Effective June 4, 2025, the Iowa Board of Nursing updated its administrative rules. The update removed the Board’s requirement to approve continuing education (CE) providers and CE content. This change streamlines the process and allows nurses to choose CE that helps them meet the standard of care in their practice.
Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) 481.619 explains the number of required contact hours or CE units. It also outlines acceptable CE topics for license renewal, documentation licensees must keep, and exceptions that may be granted in certain circumstances.
Licensees are responsible for knowing and understanding the Board of Nursing CE rules. They must also keep the required documentation in case of an audit under IAC 481.619.2(7).
Continuing Education (CE) Basic Requirements
Iowa law mandates CE for nursing licensure renewal. Licensees are responsible for tracking nursing CE credits throughout their renewal period. For more information on renewing your license, visit our Renewals page.
Renewal or reactivation of all licenses requires 36 contact hours of continuing education. Your CE documentation should be ready to turn in for audit purposes and kept for four years. You must earn CE credit within the renewal period to count.
CE offerings must be at least one hour. Every 60 minutes is one contact hour of CE. After the first hour, every 15-minute increment counts for a quarter of an hour of credit. CEs also must be appropriate subject matter to count.
If a licensee has not held an active license in any jurisdiction within the past five years, they must complete a nurse refresher course. The course must meet the requirements in IAC 481.617(11) and be completed within 12 months of applying to reactivate the license.
See Nurse Refresher Course for more information.
List items for Nursing Continuing Education Details
Additional Details
Nursing practice related to health care of patients/clients/families in any setting.
Professional growth and development related to nursing practice roles with a health care focus.
Sciences upon which nursing practice, nursing education, or nursing research is based.
Social, economic, ethical, and legal aspects of health care.
Management of or administration of health care, health care personnel, or health care facilities.
Education of patients or patients’ significant others, students, or personnel in the health care field.
Academic offerings that meet the qualifications of appropriate subject matter, meet the requirements of a nursing education program that extends beyond the education completed for the original nursing license, or both. The licensee shall retain a transcript exhibiting a passing grade for each academic offering. One semester hour is equal to 15 contact hours of CE. One quarter hour is equal to 10 contact hours of CE.
Current national certification or recertification related to the practice of nursing. The national certification or recertification is recognized as 36 contact hours of continuing education.
Completion of a board-approved nurse refresher course. Hours of participation will be recognized as contact hours of continuing education.
Participation as a preceptor for a nursing student or employee transitioning into a new clinical practice area, for a minimum of 60 hours as a part of an organized preceptorship program. A licensee shall maintain documentation issued by the institution supervising the student or employee demonstrating the objectives of the preceptorship and the hours completed. A preceptorship shall be recognized as six contact hours of continuing education. For more information, view the Preceptor Form.
Completion of a nurse residency program. A residency program is recognized as 36 contact hours of continuing education.
Academic offerings provided by the following entities:
Community colleges.
Public and private colleges and universities.
Governmental academies.
Self-help and self-care that are not scientifically supported.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and basic life support (BLS).
An exemption application is available upon request. Licensees must apply for an extension or exemption before the renewal or reactivation.
A licensee may be exempt from continuing education requirements if the licensee provides proof upon request of the following:
Honorable active duty in the United States military during the license period.
Possesses a current license to practice in another state that has mandatory continuing education requirements, so long as the license is active and the licensee resides in a state other than Iowa at the time of renewal or reactivation.
Worked outside the United States during the renewal period as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse for the government or foreign service or in missionary work.
Had a physical or mental disability or illness during the license period. A health care provider must sign the application attesting to the existence of the disability or illness during the license period.
A licensee shall not claim an extension of time or exemption from continuing education requirements on a license renewal or reactivation application unless and until the licensee has received approval.
To request an exemption application, please email ibn@iowa.gov.
Your license may be audited at your license period. Audits confirm licensees meet the continuing education requirements. A random number of licensees are selected each month. If you are selected for an audit, you are notified at the end of the license period.
Failure to submit documentation for an audit may result in disciplinary action.
If audited, submit any of the following that apply:
Documentation of completed Mandatory Child and/or Dependent Adult Abuse Course.
