Administrative rules are created by state agencies to implement laws passed by the legislature. Iowa Code Chapter 17A, also known as the Iowa Administrative Procedures Act, defines procedures which must be followed for implementing or modifying administrative rules, regulating contested cases (hearings), and judicial review of any action.
The entire administrative rules process takes a minimum of 108 days to complete and involves two main components:
Public notice
Implementation for the "final" adoption, publication, and distribution of the rules.
Proposed rules are published biweekly as a notice of intended action (NOIA) in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin (IAB).
For additional information and all current notices of intended action available for comment, visit the Iowa Administrative Rules website.
Emergency Rulemaking
Emergency rulemaking is used when a rule needs to be put into effect more quickly than the regular process allows. In certain situations, the rule can begin before the public is officially notified. About 20 percent of the rules made by government agencies are adopted through this emergency process.
MPJE Important Update: Pharmacist license candidates planning to take the MPJE, Iowa Edition, should be aware that the Board’s rules under 657 Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) will be rescinded. New rules will take effect under 481 IAC, Chapters 550–557, on or around July 16, 2025.
The Board has directed the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to delay reflecting these changes in the MPJE until August 1, 2025.
If you take the exam on or before July 31, 2025, it will reflect the current rules under 657 IAC, along with applicable federal and state laws and standards.
If you take the exam on or after August 1, 2025, it will reflect the new rules under 481 IAC, along with applicable federal and state laws and standards.
Notice of Rule Changes: On May 8, 2025, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy voted to adopt changes to its administrative rules. This action will rescind all current rules under 657 Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) and replace them with new Chapters 550 through 557 under 481 IAC. These changes are part of the Board’s compliance with Governor Kim Reynolds’ Executive Order 10, issued in January 2023.
The adopted rules are expected to be published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on or around June 11, 2025, and will take effect on or around July 16, 2025. After publication, the Iowa Legislative Services Agency will update the Iowa Administrative Rules website to reflect the new rules. At that time, 657 IAC will no longer be visible on the site. However, please note that the changes do not take effect until July 16, 2025.
