The Iowa Board of Mortuary Science evaluates the qualifications of applicants for licensure and grants licenses to those who qualify. The board establishes rules and regulations to ensure the integrity and competence of licensed funeral directors, funeral and cremation establishments. The board also investigates complaints for unprofessional conduct. Licensees are responsible for meeting all licensure requirements and should review the board rules regularly.
The board serves as a connection between the consumer and the licensed funeral director, funeral or cremation establishment, and as such promotes the public health, welfare and safety.
Mortuary Science Licensure
Learn how to apply or renew your funeral directors (mortuary science) licensure.
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.
Licensees are responsible for meeting all continuing education requirements and should review the rules regularly. 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.
International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards 1885 Shelby Lane Fayetteville, AR 72704 Phone: 479.442.7076 Fax: 479.442.7090 Web: www.theconferenceonline.org
Pre-Need, Insurance, Cemetery Iowa Securities and Regulated Industries Bureau Iowa Insurance Bureau Two Ruan Center 601 Locust Street, 4th Floor Des Moines, Iowa 50309-3738 Phone: 515.281.5705 Fax: 515.281.3059 www.iid.state.ia.us then go to "Regulated Entities"
Iowa Funeral Directors Association 6909 Vista Drive West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 Phone: 515.270.0130 Fax: 515.270.1569 Web: www.iafda.org
The licensing boards adopt codes to interpret and implement the authority granted in Iowa Code. Iowa Administrative Code has the same force and effect of law.
The following chapters from Iowa Administrative Code 481 apply to professional licensing boards within the Department of Inspections, Appeals, Inspections, and Licensing.
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 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.
Quarterly reports are due annually by January 20, April 20, July 20, and October 20. Printable copies of the forms are available under Related Files at the bottom of this page.
