How to Find Iowa Drunk Driving Records

Driving under the influence is regarded as a serious offense. The penalties imposed for driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) can be harsher if it is associated with a death or injury or if the life of a child was endangered.

Drunk Driving Conviction in Iowa

One can go through the Iowa Code 9-30-5, to learn about the laws and penalties associated with Iowa drunk driving cases. Arrests in DUI/DWI cases are triggered due to a court case or the Iowa Motor Vehicle Division case when the person’s driving privileges are found to be at risk. Iowa Code section 321J.2 does not allow an individual to drive a motor vehicle when under the influence of alcohol, drugs or a combination of both.

Iowa Drunk Driving Penalties

Iowa drunk driving cases require the offender’s guilt to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant in an Iowa drunk driving case is considered to be “not guilty” if there is a reasonable doubt as to any of the elements of the prosecutor’s case.

If an individual has been convicted for the first time and of a serious misdemeanor, he/she will be punished with a fine of a maximum $1,500 or up to 1 year of jail time. The minimum penalty that is mandatory for drunk driving is serving a sentence of 2 years in jail and paying a fine of $1,250 along with a 32% government surcharge of $400.

The second drunk driving offense will be considered an aggravated misdemeanor and is punishable to a maximum of 2 years in jail or a fine of up to $5,000 or both. The minimum penalty for the second offense will be 7 days in jail as well as a fine of $1,850 or more.

The third drunk driving offense is considered as a class D felony and is punishable to a maximum of 5 years in prison or a fine of $7,500 maximum or both. The mandatory minimum penalty for the third offense will be 30 days jail time along with a payment of $3,125 as fine.

Iowa Drunk Driving Records

The Iowa drunk driving records form a part of the motor vehicle records in the state and contain the complete account of past violations of the driving laws by an individual, the suspension records along with other details. A driving record can be obtained easily from the Iowa Motor Vehicles Department.  The constituent Office of Driver Services of the Motor Vehicles Department maintains the driving records in the state.

You can get a certified copy of your own driving records by filling out the form 431069 titled Privacy Act Agreement for Request of Motor Vehicle Records available at http://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ods/driverrecord.htm. You need to fill out the form and send it along with a photocopy of your driver license to The Office of Driver Services, Iowa Department of Transportation, P.O Box 9204, Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9204. You can also send a non-driver identification card as a supporting document. The driving records check comes with a price and the processing fee amounts to $5.50. You need to send a check in favor of the “Treasurer, State of Iowa”. A written request should include the full name of the requester or records, mailing address, date of birth and the driver license number. In case you find it difficult to search for the form, you can look up http://www.iadotforms.dot.state.ia.us/iowadotforms/Library.aspx in order to find out the correct form.

At present Iowa does not have any provision for the expungement of records from the criminal records database in Iowa if convicted of operating while intoxicated (OWI).