Most states have titling and registration laws that require residents to title and register their cars in the state—and for new residents of the state to do so within some period of time, such as 30 days. Some states require titled cars to pass a comprehensive safety inspection. And some states also require cars owned by residents of certain counties to pass an emissions test/inspection designed to improve air quality in more densely populated counties.
In Iowa, residents are required to title and register their vehicles with the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). New residents must title and register their vehicles within 30 days of establishing residency. Iowa does not have a statewide vehicle safety inspection program, so vehicles are not required to pass a comprehensive safety inspection for registration purposes. However, Iowa does require an annual registration renewal, which includes paying a registration fee based on the weight and type of the vehicle. As for emissions testing, Iowa does not currently require emissions tests for vehicles as part of the registration process, regardless of the county of residence. This means that residents of more densely populated counties are not subject to different requirements than those in other parts of the state when it comes to vehicle emissions testing.