Commercial vehicle with several serious equipment violations rolls through Iowa scale house
Des Moines, Iowa — Iowa drivers are being advised that traffic enforcement has shifted in a significant way: law enforcement officers are now officially issuing citations for handheld electronic device use while driving.
The change is tied to a slate of new state laws passed during Iowa’s 2025 legislative session. Those laws took effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and the updated enforcement posture is now in place statewide.
For professional drivers, the update matters because it turns what may have previously been handled with warnings or less formal action into a citable offense under the new rules. The announcement is intended to put motorists on notice that handheld device use behind the wheel is now being enforced through citations.
The broader context is straightforward: Iowa’s 2025 legislative session produced multiple traffic-related changes, and the start of 2026 is when those updates became effective. With the effective date now passed, enforcement has moved from preparation to day-to-day roadside application.