Iowa
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Iowa continuing education (CE) requirements:
Note: Guidance on License Renewals and Continuing Education Requirements
Licences That Expired in 2020
2020 Iowa Acts, House File 2627 established an extended grace period for licenses that expiered in 2020. Pursuant to the House File, if your license expired in 2020 and you did not renew by your normal renewal date, you have until June 30, 2021 to complete your continuing education and renw your license. This is an extended grace period, meaning failure to renew your license by June 30 will result in your license becoming inactivre July 1.
You are not required to wait until June 30 and may renew your licesne online at any time. You may renew prior to completing any required continuing education provided you intend to complete all required continuing education by June 30, 2021. All hours may be completed through online or remote offerings. Additinallly, please be advised that this extended grace period does not alter your normal renewal cycle. For example, if your license expired in August of 2020 and you have a two-year renewal cycle, if you wait to renew until June 30, 2021, you msut still rewew again in August of 2022.
Licenses that Exprire During the Proclamation Period:
If your license expires between January 1, 2021 and the end of the Proclamation, you are not subject to the extended grace period of House File 2627. However, through her Proclamation of Disaster Emergency, Governor Reynolds temporarily suspended license renwal deadlines. This means if your licesne expires during this proclamation period, you may continue to work on the expired liecnse and are not required to renew. Licensees whose license expires during the Proclamation perido must submit their renwal application and compete their continuing educatinon within sixty (60) days of the expiration or termination of the Proclamation period.
Submission of renewal application within sixty (60) dyas will be considered timely and will not result in assessment of any late fees. Failure to renw your license within sixty (60) days after expiration of the proclamation will result in your licesne becoming inactive. Once a license goes inactive, all reactivation requirements will be met prior to renewing a license. Additionally, pleae be advised that this extended grace period does not alter your normal renewal cycle. For instance, if your license expired in January 2021 and you have a two year renwal cycycle, if you wait to renew in April of 2021 you must still renew again in January of 2023.
You are not required to wait until the Proclamation period ends to renew and may renew at your schedulted time. If you choose to renew your license during the Proclamation period, you may attest that you have completed your continuing educatoin requirements even if you hae not yet completed them, provided you intend to complete all required continuing education within sixty (60) days of the expiration or termination of the Proclamation period. All hours may be completed through online or remote offerings.
Note: Mandatory Reporter Information
Every mandatory reporter must complete 2 hours of training within six months of employment or self-employment, unless otherwise specified by federal regulations, and requires one hour of additional training every 3 years. The child and dependent adult abuse trainings can no longer be combined into one 2-hour course. Both the child and dependent adult abuse core trainings will be 2 hours each. All mandatory reporters are required to take the core (2-hour) training initially, but will be allowed to take a one hour recertification training every three years thereafter so long as they do so prior to the three-year expiration period. Use this link for more information regarding mandatory reporting courses: Mandatory Reporter Information | Iowa Department of Human Services. Note: This course cannot be completed with PDR.
Iowa Board of Psychology
CE Required: 40 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: No limit (must have a certificate)
License Expiration: 6/30, even years
National Accreditation Accepted: APA
Notes: 6 hrs Iowa mental health laws and regulations or 6 hours risk management are required for the second renewal period. Thereafter 6 hrs Ethics or 6 hrs Federal mental health laws and regulations or 6 hrs Iowa mental health laws and regulations or 6 hours risk management are required each renewal period.
Date of Info: 3/9/2021
Note: Iowa Board of Psychology Guidance Related to Governor Reynold’s Proclamations & COVID-19
Licensees have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education. Licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. For more information visit: 2020_06_25 - Iowa Board of Psychology Guidance.pdf
Iowa psychologists can earn up to 40 hours required for renewal through online courses offered on the psychology page of this website. Click here to view online CE courses for psychologists.
Iowa Board of Behavioral Science
CE Required: 40 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: 40 hours (Must have proof of attendance and completion certificate)
License Expiration: 9/30, even years
Notes: 3 hours of ethics required at each renewal; As of 10/1/2022 if a supervisory position is held, 3 hours of supervision CE is required.
National Accreditation Accepted: NBCC
Date of Info: 3/9/2021
Note: Iowa Board of Behavioral Science Guidance Related to Governor Reynold’s Proclamations & COVID-19
Licensees have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal for licenses set to expire on September 30, 2020. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education. Licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. The Board is waiving 10 hours of the required continuing education for licensees who renew by September 30, 2020. Licensees who renew by September 30, 2020 are only required to obtain 30 hours of continuing education, and have until June 30, 2021 to complete the required 30 hours of continuing education. Licensees who have already completed 40 hours of continuing education by September 30, 2020 may count 10 hours towards the continuing education required for license renewal in 2022. Licensees are reminded that all of the required continuing education may be obtained online. Licensed Behavior Analysts and Assistant Behavior Analysts are not affected as the Board does not review or require continuing education for license renewal. For more information visit: BS.pdf (iowa.gov)
Iowa counselors can earn up to 40 hours required for renewal through online courses offered on the counseling page of this website. Click here to view NBCC-approved online CE courses.
Iowa Board of Speech Pathology & Audiology
CE Required: 30 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: 30
License Expiration: 12/31, odd years
National Accreditation Accepted: ASHA
Date of Info: 3/9/2021
Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Guidance Related to Governor Reynold’s Proclamations & COVID-19
Licensees have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education. Licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. Licensees are reminded that all of the required continuing education may be obtained through distance education. For further guidance visit 2020_06_25 - Iowa Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology Guidance.pdf.
Iowa SLPs can earn up to 30 hours required for renewal through online courses offered on the speech-language pathology page of this website. Click here to view ASHA-approved online CEU courses.
Iowa Board of Social Work
CE Required: 27 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: 27 hours (independent study - must have posttest)
License Expiration: 12/31, even years
National Accreditation Accepted: ASWB
Notes: 3 hours of Ethics ; If applicant holds a supervisory position, 3 hours CE in supervison is required
Date of Info: 3/9/2021
Iowa Board of Social Work Emergency Proclamation Guidelines
Licensees will have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal for licenses set to expire on December 31, 2020. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education. Licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. Licensees are reminded that all of the required continuing education may be obtained online. For more information visit: 2020_11_10 - Iowa Board of Social Work Guidance (1).pdf
Iowa social workers can earn up to 12 hours for renewal through online courses offered on the social work page of this website. Click here to view ASWB-approved online CE courses.
Iowa Board of PT & OT
CE Required: OT-30, OTA-15 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: OT- 30, OTA-15 hours (must have post-test & certificate)
License Expiration: 15th of birthmonth, every 2 years
National Accreditation Accepted: Does not pre-approve - licensee responsible for choosing appropriate courses
Notes: A minimum of 20 hours for the OT and 10 hours for the OTA must be directly related to the clinical application of occupational therapy.
Date of Info: 3/9/2021
Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy Guidance Related to Governor Reynold’s Proclamations & COVID-19
Licensees have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal for any license set to expire in 2020. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education. Licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. Any Board rules that require licensees to complete any continuing education in-person are waived for this license renewal, regardless of when the license is set to expire. For more informaion visit: 2020_06_25 - Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy Guidance (2).pdf
Iowa OTs can earn up to 30 hours required for renewal through online courses offered on the occupational therapy page of this website. Click here to view AOTA-approved online CEU courses.
Iowa Board of Behavioral Science
CE Required: 40 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: 40 hours
License Expiration: 9/30, even years
Notes: 3 hours of ethics required at each renewal; As of 10/1/2022 if a supervisory position is held, 3 hours of supervision CE is required.
National Accreditation Accepted: NBCC
Date of Info: 3/9/2021
Note: Iowa Board of Behavioral Science Guidance Related to Governor Reynold’s Proclamations & COVID-19
Licensees have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal for licenses set to expire on September 30, 2020. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education. Licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. The Board is waiving 10 hours of the required continuing education for licensees who renew by September 30, 2020. Licensees who renew by September 30, 2020 are only required to obtain 30 hours of continuing education, and have until June 30, 2021 to complete the required 30 hours of continuing education. Licensees who have already completed 40 hours of continuing education by September 30, 2020 may count 10 hours towards the continuing education required for license renewal in 2022. Licensees are reminded that all of the required continuing education may be obtained online. Licensed Behavior Analysts and Assistant Behavior Analysts are not affected as the Board does not review or require continuing education for license renewal. For more information visit: BS.pdf (iowa.gov)
Iowa MFTs can earn up to 40 hours per renewal through online courses offered on the marriage & family therapy page of this website. Click here to view NBCC-approved online CE courses.
Iowa Board of Dietetics
CE Required: 30 hours every 2 years
Online CE Allowed: 30 hours
License Expiration: 15th of birthmonth, every 2 years
National Accreditation Accepted: CDR
Date of Info: 3/9/2021
Iowa Board of Dietetics Guidance Related to Governor Reynold’s Proclamations & COVID-19
Licensees have until June 30, 2021 to complete the continuing education required for license renewal for any license set to expire in 2020. Licensees may renew prior to completing the required continuing education. In order to complete the renewal application, licensees will need to attest to completion of the required continuing education. Licensees should attest to the completion of the required hours if they have completed, or plan to complete, the required continuing education by June 30, 2021. Licensees are reminded that all of the required continuing education may be obtained online. For more information please visit: 2020_06_25 - Iowa Board of Dietetics Guidance (1).pdf
Iowa dietitians/nutritionists can earn all 30 hours required for renewal through online courses offered on the nutrition & dietetics page of this website. Click here to view CDR-approved online CE courses.
The Iowa State Board of Education certifies school psychologists. Standard continuing education requirements include 6 credits (or 90 CPD hours) after 5 years, which then leads to earning the Master license. Acceptable credits include semester hours of college credit from a regionally accredited college or university staff development license renewal credit from an Iowa area education agency. Candidates may apply for certification as school psychologists in Iowa through the traditional pathway or the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) pathway. Psychologists who wish to practice outside a school setting must have a license issued by the Iowa Board of Psychology (Iowa Department of Public Health). The Iowa Board recognizes school psychology as a specialty within professional psychology.
Date of Info: 08/23/2016
