How Much over the Speed limit is a Felony in Iowa?

Iowa does not have a specific MPH threshold at which speeding may result in a felony. Iowa typically classifies speeding violations as simple misdemeanors under Iowa Code § 321.285 and § 805.8A. However, there are aggravating situations, such as reckless driving, serious injury, or death, that may combine with speeding to give rise to felony charges. Some of these factors are discussed as follows:

Reckless Driving

Iowa Code § 321.277 defines reckless driving as driving with "willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property". Some characteristics of reckless driving include excessive speeding, switching lanes erratically, following another vehicle too closely (tailgating), making inappropriate turns, non-compliance with traffic signs, officers, or control devices, among others.

Although reckless driving by itself is a misdemeanor, it may be a factor in felony-level offenses.
As of July 2025, HF 528 proposes amending Iowa Code § 321.277 to specifically define reckless driving as "exceeding the speed limit by 21 MPH or more. However, the proposed law still classifies reckless driving as a misdemeanor and not a felony offense.

Vehicular Homicide

Under Iowa Code § 707.6A, anyone who causes the death of another person while speeding may face a vehicular homicide charge. This is a Class C or D felony offense that may result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years and fines of up to $10,000. A driver who causes a person's death (Class C felony) through reckless driving or while participating in drag racing (Class D felony) is subject to these penalties.

Serious Injury by Vehicle

Under Iowa Code § 707.6B, drivers who cause serious bodily injury to someone else while speeding may face a Class D felony charge. Such an offense may result in jail time of up to five years and fines of up to $10,245. The penalties for causing serious injury with a vehicle may be more severe if the driver is found guilty of intoxication or reckless driving, including excessive speeding.

Eluding Law Enforcement

Per Iowa Code § 321.279, any driver who fails to bring their vehicle to a halt after being signaled by police may face a simple misdemeanor charge. Such an offense may escalate to an aggravated misdemeanor if the driver exceeds the speed limit by 25 MPH or more while fleeing or during a pursuit.

Is Speeding a Felony in Iowa?

In Iowa, speeding alone does not qualify as a felony. Iowa traffic laws classify it as a simple misdemeanor, not a felony or civil infraction. A speeding misdemeanor may result in a fine and the addition of points to a driving record, but it typically does not involve jail time. For instance, a driver who exceeds a posted speed limit by as much as 20 mph or more may be fined but would not face imprisonment or incur a criminal record.

Typical Speeding Tickets

• Under Iowa Code § 321.285, simple speeding (e.g., 5 to 20 MPH over the limit) is not criminal.
• Fines range from $30 to $135, depending on how far over the limit the driver was speeding.
• Iowa traffic courts handle speeding tickets, but court appearances are usually unnecessary.
• They do not result in jail time unless other violations are involved.

When Speeding May Become a Felony

In Iowa, speeding may result in a felony offense if it leads to more grievous crimes, such as:

Reckless Driving: An individual who willfully or wantonly disregards the safety of other road users may face a reckless driving charge under Iowa Code § 321.277. Typically, this is a misdemeanor offense, but when it causes injury or death, it may become a felony.

Vehicular Homicide: Under Iowa Code § 707.6A, a motorist who causes a fatal crash while speeding may face a Class C or D felony charge. Such a charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Serious Injury by Vehicle: A driver who causes serious injury to another person while speeding may face a Class D felony. This offense may result in a prison sentence of up to 5 years and a fine of up to $10,000.

Eluding Law Enforcement: A driver speeding to avoid a highway patrol officer and ignoring signals to stop may be charged with a Class D felony under Iowa Code § 321.279.

Repeat Offenses: Habitual offenders may face felony charges if their driving history exhibits a pattern of dangerous behavior. Iowa Code § 321.555 classifies a person as a habitual offender if they have three class C or D felonies, or serious traffic offenses (such as serious injury by vehicle or eluding police).

Can a Speeding Ticket Become a Felony in Iowa?

In Iowa, law enforcement officials may issue routine speeding tickets for misdemeanors such as exceeding a posted speed limit (even by as much as 20 mph or more) or reckless driving (changing lanes erratically, tailgating, etc.). These offenses are not felony crimes. However, they may lead to such charges when combined with other dangerous driving behaviors, creating an unsafe driving environment that endangers the lives of other road users.

Circumstances where speeding tickets may become a felony in Iowa are as follows:

• Exceeding the Speed Limit by 21 MPH or More: As of July 2025, the proposed HF 231 amendment to § 321.277 seeks to classify driving 21 mph or more over the speed limit as reckless driving. This offense remains a misdemeanor unless it results in injury or death, in which case it becomes a felony.
• Causing Serious Injury or Death: Suppose the reckless driving behavior of an individual causes bodily injury or death. In that case, such a person may be charged with a Class D or Class C felony under § 707.68 (serious injury) or 707.6A (vehicular homicide).
• Street Racing: This is typically a misdemeanor. However, if the racing event results in serious injury or death, the offense may be upgraded to a felony.
• Eluding Law Enforcement During a Pursuit: Under Iowa Code § 321.279, a driver fleeing law enforcement at a speed exceeding the limit of 25 mph or more and causing injury or death to someone may face a Class D felony charge.
• Speeding in School or Construction Areas does not have a felony classification. However, if a driver's reckless driving behavior causes bodily harm or death, this violation may lead to criminal charges.

Types of Speeding Tickets in Iowa: Infraction, Misdemeanor, or Felony

In Iowa, the traffic laws typically handle speeding offenses as non-criminal violations. However, these classifications may change depending on the level of speeding involved, the nature of the offenses (aggravating factors), and the consequences.

Infraction

These are minor violations (non-criminal) that often result in the payment of fines or the addition of points to an offender's driving record. Penalties for these violations typically follow a preset schedule (e.g., $120 for exceeding the speed limit by 20 mph or more). Offenders are not required to make court appearances, and sentences do not typically result in jail time. A typical example of an infraction would be a driver going over the posted speed limit by 12 mph on a rural road.

Misdemeanor – Reckless Driving

This offense category encompasses driving behaviors that exhibit a "willful or wanton" disregard for the safety of other road users (e.g., weaving, driving at high speed, tailgating). Iowa classifies reckless driving as a simple misdemeanor offense, punishable by up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine between $65 and $625. Second- or subsequent-offenders may face imprisonment for 10 days and 6 months and/or a fine of $50 to $500. An example of a misdemeanor is an individual weaving through traffic while exceeding the posted speed limit by 40 miles per hour.

Felony

In Iowa, speeding alone is not a felony. Still, it may result in felony charges if associated with dangerous acts, such as fleeing or eluding police, causing serious injury, or vehicular homicide. Penalties for felony offenses usually vary based on the degree and severity of the crime. An individual convicted of vehicular homicide (Class C felony) faces up to 10 years in jail and fines up to $10,000.

Types of Speeding Offenses in Iowa

Penalties for Felony Speeding Tickets in Iowa

The criminal consequences for felony-level speeding offenses in Iowa are as follows:

Vehicular Homicide & Serious Injury by Vehicle (Iowa Code § 707.6A)

Class B Felony (Causing death while intoxicated)

• Prison: Mandatory 25 years maximum sentence, no probation allowed
• License: Revoked for 6 years upon conviction
• Fines: Court-imposed (typically $1,000 to $10,000)
• Permanent Record: Felony conviction

Class C Felony (Causing death by reckless driving)

• Prison: Up to 10 years, with possible probation
• License: Revoked for at least 6 years
• Fines: Up to $10,245

Class D Felony (Causing death while drag racing, severe injury cases)

• Prison: Up to 5 years
• License: Revoked for 6 years.
• Fines: Up to $10,245

Please note that felony convictions result in permanent criminal records that may impact employment, housing, and insurance rates.

How Long Does a Speeding Ticket Stay on Your Record in Iowa?

In Iowa, the duration of a speeding ticket on a driver's record depends on what is being tracked:

Official Driving Record Retention (Iowa DOT)

The Iowa DOT retains all violations, crashes, and suspensions on your official driving record for at least 5 years. Completing probation, the Driving Improvement Program, or other related courses will not remove entries from this record.

Commercial Driver's License (CDL)/Insurance Points and Habitual Violator Track

In Iowa, points related to moving violations will remain on an offender's record for 5 years after conviction, while DUI points may remain active for up to 12 years.

Drivers who accumulate three moving violations within 12 months, receive a speeding ticket for going 25 to 29 MPH over the limit, or commit a first offense of unlawfully passing a school bus may trigger a Driver Improvement Program (DIP).
Under the Habitual Violator law, a motorist with three major violations in six years may face a two to six-year license suspension.

Insurance and "Lookback" Period

Typically, Iowa insurance companies assess risk based on an individual's driving history for the last three to five years. While DOT-maintained violations may stay on driving records for five years, insurance companies often focus on the previous three years of these records. Flagged speeding tickets may result in higher premiums, loss of "good driver" discounts, or even policy changes.

In Iowa, speeding violations that result in criminal charges may be obtained from Iowa traffic court records.

Can a Speeding Ticket Be Expunged from Your Record in Iowa?

In Iowa, speeding tickets are ineligible for expungement because they are classified as simple misdemeanors and do not constitute criminal charges. Since speeding tickets are considered civil traffic violations, they do not appear on criminal records but are recorded on driving histories.

Although Chapter 321 of the Iowa Code permits the expungement of some misdemeanor convictions, most exemptions are not traffic-related offenses. As of July 2025, Iowa law does not allow the expungement of misdemeanor convictions for speeding or reckless driving. Likewise, offenses such as operating while intoxicated (OWL), driving while suspended (DWS), or involuntary manslaughter cannot be expunged.

Individuals with dismissed or "not guilty" traffic misdemeanor charges, including minor speeding, may have their records sealed. To do so, they must file a petition 180 days after the case is resolved. There is no waiting period, but the court must approve their petition.

Under general juvenile laws, the court may order the sealing of traffic offenses by minors when they reach the age of 18 or 19, depending on the offense.