(Radio Iowa) – The temporary paper licenses on newly-purchased vehicles in Iowa are now digitized. The cards hang inside the back window of a vehicle, indicating the vehicle’s new owner has submitted the paperwork to the Iowa D-O-T to register the vehicle as their own. As of January 1st, auto dealers have been providing cards that can be scanned by law enforcement officers. Jazmine Sneller, the general manager of Ver Hoef Automotive in Sioux Center, says each card has an embedded number from the Iowa D-O-T, so the driver can confirm they own the vehicle. “So if you get pulled over, they can run that number and it will automatically show up in your name,” Sneller says.

Sneller says the change is providing reassurance to customers who’ve been wary of leaving the dealership with the temporary tag in the rear window. “If they had to cross state lines, they were worried about getting pulled over and not being able to provide enough documentation,” Sneller says. Dealers issue the temporary tags for a vehicle after tax, title, and license fees are paid and all paperwork is now handled electronically.

Iowa D-O-T officials say the updated system makes it easier to verify legitimate vehicle registrations.