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How much does a OWI cost in Iowa?

A first OWI in Iowa carries a statutory fine of $1,250. This guide stacks every cost layer an official Iowa source prices — the fine, court costs, the license reinstatement fee, the OWI program, ignition interlock, and the SR-22 insurance filing — and says plainly which layers no official source prices at all.

Iowa OWI costs at a glance	Figure
Statutory fine — first OWI	Iowa Code 321J.2 assesses a fine of $1,250 for a first-offense OWI, which is a serious misdemeanor. The court may waive up to $625 of that fine if no personal injury or property damage resulted and the defendant presents a temporary restricted license. Surcharges and fees are also assessed under Iowa Code chapter 911, in amounts the OWI statute itself does not state.
Statutory fine — second OWI	The statute separates a second offense: $1,875–$6,250. Second offenses also carry longer suspensions and program requirements — see the sections below.
Court costs & fees	Iowa law adds surcharges and fees under Iowa Code chapter 911 on top of the OWI fine, but neither the statute section nor the Iowa DOT pages reviewed publish a single statewide court-cost total, so no figure is listed.
License suspension — first offense	A first-offense OWI brings a license revocation of at least 180 days and up to 1 year.
License reinstatement fee	To reinstate after an OWI revocation, the Iowa Department of Transportation requires payment of a $200 civil penalty, a $20 reinstatement fee, and the license fee. The driver must also complete an approved drinking driver course, complete an approved substance use disorder evaluation and any required treatment, show proof of SR-22 insurance, and show proof of ignition interlock installation where it applies.
Ignition interlock	Conditional — restricted license / court order — Iowa requires an ignition interlock device on all vehicles the person operates if the person seeks a temporary restricted license after a first OWI. A driver who does not seek the restricted license is not required to install the device. No official install or monthly device costs are published on the pages reviewed.
OWI education / treatment program	A first offender is assigned to a substance use disorder evaluation and treatment and to a course for drinking drivers, and may also be assigned to a reality education substance use disorder prevention program where available and appropriate. The Iowa DOT pages reviewed publish no fee amounts for the course or the evaluation.
SR-22 insurance filing	Iowa DOT requires proof of SR-22 insurance as a condition of reinstating after an OWI revocation, and the SR-22 must be maintained for 2 years from the first day of the revocation. The SR-22 is filed by the insurance company; no state SR-22 filing fee is published, and any premium change is set by the insurer.

The fine

Iowa Code 321J.2 assesses a fine of $1,250 for a first-offense OWI, which is a serious misdemeanor. The court may waive up to $625 of that fine if no personal injury or property damage resulted and the defendant presents a temporary restricted license. Surcharges and fees are also assessed under Iowa Code chapter 911, in amounts the OWI statute itself does not state.

Court costs & fees

Iowa law adds surcharges and fees under Iowa Code chapter 911 on top of the OWI fine, but neither the statute section nor the Iowa DOT pages reviewed publish a single statewide court-cost total, so no figure is listed.

License suspension & reinstatement

A first-offense OWI brings a license revocation of at least 180 days and up to 1 year.

To reinstate after an OWI revocation, the Iowa Department of Transportation requires payment of a $200 civil penalty, a $20 reinstatement fee, and the license fee. The driver must also complete an approved drinking driver course, complete an approved substance use disorder evaluation and any required treatment, show proof of SR-22 insurance, and show proof of ignition interlock installation where it applies.

The national picture — which states charge the most to reinstate — is in our license reinstatement guide.

Ignition interlock

Iowa requires an ignition interlock device on all vehicles the person operates if the person seeks a temporary restricted license after a first OWI. A driver who does not seek the restricted license is not required to install the device. No official install or monthly device costs are published on the pages reviewed.

How interlock pricing works (installation, monthly lease, calibration, removal) is in our ignition interlock cost guide.

OWI education & treatment program

A first offender is assigned to a substance use disorder evaluation and treatment and to a course for drinking drivers, and may also be assigned to a reality education substance use disorder prevention program where available and appropriate. The Iowa DOT pages reviewed publish no fee amounts for the course or the evaluation.

SR-22 & insurance

Iowa DOT requires proof of SR-22 insurance as a condition of reinstating after an OWI revocation, and the SR-22 must be maintained for 2 years from the first day of the revocation. The SR-22 is filed by the insurance company; no state SR-22 filing fee is published, and any premium change is set by the insurer.

What an SR-22 is, which states charge a filing fee, and how long it must be carried: SR-22 cost guide.

Towing, impound & other charges

Reinstating an Iowa license after an OWI revocation requires a separate $200 civil penalty in addition to the $20 reinstatement fee and the license fee.

Worked total: the verified charges stacked

Item	Cost
Statutory fine	$1,250
License reinstatement fee	$20
Total of the verified state-set charges above	$1,270–$1,270

That total is deliberately incomplete: it leaves out everything no official Iowa source prices statewide — court costs where they are set county by county, interlock lease payments to a private vendor, towing and storage, and the insurance increase that follows an SR-22. Add your own figures for those in the cost calculator.

Sources: Iowa Code 321J.2 (Iowa Legislature) · Iowa DOT - OWI suspensions and revocations. Researched October 2026 — confirm current figures with the court and the driver-licensing agency.

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