Applicant submits online licensure application and pays fee ($120).
Online sign waiver and FBI background check fee ($55).
FBI background check fingerprint card and waiver will be mailed to the address on file
Applicant must mail completed fingerprint card and signed waivers together to the Board Office.
The board office will review fingerprint card for accuracy and forward to DCI for processing or return to the applicant if incomplete
FBI background check report may require the board to request additional information from the applicant.
Primary verification of transcripts, passing exam score, other state licensure verification.
Final review of documents to determine if applicant has met licensure requirements.
Board office issues a license and mails it to the address on file, typically within two weeks of receipt of the final required document.
Compact Privileges
The Iowa Legislature enacted law to participate in the licensure compact for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants, which became effective July 1, 2018.
The Physical Therapy Compact is an agreement between member states to improve access to physical therapy services for the public by increasing the mobility of eligible physical therapy providers to work in multiple states. A Compact Privilege is the authorization to work in a Compact member state other than your home state. To be eligible for a Compact Privilege, you must hold an active PT or PTA license in your home state and meet other eligibility criteria, such as having no disciplinary action against your license for at least two years. When eligibility is verified and all fees are paid, you receive the Compact Privilege and may begin legally working in the other remote state.
Get Iowa privileges through the Physical Therapy Compact website. The process usually takes no more than one to three business days with proper identification.
As long as you are not living in Iowa, you may work in Iowa with your PT Compact
privilege. If you move to Iowa, then you must apply for licensure in Iowa and notify the
PT Compact of your home state change of address within thirty (30) days.
The Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact allows eligible licensed occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants an alternative method for providing services in other member states. Iowa privileges may not be available until January 2024 as the OT Compact is just beginning across the nation.
Alternate Approval Pathway
Beginning November 14, 2019, the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy (PTOT Board) will participate in the Alternate Approval Pathway (AAP) for applicants from accredited programs for licensure by examination. The AAP will separate the functions of exam registration/approval from licensure application/issuance. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) will have the final authority to determine who is eligible to sit for the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) with input from the schools, and the PTOT Board will concentrate on the requirements for issuing a license once the NPTE is passed by an applicant. The processing step of the PTOT Board verifying eligibility to FSBPT once all of the required licensure documentation has been received will be eliminated.
The AAP will not affect the current procedure for processing foreign-educated applicants.
It may take up to eight weeks of total processing time for us to approve your application.
Since joining the PT Compact, effective January 2019 the Board must complete a background check prior to issuing a license. We encourage all applicants to apply as soon as possible as the entire process can take up to eight weeks or longer depending on the outcome of the FBI background check.
New graduates should apply well before graduation to complete the background check process in a timely manner. Use an address where you can receive the packet of waivers and fingerprint cards. This should arrive within two weeks after you submit your application.
Most applicants will receive a license mailed to the address listed on the application within two weeks after the Board office reviews the final required document. Usually that document is the transcript, verification, passing exam score, or FBI background check report.
PT/OT FAQs
Visit ibplicense.iowa.gov to check for status updates. If you provided an email address at the time of application you will receive updates as documents have been validated.
An FBI background check report provides a point in time look back at any arrest or convictions you have had. The individual or agency requesting the background check has specific authorization to request and receive the information and cannot share that information with third parties. Iowa requires the FBI background check as part of its participation as a member state of the PT Compact, which was enacted by the Iowa Legislature in law. This cannot be waived.
There is no option to expedite the licensure review. No license may be issued until each requirement has been met by a verified document. Submit everything as early as possible. Applications are valid for two (2) years.
Delays occur when the Board is waiting for fingerprint cards, signed waivers, exam scores, transcripts, verification letters, or court documents. Occasionally fingerprints are rejected and we must send the second set or request a second set if the applicant didn't submit it originally or submitted incomplete cards. That can add additional weeks to the processing time.
Trust your postal carrier verification. Documents are validated and marked as reviewed within 7 - 10 business days of receipt. If it doesn't appear to have been validated by business day 11, email the office at plpublic@idph.iowa.gov. Please be aware of the requirements for the license. Documents that don't meet the requirements will not be checked off as reviewed.
If all documents—including test scores—are listed as reviewed/approved on our website but no license has been issued THEN the applicant should email plpublic@idph.iowa.gov with their name and phone number so we can assess the status of the application. This should only be a last resort. The more time staff spend providing status updates for an application, the less time there is to process those in queue.
Licensees may renew your license 60 days before the current expiration date. Multiple renewal notifications will be sent if the license has not yet been renewed. Licensees are encouraged to renew early to avoid a late fee or lapse in licensure.
All continuing education requirements must be completed prior to submitting your application for renewal.
Continuing Education
Licensees are responsible for meeting all continuing education requirements and should review the rules carefully and frequently. Review the rules for detailed information about continuing education definitions, requirements, standards, criteria and other important specific to this profession.
The licensing board does not pre-approve continuing education providers, sponsors or individual programs. It is the licensees’ responsibility to determine if the continuing education programs they attend meet the requirements of their professional licensing board.
A percentage of licensees are randomly audited following each license renewal cycle. If selected, the licensee must submit to the board office an individual certificate of completion issued to the licensee or evidence of successful completion of the course from the course sponsor. These documents must contain the course title, date(s), contact hours, sponsor and licensee's name. In some instances, licensees will be requested to provide to the board additional information, including program content, objectives, presenters, location and schedule. Many times an inclusive brochure meets this requirement.
When selecting continuing education programs, licensees need to make sure they are compliant with administrative rule requirements. Some professions require licensees to meet specific requirements as a condition of renewal. These may include limits on presentation method (e.g. self-study, ICN, etc.), specific hours on ethics and Iowa law and rules, clinical content, or hours required in a specific practice discipline.
To ensure compliance, each licensee must understand the continuing education administrative rules for their profession prior to choosing and attending a particular program. No matter what a program brochure indicates, it is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure compliance with licensing requirements.
In summary all licensees should:
Be familiar with the continuing education requirements of their professional boards.
Obtain inclusive written materials about continuing education programs from program sponsors for post-renewal auditing purposes.
Maintain certificates of completion that includes the program or course title, date(s), contact hours, sponsor and licensee's name for four years.
A licensee who had a physical or mental disability or illness during the license period may apply for an extension or exemption. An exemption provides for an extension of time or exemption from some or all of the continuing education requirements. An applicant shall submit a completed application form approved by the board for an exemption.
The application requires the signature of a licensed health care professional who can attest to the existence of a disability or illness during the license period.
If the application is from a license who is the primary caregiver for a relative who is ill or disabled and needs care from that primary caregiver, the physician shall verify the licensee's status as the primary caregiver.
A licensee who applies for an exemption shall be notified of the decision regarding the application. A licensee who obtains approval shall retain a copy of the exemption to be presented to the board upon request.
The licensing board does not pre-approve continuing education providers, sponsors or individual programs. It is the licensees’ responsibility to determine if the continuing education programs they attend meet the requirements of their professional licensure board.
Potential sponsors are responsible for independently determining if the programs they provide conform to the continuing education requirements set forth in the rules regulations of the professional boards.
To make this determination, thoroughly review the rules for the board(s) in which you are interested prior to offering continuing education to Iowa licensees. By providing inclusive information about the content, objectives and applicability of your program to professional practice, you will assist licensees to make informed decisions when selecting continuing education.
A percentage of licensees in every profession regulated by a licensing board are randomly selected following each license renewal cycle. For auditing purposes the licensee must submit to the board office an individual certificate of completion issued to the licensee or evidence of successful completion of the course from the course sponsor. These documents must contain the course title, date(s), contact hours, sponsor and licensee's name. In some instances, licensees will be requested to provide to the board additional information to assure compliance with continuing education requirements, including program content, objectives, presenters, location and schedule. For this reason, sponsors should provide these items to licensees in writing. An inclusive brochure may meet this requirement.
Additionally, sponsors should consider profession-specific requirements that licensees must address to assure compliance with continuing education rules when preparing written materials such as method of presentation (home study, ICN, etc.), inclusion of specific hours on ethics and Iowa law and rules, certification status by national associations or boards, clinical content, and hours required in a specific practice discipline.
In summary sponsors should:
Be familiar with the continuing education requirements of their professional audiences.
Provide inclusive written materials to all program participants.
Notify licensees that materials should be retained for four years for auditing purposes.
Provide a certificate of completion that includes the program or course title, date(s), contact hours, sponsor and licensee's name.
Definitions, requirements, standards, criteria and other important specific to this profession.
Laws
Laws are contained in the Iowa Code. They are enacted by the Iowa Legislature and provide statutory authority to the professional licensure boards.
Rulemaking notices, along with adopted rule changes, are published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin. The preamble for each notice includes a summary of the proposed rule changes. The notice includes information about how to submit public comment when applicable. All comments are forwarded to the board for review prior to making a final decision on the outcome of rule change proposals.
The process for seeking a waiver from an administrative rule and the standards under which the petition will be evaluated are described in Chapter 18.
The Iowa Practitioner Program (IPP) is available to licensees across multiple licensing boards in Iowa. The Iowa Practitioner Review Committee (IPRC) reviews self-reports made by licensees to determine eligibility for participation.
IPP was established in 1996 to support licensees who struggle with impairments due to alcohol or drug abuse, mental health conditions, and/or physical disorders.
The IPRC designs an individualized health contract to meet the needs of the licensee. State law mandates that information in the possession of the IPRC remain confidential. Participation in the program is not a matter of public record.
"Impairment" means an inability to practice with reasonable safety and skill as a result of alcohol or drug abuse, dependency, or addiction, or any mental or physical disorder or disability.
"Self-report" means the licensee providing written or oral notifications to the board that the licensee has received or may receive a diagnosis as having an impairment before the board's receiving a complaint or report alleging an impairment before the date of self-report.
The IPRC determines whether practitioners are eligible to participate in the program monitored by the committee. A person is ineligible to take part in the program for any of the following reasons:
The practitioner engaged in the unlawful diversion or distribution of controlled illegal substances to a third party, or for personal gain or profit;
The practitioner is already under a board order;
The practitioner has caused harm or injury to a patient;
The board is investigating the practitioner that concerns serious matters related to the practitioner's competence;
The practitioner failed to provide truthful information or refused to cooperate with the board or the IPRC; or
The practitioner has been subject to a civil administrative or criminal sanction for serious infractions of law, professional ethics, or administrative rules related to the practice.
Based upon the recommendation of an approved evaluator, the IPRC creates an individualized health contract, which provides a detailed description of the goals of the program, requirements for successful completion, and the practitioner's obligations.
Note: The IPRC may refer to the board participants who are not compliant with the terms of their contract for consideration of disciplinary action.
The chairperson of the board appoints the members of the IPRC. The IPRC includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Executive Director of the board or the director's designee from the board's staff;
A practitioner who has remained free of addiction for two or more years after completing a recovery program for drug or alcohol dependency, addiction, or abuse;
A physician/counselor with expertise in substance abuse/addiction treatment programs;
A psychiatrist or psychologist; and
A public member.
The program encourages practitioners who have impairments to get the help they need. All information received by IPP and IPRC remains confidential as long as the practitioner complies with the terms of their agreement or health contract.
By self-reporting to IPP, the practitioner may avoid formal disciplinary action by the licensing Board. Formal disciplinary action taken against a practitioner is a matter of public record. The board reports the action to the press, the National Practitioners Data Bank (NPDB), insurance companies, and to other state and federal authorities. Participation in the program is confidential.
Health care practitioners must report knowledge of another practitioner's possible impairment to the board. Health care practitioners who fail to report colleagues with a possible impairment may be subject to disciplinary action by the board. It is in the practitioner's best interest to self-report an impairment before someone else files complaint or report.
If any of the following apply to a practitioner, it is in that person's best interest to self-report to IPP as soon as possible:
Charged with, and/or arrested for OWI, or for another alcohol or drug related offense;
Disciplined by another federal or state agency for alcohol or drug abuse;
Evaluated or treated for a substance use disorder, or is currently enrolled in a recovery program;
Diagnosed with a mental health condition and/or a physical health condition;
Practiced after drinking alcohol or taking an illegal or mind/mood altering substance;
Addiction/dependence on drugs, alcohol or prescription medication; and/or
Urged by friend(s), family or colleagues to get help for alcohol or drug abuse, or a mental or physical condition.
