IA certificate of title bonds.
Flat 3%. Enter your amount.

When you can’t prove ownership of a vehicle, Iowa lets you get a bonded title — file a surety bond under Iowa Code 321.24 and the DOT issues the title. We write it at a flat 3% with no credit check; the amount is 1.5 times the vehicle’s value as the DOT determines it.

For owners with missing, lost, or defective proof of ownership under Iowa Code 321.24
Amount is 1.5 times the vehicle’s value as the Iowa DOT determines it
Flat 3%, no credit pull — enter your bond amount and the premium updates
Flat 3%of your bond amount$275minimum premiumNo creditcheck to issue
Trusted by industry leaders
NYCEDC
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NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Apply to bonded title in one sitting.

No underwriting queue for the standard title bond — enter your amount, pay, and take the executed bond to the county treasurer. Here is the whole thing:

TODAY · 5 MINUTES

Apply online

Your details, the vehicle, and the bond amount (1.5× the vehicle’s value) — that is the entire application.

INSTANTLY

Issued on the spot

No credit check and no waiting — the executed bond is generated as soon as you pay. Larger amounts may get a quick review.

SAME DAY

File with the county treasurer

Take the executed bond and your bonded-title application to your county treasurer to get your bonded certificate of title. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the office insists.

The whole pricing page.

Bond amount × 3% = your premium, one-time, $275 minimum. Bond amount is 1.5× the vehicle’s value — enter it and the premium updates.

$2,500 bond
$275
$5,000 bond
$275
$10,000 bond
$300
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bonded title actually does

When you buy or inherit a vehicle and the paperwork is missing, lost, or defective, Iowa lets you establish ownership with a bonded title under Iowa Code 321.24. You post a surety bond, the DOT and your county treasurer issue a certificate of title in your name, and the bond protects anyone who later proves a superior claim to the vehicle.

The bond amount is one and one-half times the vehicle’s value, which the Iowa Department of Transportation determines during the title application. You apply through the online Application for Registration and Bonded Certificate of Title and file with your county treasurer.

If someone with a better claim comes forward and is harmed — for example, if the vehicle turns out to be stolen or the title was otherwise invalid — they can recover against the bond, and if the surety pays, you repay the surety. The bond runs three years, after which it expires and a clean title stands.

Iowa Code 321.24 (Bonded certificate of title)Iowa Code 321.24 lets an owner with insufficient proof of ownership obtain a bonded certificate of title by filing a surety bond in an amount equal to one and one-half times the value of the vehicle, as determined by the Iowa Department of Transportation. The bond is held for three years, after which it expires. Apply through the Application for Registration and Bonded Certificate of Title and file with your county treasurer.

You need this bond if you are

A buyer with no title — the seller never delivered one or it was lost
Titling an inherited or gifted vehicle with gaps in the ownership chain
Holding a defective title the county treasurer won’t accept as proof of ownership
Registering an abandoned or project vehicle that needs a bonded title to get on the road

Five minutes, issued on the spot.

Submit the application with your bond amount (1.5× the vehicle’s value) — the executed title bond is generated instantly, ready to take to your county treasurer.

Start the application →
FAQs

Common questions.

If yours isn't here, the bond team can usually answer within the hour.

How much is the Iowa title bond? +
The premium is a flat 3% of the bond amount, with a $275 minimum. The bond amount is set at 1.5 times the vehicle’s value, so a $2,500 or $5,000 bond lands at the $275 minimum, and the premium scales up from there. Enter your amount and the quote updates.
How do I figure out the bond amount? +
It’s one and one-half times the vehicle’s value, and the Iowa Department of Transportation determines that value during the title application process. Apply through the online Application for Registration and Bonded Certificate of Title, then file with your county treasurer.
Is there a credit check? +
No — the title bond is issued with no credit pull. Larger bond amounts may get a quick soft-pull review, which never affects your credit score.
What does the bond protect against? +
It protects anyone who later proves a superior ownership claim to the vehicle — for example, if the car turns out to be stolen or the title was otherwise invalid. If a valid claim is paid, you repay the surety; it is not insurance for you.
How long does the bond last? +
An Iowa title bond runs three years. If no valid claim is made, the bond expires at the end of the period and your title stands clean — there is no bond requirement after that.
Related bonds

Other New York bonds.

Bonded title, issued today.

Five-minute application, flat 3%, $275 minimum. Enter your amount and take it to the county treasurer the same day.

Your premium @ 3%$275
Apply now →