Mobility & Curb Rules in Iowa (2026)
24 rules on the books across Iowa, 10 cities and counties. Select a rule to read the full details.
Severity: Few Restrictions · Light Restrictions · Some Restrictions · Significant Restrictions · Heavy Restrictions
Bike Lane Rules
Rules of the road in painted, buffered, and protected bike lanes, including which vehicles may enter, parking-protected designs, and the right-of-way at intersections.
Ames
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Ames, Iowa, cyclists on roadways must ride as near the right-hand side as practicable, may not ride more…
Read full rule →Ankeny
Some RestrictionsIn the City of Ankeny, Iowa, drivers must yield to bicycles and electric scooters in designated bike lanes and may not…
Read full rule →Cedar Rapids
Some RestrictionsCedar Rapids bars motor vehicles, motorcycles, motorbikes, and mopeds from walking, parking, or driving in a designated…
Read full rule →Des Moines
Some RestrictionsCyclists must ride within marked bike lanes on Des Moines streets, and drivers may only enter one to park, cross it, or…
Read full rule →Iowa City
Some RestrictionsIowa City Code 9-8-4 bars motor vehicles from driving or parking in a bicycle path, lane, or parking area, and bars…
Read full rule →Waterloo
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code section 6-2-7 tells cyclists and electric scooter riders to keep right on streets without a marked…
Read full rule →West Des Moines
Some RestrictionsWest Des Moines City Code section 6-11-10 lets cyclists ride within an established bicycle lane while moving with…
Read full rule →Dubuque
Light RestrictionsIn the City of Dubuque, City Code § 7-7-11 requires cyclists to ride in the right-hand lane except when using a marked…
Read full rule →E-Bike Classes
CVC §312.5 Class 1/2/3 e-bike definitions, age and helmet rules per class, and where Class 3 e-bikes may use bike lanes vs streets.
Ankeny
Some RestrictionsAnkeny's bicycle code splits electric two-wheelers into distinct classes with different rules: a low-speed electric…
Read full rule →Cedar Rapids
Some RestrictionsCedar Rapids treats low-speed pedal e-bikes as bicycles, letting riders choose the roadway or an adjacent bike lane…
Read full rule →Council Bluffs
Some RestrictionsCouncil Bluffs treats an e-bike as a single class, not the three-tier system some states use: CBMC 9.09.020 defines an…
Read full rule →Waterloo
Some RestrictionsWaterloo City Code section 6-2-1.C sorts electric-assist bicycles into three classes by motor behavior and top speed…
Read full rule →Des Moines
Light RestrictionsDes Moines treats any pedaled e-bike with a motor of one horsepower or less as a legal bicycle, so it can use city…
Read full rule →Dubuque
Light RestrictionsDubuque City Code classifies low-speed electric bicycles as bicycles, not motorcycles, splitting them into three…
Read full rule →Iowa City
Light RestrictionsIowa City's traffic code does not sort e-bikes into three numbered classes; it defines a single "electric assist…
Read full rule →Red-Light Cameras
History and current status of LA's automated red-light camera program (sunset 2011), and current photo-enforcement at school-bus arms and bus-only lanes.
Cedar Rapids
Some RestrictionsCedar Rapids runs automated cameras at designated intersections that fine vehicle owners $100 for running a red light…
Read full rule →Council Bluffs
Some RestrictionsCouncil Bluffs runs a red light camera program under CBMC 9.16.055, not a school-zone speed camera program: cameras at…
Read full rule →Des Moines
Some RestrictionsDes Moines Municipal Code § 114-243 authorizes red-light and speed cameras at intersections the city manager…
Read full rule →Sioux City
Some RestrictionsSioux City runs a city-manager-authorized red light camera program at designated intersections; running a red triggers…
Read full rule →Waterloo
Some RestrictionsThe City of Waterloo runs red-light and speed cameras under City Code section 6-1-4, with a private contractor…
Read full rule →Iowa City
Few RestrictionsIowa City Code 9-11-1 bars the city from using automatic traffic surveillance, license plate recognition, or drone…
Read full rule →Golf Carts & Low-Speed Vehicles
Where golf carts and low-speed vehicles may legally use public streets, the speed-limit ceiling on roads they can cross or travel, and the equipment, licence, insurance and age rules that apply. Cart-community towns often permit street use the surrounding state law would not.