City Clerk

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The City Clerk is appointed by and reports directly to the City Council, and attends all City Council meetings.

The Clerk is charged with custody of deeds, contracts, and abstracts. The Clerk's Office is responsible for the keeping of all ordinances, resolutions, minutes, and the Iowa City City Code. The office publishes public notices, ordinances, and minutes as required by law, and assists both staff and the general public in researching information.

The City Clerk's Office issues the following: Taxi company licenses and driver authorization, outdoor service areas, cigarette licenses, beer/liquor licenses, parade and assembly permits, and cemetery deeds. They maintain City subdivision files, project files, the Domestic Partnership Registry, and an index of Council proceedings. The Clerk's office also provides staff and support for the Community Police Review Board.

Public Records Requests

All public records requests can be made through our online portal.

Council Elections

City Council Elections are handled by the Johnson County Auditor.

Vital Records

All vital records (birth, death, marriage) are handled by the Johnson County Recorder.

Notary Services - available at no cost, with no appointment necessary

A notarization is generally an assurance made by a Notary Public that a document's signature is genuine, that the signer acted without duress and that the signer intended the terms of the document to be in full force and effect.
Most requests for notarization involve the signing of documents. In all cases, all signers and any required witness(es) must be present for the notarization. You'll need to bring acceptable ID as required by your state along with all pages of the document being notarized.
- We suggest you don't sign or date the document (some documents must be signed and dated in the presence of a Notary).
- Make sure you have all the pages of the document(s) being signed, not just the signature page.
- Make sure all document signers have state-acceptable ID.
When you (as well as any additional document signers and required witnesses) arrive at, the Notary will review your document(s) to determine the notarization requirements and whether we are able to complete the notarization.

Documents and Forms

Licenses and Permits

Following are details about Clerk-administered licenses and permits.

Alcoholic Beverage Permit

Cigarette Permit

NOTE: As of May 7, 2024 there is a moratorium on the issuance of new tobacco permits in Iowa City, Iowa until January 1, 2025. (Resolution 24-129)

Any retailer selling cigarettes, tobacco, alternative nicotine or vapor products within city limits must submit a completed permit application to the City Clerk's office. All permits expire June 30.

A Cigarette Permit is required to sell cigarettes. Cigarette/tobacco/nicotine/vapor permits are issued by the local authority but regulated by the state. More information is available from the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division. The application can be obtained online from the Iowa ABD website or at the City Clerk's office.

Contact:
City Clerk's Office
319-356-5042

City Plaza, Use of

Demonstration, Rally, Picket or Protest

Domestic Partner Registry

The City Clerk's Office maintains a registry of non-married but committed adult partners who choose to declare themselves as domestic partners. Applications for this registry may be obtained from the City Clerk's Office. Along with the application and application fee, there are certain requirements which must be met before the declaration is issued.

Contact
City Clerk's Office
319-356-5043

Information Table, City Plaza Only

If you would like to have an information table on the City Plaza, please submit an information table permit application.

The city manager or designee is authorized to grant a permit for the placement of an information table in City Plaza subject to the following conditions: (Ord. 11-4435, 6-21-2011)

1. The location shall be determined by the city manager or designee. (Ord. 13-4515, 1-22-2013)

2. The size of the table shall not exceed three feet by three feet (3' x 3').

3. Soliciting as defined in section 8-5-2 of this code is prohibited.

4. The purpose of the table is limited to providing noncommercial information to the general public. Information containing commercial and noncommercial information is allowed if the commercial information is characteristically intertwined with noncommercial information. "Noncommercial information" is information that is of public concern or that conveys political, social, religious, or philosophical messages. "Commercial information" is information proposing the exchange of goods or services for money or other consideration.

5. Commercial activity is prohibited.

6. Goods or services cannot be provided or demonstrated. Collection of signatures incident to provision of information, including, but not limited to, gathering signatures for a petition or registering persons to vote, shall not be considered a service.

7. The city manager or designee shall grant the permit if the applicant has fully completed the application. If the permit is denied, the city manager or designee shall state the reasons therefor within three (3) working days of the application being filed.

8. The city manager or designee, or the city council if issued following an appeal, may revoke a permit if:

a. It is determined that the permittee has misstated any material fact in the application;

b. There is a substantial and material variance between the information in the application and the actual facts or those facts which appear reasonably to have occurred; or

c. The permittee is operating in violation of the terms and conditions of the permit or local, state, or federal law.

9. The process for appeals of a denial or revocation of the permit shall be the same as for a parade/public assembly permit. (Ord. 11-4435, 6-21-2011)

Outdoor Service Area

Designated outdoor service areas are extensions of the licensed premises. Outdoor service areas are not licensed separately. Licensees can sell or serve alcoholic beverages in an outdoor service area only if meeting licensing requirements. This privilege can be applied for online on the Alcoholic Beverages Division website.

Applications for outdoor service areas must be submitted online through the eLAPS licensing system. The licensee's insurance carrier must certify that dramshop liability insurance covers the outdoor service area. A sketch of the outdoor service area showing boundaries and its relationship to the licensed premises (the area must be adjacent to the premises) must be submitted to, and approved by, the local authority.

NOTE: Local authorities can approve or deny an application for an outdoor service area. Denials can be appealed to ABD.

The City has additional requirements which must be met before final approval of the application. A checklist of these requirements can be obtained from the City Clerk’s Office. Please call with questions at 319-356-5042.

Additional information can be found in City Code Section 4-3-1 Outdoor Service Areas.

Parade

Park, Use of

Public Ways and Property, Use of

Sidewalk Retailing (2018)

City Code Section 10-3-6 provides that a Sidewalk Retailing Permit may be issued to individual retailers allowing placement of merchandise on the sidewalk. This permit will be in effect from March 1 through October 31, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Under this provision, a permit may be issued to any individual retailer who completes the application, provides proof of liability insurance naming the City as an additional insured, and abides by the rules for sidewalk retailing established by the City Manager.

More Information about Sidewalk Retailing .

Sidewalk, Temporary Use of

Sound

Amplified sound permits are required for those wishing to produce amplified sound in the City Plaza. Amplified sound is defined as a sound that is increased in intensity by electrical, electronic, mechanical, and other non-human means. You must file an application via the online application to obtain an amplified sound permit. Please contact the City Clerk's office with questions 319-356-5042.

Street and Public Grounds, Use of

Taxis and Pedicabs

A permit is required to own and/or operate a motorized vehicle furnished with a driver and carrying passengers. Includes taxicab, pedicab, and horse-drawn vehicles. A number of requirements must be met before the application and application fee can be processed by the City Clerk.

Contact
City Clerk's Office
319-356-5040

Current Businesses

Listing of Current Taxicab/Pedicab Business

Application and Fee Information

Taxi

Pedicab/Horse Drawn

Administrative Rules

Department of Criminal Investigation background check may be applied for in the City Clerk's Office. For details call 319-356-5040.

Vending, Ambulatory

An ambulatory vendor permit is required if you want to sell food or other goods while moving about the City Plaza in Downtown Iowa City. You must file an application via the online application to obtain an ambulatory vending permit. Please contact the City Clerk's office with questions 319-356-5042.

Ambulatory Vendors:

1. Application For Permit:

a. Filing Application:

(1) An application for an ambulatory vendor permit shall be filed with the City Manager or designee by any person or group of persons desiring to use the public right-of-way as provided in this chapter. If the applicant is not a natural person, the applicant shall identify a natural person who has authority to act for the applicant with regard to the ambulatory vending operation.

(2) All applications must be received at least five (5) working days before the proposed start of operations.

(3) Applications shall be made on forms prepared by the City Manager or designee.

b. Application Form: The application form shall contain the following information:

(1) Name, address, and telephone number of the applicant.

(2) An acknowledgment to be signed by a natural person that he or she has the authority to act on behalf of the ambulatory vending operation.

(3) List of past permits issued.

(4) Product to be sold.

(5) Hours of operation.

(6) Months of operation.

(7) An agreement in which the applicant shall agree to pay on behalf of the City all sums which the City shall be obligated to pay by reason of any liability imposed upon the City for damages of any kind resulting from use of public property and the public right-of-way, whether sustained by any person or persons, caused by accident or otherwise and shall defend at its own expense and on behalf of the City any claim against the City arising out of the use of public property and the public right-of-way.

(8) Acknowledgment that the applicant has contacted the Johnson County Health Department and has reviewed Health Code requirements.

(9) Fee.

(10) Insurance is required in a reasonable amount necessary to minimize risk of harm to persons or property based on the nature and size of the event, as determined by the city's risk manager. The insurance requirement may be waived if applicant demonstrates inability to obtain insurance or to pay the cost of insurance.

(11) Any other information that the city manager or designee finds necessary.

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