Iowa House Bill HF762

Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/5/25
• Refer: 3/5/25

Caption

A bill for an act requiring persons twelve years of age or older to pass a written test and obtain an education certificate prior to operating an all-terrain vehicle or off-road utility vehicle on streets, highways, certain land, ice, and trails, providing fees, and making penalties applicable.(Formerly HF 73; See HF 1005.)

Summary

HF 762 would expand Iowa’s ATV and off-road utility vehicle education requirements. Under the bill, anyone 12 years of age or older would need to complete a DNR-approved education course, pass a written test, and carry a valid education certificate before operating an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or off-road utility vehicle (UTV) on streets, highways, public land, public ice, designated riding trails, or land purchased with ATV registration funds. The bill also removes the current exemption for UTV operators from the education and certification requirements. The bill changes the certification process by eliminating the option to qualify through a demonstration of riding skills alone, making successful completion of a written test part of the certification path. It preserves the exception for operation that occurs as part of a prescribed training course under direct supervision of a certified instructor. The bill also retains the existing fee structure for education certificates and the associated enforcement framework, including a simple misdemeanor and scheduled fine for operating without the required certificate.

Impact

HF 762 would amend Iowa Code chapter 321I governing ATVs and off-road utility vehicles, broadening where certification is required and extending the education-certificate mandate to UTV operators. It would also change the qualification standards for an education certificate by requiring a written test and removing the riding-skills-only option. In practice, the bill would increase the number of riders subject to DNR education requirements and potentially increase compliance and enforcement obligations for operators, instructors, and the Department of Natural Resources.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received in committee, with the House Committee on Appropriations reporting it out by a 23-1 vote. No committee transcript is available here, so there is no recorded debate to indicate broader support or opposition beyond the vote. The committee action and renumbering to HF 1005 indicate the measure advanced through the process rather than stalling.

Contention

The main points of contention appear to be the expansion of mandatory education requirements to UTV operators and the removal of the alternative qualification method based on demonstrating riding skills. Those changes would likely be viewed as increasing regulatory burden for some operators while improving safety and standardizing certification. Another possible issue is the extension of the certificate requirement to streets and highways, which broadens the scope of regulated activity beyond the existing focus on public land and trails.