After purchasing a vehicle from a licensed dealer, the dealer may apply for a certificate of title, certificate of registration, and license plate for you.

If you purchase a vehicle from an individual, you must obtain the title from the individual and then apply for a certificate of title in your own name through the your county treasurer’s office. You can apply for your title, registration, and license plate at the same time, but again, you’ll need to get the car insured.

Either way, you’re going to need a title that is properly assigned to you. Keep it in a safe place (i.e. NOT in the car), as it’s pretty important.

If you are an Iowa resident, Iowa employee, or parent whose children are going to school in Iowa, then your motor vehicle must have Iowa registration and license plates within 30 days of employment or enrollment. To do this, head to your local county treasurer’s office so you can pay the permit fee and obtain a registration permit. Make sure you bring these fancy documents with you:

1. Proof of residency. Like, I don’t know, your new driver license?
2. Proof of vehicle ownership. Remember how important that certificate of title is?
3. Proof of ID.
4. Proof of Life. (link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0228750/)
5. Money for the fees.

You’ll be issued license plates, and both must be displaced if you receive two. If you don’t like the numbers on them, feel free to head over to MVD and upgrade those suckers to personalized vanity plates. The license plate of the Shmoop company car reads “SHMOOP!” It took us a long time to come up with that.