Inactive status of a license means the licensee has not renewed their Iowa license. You may not practice nursing in Iowa when your nursing license is in inactive status.
Licensees who don't renew their Iowa license within 30 days after expiration become inactive. Licenses not renewed are automatically placed on inactive status on the 16th of the following month. There are no fees and continuing education requirements for an inactive license.
Please note:
Requests for inactivating your license cannot be processed mid-cycle. If you want to inactivate your license, you must wait until your renewal period expires.
Licensees working on an inactive license are investigated by the board.
Iowa law requires you to inform the board of any name or address changes, even when your license is inactive.
Licensees whose primary state of residence changes must apply for licensure in their new state. Once your new license is issued, your Iowa license becomes inactive.
List items for Nursing Reactivation
Reactivation
A reactivated license is issued for two years, plus the number of months to the birth month, to return the licensee to the three-year license cycle by birth month. All reactivations require 36 contact hours of nursing continuing education completed during the prior 36 months.
Application Process
You must complete the reactivation process within 12 months of starting your application. If you do not finish within that time, your application will be archived, and any submitted documents may be destroyed. If this happens, you must reapply, pay the application fee again, and possibly resubmit documents.
Note: If you have not held any active nursing license in the last 5 years, a nurse refresher course is also required to complete the reactivation process.
All required documents must be mailed together in one envelope.
If you send documents separately, they may be returned, and your application will be delayed.
Licensing Status
To check the status of your license, go to IBON Online Services. Choose “Check the Status of an Application in Process” before calling the Nursing Board office. You may contact the reactivation staff at 515.281.3264 with questions.
