2009 Iowa Code
Title 8 - Transportation
Subtitle 2 - Vehicles
CHAPTER 321 - MOTOR VEHICLES AND LAW OF THE ROAD
321.180 - INSTRUCTION PERMITS.

        321.180  INSTRUCTION PERMITS.
         1. a.  A person who is at least eighteen years of age and who,
      except for the person's lack of instruction in operating a motor
      vehicle, would be qualified to obtain a driver's license, shall, upon
      meeting the requirements of section 321.186 other than a driving
      demonstration, and upon paying the required fee, be issued an
      instruction permit by the department.  Subject to the limitations in
      this subsection, an instruction permit entitles the permittee, while
      having the permit in the permittee's immediate possession, to operate
      a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle or as a
      chauffeur or a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of
      sixteen thousand one or more pounds, upon the highways for a period
      not to exceed four years from the licensee's birthday anniversary in
      the year of issuance.  If the applicant for an instruction permit
      holds a driver's license issued in this state valid for the operation
      of a motorized bicycle or a motorcycle, the instruction permit shall
      be valid for such operation without the need of an accompanying
      person.
         A permittee shall not be penalized for failing to have the
      instruction permit in immediate possession if the permittee produces
      in court, within a reasonable time, an instruction permit issued to
      the permittee and valid at the time of the permittee's arrest or at
      the time the permittee was charged with failure to have the permit in
      the permittee's immediate possession.
         b.  Except as otherwise provided, a permittee who is eighteen
      years of age or older must be accompanied by a person issued a
      driver's license valid for the vehicle operated who is a member of
      the permittee's immediate family if the family member is at least
      twenty-one years of age, an approved driver education instructor, a
      prospective driver education instructor who is enrolled in a
      practitioner preparation program with a safety education program
      approved by the state board of education, or a person at least
      twenty-five years of age, and who is actually occupying a seat beside
      the driver.
         However, if the permittee is operating a motorcycle in accordance
      with this section or section 321.180B, the accompanying person must
      be within audible and visual communications distance from the
      permittee and be accompanying the permittee on or in a different
      motor vehicle.  Only one permittee shall be under the immediate
      supervision of an accompanying qualified person.
         2.  A person who holds a class A, B, C, or D driver's license,
      upon meeting each of the following requirements, shall be eligible to
      apply for a commercial driver's instruction permit valid for the
      operation of a commercial motor vehicle, except a vehicle
      transporting hazardous materials requiring placarding, when the
      permittee is accompanied by a person properly licensed to operate a
      commercial motor vehicle and actually occupying a seat beside the
      permittee.  An applicant must be at least eighteen years of age and
      qualified to obtain a valid commercial driver's license including the
      requirements of section 321.188 other than the knowledge examination
      and driving skills tests.  The commercial driver's instruction permit
      shall be valid for a period not to exceed six months.  A commercial
      driver's instruction permit may be renewed only once in any two-year
      period.  If the applicant for a commercial driver's instruction
      permit holds a driver's license issued in this state valid for the
      operation of a commercial or noncommercial vehicle, the commercial
      driver's instruction permit shall be valid for such operation without
      the need of an accompanying person.
         3.  A person, upon meeting each of the following requirements,
      shall be eligible to apply for a chauffeur's instruction permit valid
      for the operation of a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor
      vehicle, as a chauffeur when the permittee is accompanied by a
      person, possessing a valid class D driver's license or commercial
      driver's license valid for the operation of the motor vehicle and the
      accompanying person is actually occupying a seat beside the
      permittee.  An applicant must be at least eighteen years of age,
      otherwise qualified to obtain a class D driver's license, and must
      meet the requirements of section 321.186 other than a driving
      demonstration.  The chauffeur's instruction permit shall be valid for
      a period not to exceed two years from the licensee's birthday
      anniversary in the year of issuance and shall be returned to the
      department upon issuance of a class D driver's license or commercial
      driver's license.  If the applicant for a chauffeur's instruction
      permit holds a driver's license issued under this chapter, the
      chauffeur's instruction permit shall be valid in the same manner as
      the driver's license would be for the operation of motor vehicles
      without the need of an accompanying person.
         4.  The instruction permit, chauffeur's instruction permit, and
      commercial driver's instruction permit are subject to suspension or
      revocation for the same reasons and in the same manner as suspension
      or revocation of a driver's license.
         5.  A motorcycle instruction permit issued under this section is
      not renewable.  

         Section History: Early Form

         [C31, 35, § 4960-d23; C39, § 5013.06; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66,
      71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 321.180] 

         Section History: Recent Form

         88 Acts, ch 1134, §67; 89 Acts, ch 265, §39; 90 Acts, ch 1230, §
      26; 98 Acts, ch 1073, §9; 98 Acts, ch 1112, §3, 4, 14, 16; 2006 Acts,
      ch 1068, §20, 21
         Referred to in § 321.196, 805.8A(4a)
         Fee, § 321.191
         For applicable scheduled fine, see §805.8A, subsection 4,
      paragraph a