Topics:
Plumbing & Mechanical Systems
Summary Code Reference Requirements Iowa requires licensed professionals to obtain continuing education for their license renewal. Plumbing & Mechanical Systems Board (PMSB) licenses are issued for a three-year licensing period. 8 CEU hours are the typical requirement to renew each license. Annual Cost Additional Information At least half of your CEU hours must be in-person. Up to half of your CEU hours can be online. CEU courses and instructors are pre-approved by the Plumbing & Mechanical Systems Board. Only approved courses taught by approved instructors will count toward your CEU requirement.
List items for CEUs Required for PMSB License Renewal
Single Journeyperson, Master, or Specialty License
CEU hour requirement if you have one of the licenses below:
Individual CEU requirement Master or Journeyperson License Type: 8 Hour CEU Breakdown: Plumbing: 2 hours, Plumbing code 4 hours, Plumbing discipline 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) HVAC/Refrigeration: 2 hours, Mechanical code 4 hours, HVAC/R discipline 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Hydronics: 2 hours, Mechanical code 4 hours, Hydronics discipline 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Sheet Metal: (Journeyperson only) 2 hours, Mechanical code 4 hours, Sheet Metal discipline 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Mechanical: 2 hours, Mechanical code 4 hours, any combination of:HVAC/R discipline Hydronics discipline Sheet Metal discipline 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety)
Specialty license CEU requirement Specialty License Type: 8 Hour CEU Breakdown: Disconnect/Reconnect Plumbing Technician: 2 hours, Plumbing code 4 hours, Plumbing discipline 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Private School/College Routine Maintenance: 2 hours, Plumbing or Mechanical code 4 hours, any combination that matches your practice. 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Service Technician HVAC: 2 hours, Mechanical code 4 hours, HVAC/R discipline 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Hearth Systems: 2 hours, Mechanical code 4 hours, any combination of:Mechanical HVAC/R Sheet Metal 2 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety)
Multiple Journeyperson and/or Master Licenses (Mechanical)
CEU hour requirement if you have two or more of the Mechanical discipline licenses below:
Multiple Mechanical CEU Requirement Master or Journeyperson License Type: 14 Hour CEU Breakdown: HVAC/Refrigeration 2 hours, Mechanical code 8 hours discipline, any combination that matches your Mechanical license Types 4 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Hydronics: Sheet Metal: (Journeyperson only)
Multiple Journeyperson and/or Master Licenses (Plumbing & Mechanical)
CEU hour requirement if you have a Journeyperson or Master:
Plumbing license AND One or more Mechanical licenses Multiple License (Plumbing & Mechanical) CEU requirement License Type in Addition to Your Plumbing License: 16 Hour CEU Breakdown: Mechanical: 2 Hours, Plumbing code 2 hours, Mechanical code 8 hours discipline, any combination of:Plumbing Mechanical HVAC/R Hydronics Sheet Metal 4 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Hydronics: 2 Hours, Plumbing code 2 hours, Mechanical code 8 hours discipline, any combination of: 4 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) HVAC/Refrigeration: 2 Hours, Plumbing code 2 hours, Mechanical code 8 hours discipline, any combination of: 4 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety) Sheet Metal: (Journeyperson only) 2 Hours, Plumbing code 2 hours, Mechanical code 8 hours discipline, any combination of: 4 hours, Safety (Iowa Occupational Health & Safety)
Multiple Mechanical Discipline Licenses Do you have active licenses for both HVAC/R and Hydronics? You can combine them into a single Mechanical license when you renew.
To combine multiple Mechanical licenses:
These licenses must be the same level (Journeyperson or Master) You must meet the 14-hour Multiple Mechanical Discipline CEU Requirement After combining, a single Mechanical license follows the 8-hour single license CEU requirement.
Visit the How Do I Renew an Individual License page for a step-by-step guide.
A single Mechanical license covers the following license disciplines:
HVAC/Refrigeration Hydronics Sheet Metal Medical Gas Piping Installers CEU hours are not required to maintain a Medical Gas Piping Installer license.
To renew your Medical Gas Piping Installer license, you need to maintain:
Medical gas piping certification Brazer certification You will submit these certificates when you renew.
Exemptions, Hardship, & Extensions
Exemptions
You may be exempt from the CEU requirement if the following applies to you:
Apprentice to Journey:
You were licensed as an apprentice. You passed your journeyperson exam and obtained the journeyperson license This is your first renewal for that journeyperson license Military:
You served honorably on active duty in the military during the licensing period. Reside and Licensed Outside Iowa:
You live in another state/district You have that state’s/district’s equivalent plumbing/mechanical license You meet that license’s continuing education requirement Government Employee:
You are employed by the government Your work duty is outside the U.S. during the licensing period You are working in your license’s specialty Board-Approved Practice:
You were absent from the state during the licensing period You were engaged in a practice previously approved by the board License Issued Less than One Year:
Your license was previously issued with less than one year remaining on it. This is the first time you are renewing this license You are not reinstating the license. (license lapsed for more than one year) You are not renewing late. (Aug. 1, year 1 or later) Apprentice:
Apprentices do not need CEUs to renew their license Reinstatement by Exam:
You are reinstating your license. (lapsed for more than one year) You passed the license exam to reinstate. Your passing score was not used on a previous license application
Hardship & Extensions
If you are in any of the situations listed below, you can ask the Board to change your CEU requirements.
The board reviews these requests on a case-by-case basis.
Hardship You may apply for a full or partial exemption if you have an extreme hardship.
Extreme hardship can include:
Serious Illness Disability According to the board’s rules:
These exemptions are only granted for the most “exceptional and extraordinary” circumstances. You must provide paperwork, like medical records. If granted, the board may add extra conditions to your license. Extensions Time extensions may be granted for situations out of your control.
The board requires:
Paperwork and written records showing how the situation is out of your control. Submitting this request before your license expires. How to Petition: Submit your written records and appeal to pmsb@dia.iowa.gov .
Reporting Continuing Education
You will report your total in-person and online CEU hours during your license renewal.
You do not need to submit your certificates when you renew.
Audits
The board may audit your CEUs at any time. If audited, you must be able to produce your CEU certificates.
Your certificates will have the following information:
Course number Course name Date taken Course topic (Safety, Code, HVAC/R, Plumbing, etc.) Number of hours credited
CEU Completion Certificate Records
You are responsible for keeping a personal record of your CEUs. If you lose a certificate, contact your course instructor or sponsor immediately. The board can’t provide replacements.
Course Rosters
Your course providers submit a roster of attendees to the board. These rosters are only used to verify the CEU certificates you submit.
Online Training Providers
The board has approved the following providers for online training. Up to half of your CEU hours can be online.
Contact a provider to register for board-approved online courses.
Approved Providers for Online CEUs
Approved Instructors
The following document provides a list of all board-approved instructors.
CEUs must be from board-approved instructors to count toward your renewal.
Become a Board-Approved CEU Course Provider
CEU instructors and courses must be approved by the board.
To be approved, your course must:
Be related to the professional competency of the licensee Pertain to the subject matter that integrally relates to the practice of the discipline Be conducted by an approved instructor Approved courses must cover product knowledge, methods, and systems for one or more of the following:
Theory and technique of a specific discipline Current Iowa plumbing or mechanical code Standards comprising the current Iowa Occupational Safety & Health Act. Board approval of instructors and courses is valid for a three-year period. Submit a renewal form before your expiration date to maintain approval.
Instructors are required to provide all licensees with a certificate of attendance. Course rosters must also be submitted within 30 days of the course.
CEU Approval Application Forms
Instructor Approval Forms
CEU Course Approval Forms
Allow at least four weeks for the Board to review your application.
If your application is incomplete, the review will take longer. The committee may ask for more information. If either of these happens, the review process can take up to eight weeks.
Have your instructor's qualifications changed? You must submit a new application for approval.
