321A.1 - DEFINITIONS.

        321A.1  DEFINITIONS.         The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall,      for the purposes of this chapter, have the meanings respectively      ascribed to them in this section, except in those instances where the      context clearly indicates a different meaning:         1.  County system.  "Book", "list", "record", or      "schedule" kept by a county auditor, assessor, treasurer,      recorder, sheriff, or other county officer means the county system as      defined in section 445.1.         2.  Department.  "Department" means the state department of      transportation.         3.  Judgment.  A judgment which has become final by expiration      without appeal during the time within which an appeal might have been      perfected, or a judgment if an appeal from the judgment has been      perfected, which has not been stayed by the execution, filing, and      approval of a bond as provided in rule of appellate procedure      6.601(1), or a judgment which has become final by affirmation on      appeal, rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction of a state or      of the United States, upon a cause of action arising out of the      ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle, as defined in this      section, for damages, including damages for care and loss of      services, because of bodily injury to or death of a person, or for      damages because of injury to or destruction of property, including      the loss of use of property, or upon a cause of action on an      agreement of settlement for such damages.         4.  License.  A driver's license as defined in section 321.1      issued under the laws of this state.         5.  Motor vehicle.  "Motor vehicle" means every vehicle which      is self-propelled, but not including vehicles known as trackless      trolleys which are propelled by electric power obtained from overhead      trolley wires and not operated upon rails.  The term "car" or      "automobile" shall be synonymous with the term "motor      vehicle".  "Motor vehicle" does not include special mobile      equipment as defined in this section.         6.  Nonresident.  Every person who is not a resident of this      state.         7.  Nonresident operating privilege.  The privilege conferred      upon a nonresident by the laws of this state pertaining to the      operation by the nonresident of a motor vehicle, or the use of a      motor vehicle owned by the nonresident, in this state.         8.  Operator.  A person who is in actual physical control of a      motor vehicle whether or not that person has a driver's license as      required under the laws of this state.         9.  Owner.  "Owner" means a person who holds the legal title      of a motor vehicle; however, if the motor vehicle is the subject of a      security agreement with a right of possession in the debtor, the      debtor shall be deemed the owner for purposes of this chapter or if      the motor vehicle is leased as defined in section 321.493, the lessee      shall be deemed the owner for purposes of this chapter.         10.  Person.  Every natural person, firm, partnership,      association, or corporation.         11.  Proof of financial responsibility.  Proof of ability to      respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring      subsequent to the effective date of the proof, arising out of the      ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle, in amounts as      follows:  With respect to accidents occurring on or after January 1,      1981, and prior to January 1, 1983, the amount of fifteen thousand      dollars because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one      accident, and, subject to the limit for one person, the amount of      thirty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two      or more persons in any one accident, and the amount of ten thousand      dollars because of injury to or destruction of property of others in      any one accident; and with respect to accidents occurring on or after      January 1, 1983, the amount of twenty thousand dollars because of      bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident, and,      subject to the limit for one person, the amount of forty thousand      dollars because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons      in any one accident, and the amount of fifteen thousand dollars      because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one      accident.         12.  Registration.  Registration certificate or certificates      and registration plates issued under the laws of this state      pertaining to the registration of motor vehicles.         13.  Special mobile equipment.  "Special mobile equipment"      means every vehicle not designed or used primarily for the      transportation of persons or property and incidentally operated or      moved over the highways, including road construction or maintenance      machinery, ditch-digging apparatus, and implements of husbandry as      defined in section 321.1, subsection 32.  This description does not      exclude other vehicles which are within the general terms of this      subsection.         14.  State.  Any state, territory, or possession of the United      States, the District of Columbia, or any province of the Dominion of      Canada.  
         Section History: Early Form
         [C50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, § 321A.1] 
         Section History: Recent Form
         83 Acts, ch 101, § 74; 90 Acts, ch 1230, § 77; 92 Acts, ch 1175, §      39; 95 Acts, ch 136, §2; 98 Acts, ch 1073, §9; 2000 Acts, ch 1148,      §1; 2002 Acts, ch 1119, §200, 201; 2005 Acts, ch 131, § 1, 2, 5; 2008      Acts, ch 1032, §106; 2009 Acts, ch 179, §36         Referred to in § 321.12, 321A.24, 516A.1, 516A.2