1. The department or the county treasurer shall refuse registration and issuance of a certificate of titleor any transfer of titleand registration upon any of the following grounds: a. That the application contains any false or fraudulent statement or that the applicant has failed to furnish required information or reasonable additional information requested by the department or that the applicant isnot entitled to registration and issuance of acertificate of titleof the vehicle under this chapter. b. That the vehicle is mechanically unfit or unsafe to be operated or moved upon the highways, providing such condition is revealed by a member of this department, or any peace officer. c. That the department or the county treasurer has reasonable ground to believe that the vehicle isa stolen or embezzled vehicle or that the granting of registration and issuance of a certificate of title would constitute a fraud against the rightful owner. d. That theregistration of the vehicle stands suspendedorrevoked, or the personapplying for registration is prohibited from registering a motor vehicle, for any reason as provided in the motor vehicle laws of this state, except that the department and the county treasurer shall not refuse registration and issuance of a certificate of titleor transfer of titleas provided in section 321A.5 or 321A.17, or in accordance with rules adopted by the department. e. That the required registration fees have not been paid except as provided in section 321.48. f. For a vehicle subject only to a certificate of title or a manufactured home, that the required use tax has not been paid. g. Ifapplication forregistration and certificateof titlefor anew vehicle isnot accompanied by a manufacturer’s or importer’s certificate duly assigned. h. Ifapplication for a transfer of registration and issuance of a certificate of titlefor a used vehicle registered in this state is not accompanied by a certificate of title duly assigned. i. Ifapplication and supporting documents are insufficient to authorize the issuance of a certificate of titleas provided by this chapter, except that an initialregistration or transfer of registration may be issued as provided in section 321.23. j. In the case of a mobile home or manufactured home, that taxes are owing under chapter 435 for a previous year. k. In the case of a mobile home or manufactured home converted from real estate, real estate taxes which are delinquent. l. Ifa commercial motor vehicle has been assigned to be operated by a commercial motor carrier whose ability to operate has been terminated or denied by a federal agency. m. Ifthe applicant isunder eighteen yearsof age,unless the applicant hasan Iowa driver’s license or the application isbeing made by more than one applicant and one of the applicants isat least eighteen years of age. 2. a. Unless otherwise provided for in this chapter, the department or the county treasurer shall refuse registration and issuance of a certificate of titleunless the vehicle bears a manufacturer’s label pursuant to 49 C.F.R. pt. 567 certifying that the vehicle meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. b. A military vehicle, other than a vehicle that runs on continuous tracks or wheels and tracks, that was originally manufactured for and sold directly to the armed forces of the United States in conformity with contractual specifications, as provided in 49 C.F.R. §571.7, may be registered and issued a certificate of titleif the owner provides satisfactory evidence to the department that the vehicle issubstantially in compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards. The department may adopt rules as necessary concerning the registration and titlingof military vehicles in accordance with this chapter. 3. The department or the county treasurer shall refuse registration of a vehicle ifthe applicant for registration of the vehicle has failed to pay the required annual registration fee or the fee for new registration of any vehicle owned or previously owned when the fee was required to be paid by the applicant, and for which vehicle the registration was suspended or revoked under section 321.101, subsection 1, paragraph “d”, or section 321.101A, until the fee is paid together with any accrued penalties. ch 188, §5; 2000 Acts, ch 1016, §4, 5; 2001 Acts, ch 153, §17; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §245; 2006 Acts, ch 1068, §10, 41; 2007 Acts, ch 126, §53; 2008 Acts, ch 1018, §7, 8; 2008 Acts, ch 1113, §56, 57; 2012 Acts, ch 1091, §1; 2023 Acts, ch 67, §1
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