This guide is for general information only and is not legal advice. Laws change — verify current rules with your state DOT or a licensed attorney before relying on this for any legal matter. Read full disclaimer.
The rule
In Iowa, the DUI statute does not apply to bicyclists — it covers motor-vehicle operators only. Iowa's OWI statute (Iowa Code § 321J.2) applies only to operators of a 'motor vehicle,' and Iowa Code § 321.1(42) defines motor vehicle to exclude bicycles. Cyclists impaired in public may still face public-intoxication charges under § 123.46, but the OWI penalties — including a 180-day licence revocation — do not attach to bicycle operation. See Iowa Code § 321J.2 (Operating while intoxicated).
A DUI charge isn't on the table for cyclists in Iowa, but that's not a license to ride drunk — public-intoxication, reckless-conduct, and disorderly-conduct charges can still apply, and cycling impaired dramatically raises crash risk.