner, current and previous registration number, vehicle identification number, make, model, style, date of purchase, registration certificate number, maximum gross weight, weight, list price or value of the vehicle as fixed by the department, fees paid and date of payment. The records system shall also contain a record of the certificate of title including such information as the department deems necessary. The information to be kept in the records system shall be entered within forty-eight hours after receipt insofar as is practical. The records system shall constitute the permanent record of ownership of each vehicle titled under the laws of this state.
 b. The department may make photostatic, microfilm, or other photographic copies of certificates of title, registration receipts, or other records, reports or documents which are required to be retained by the department. When copies have been made, the department may destroy the original records in such manner as prescribed by the director. The photostatic, microfilm, or other photographic copies, when no longer of use, may be destroyed in the manner prescribed by the director, subject to the approval of the state records commission. Photostatic, microfilm, or other photographic copies of records shall be admissible in evidence when duly certified and authenticated by the officer having custody and control of the copies of records. Records of vehicle certificates of title may be destroyed seven years after the date of issue.
 c. The director shall maintain a records system of delinquent accounts owed to the state using information provided through the computerized data bank established in section 421.17. The department and county treasurers shall use the information maintained in the records system to determine if applicants for renewal of registration have delinquent accounts, charges, fees, loans, taxes, or other indebtedness owed to or being collected by the state as provided pursuant to section 8A.504. The director, the director of the department of administrative services, and the director of revenue shall establish procedures for updating the delinquent accounts records to add and remove accounts, as applicable.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 321.31

  • Commission: means the natural resource commission of the department. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Department: means the state department of transportation. See Iowa Code 321H.2
  • Director: means the director of the department. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Owner: means a person, other than a lienholder, having the property right in or title to an all-terrain vehicle. See Iowa Code 321I.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Vehicle: means any vehicle as defined in chapter 321. See Iowa Code 321H.2
 2.

 County records system.
 a. Each county treasurer’s office shall maintain a county records system for vehicle registration and certificate of title documents. The records system shall consist of information from the certificate of title, including the date of perfection and cancellation of security interests, and information from the registration receipt. The information shall be maintained in a manner approved by the department.
 b. Records of vehicle certificates of title for vehicles that are delinquent for five or more consecutive years may be destroyed by the county treasurer. Automated files, optical disks, microfiche records, and photostatic, microfilm or other photographic copies of records shall be admissible in evidence when duly certified and authenticated by the officer having custody and control of the records.