Iowa Continuing Education Requirements
Continuing education (CE) for licensed professionals in Iowa is set by each profession's own state board — Iowa Architectural Examining Board, Iowa Accountancy Examining Board, Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Iowa Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board, Iowa Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board, Iowa Real Estate Commission (IREC), and Iowa Board of Nursing. Every board sets its own contact-hour total, renewal cycle, and mandatory subjects. Compare all 7 professions below, then open a profession for the full Iowa breakdown.
Iowa CE Requirements at a Glance
| Profession | Contact Hours | Renewal Cycle | Online? | Key Topics | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architect | 24 | 2 yr | Yes | Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) | View → |
| CPA (Certified Public Accountant) | 120 | 3 yr | Yes | Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct, Financial Statement Presentation | View → |
| Physical Therapist (PT) | 40 | 2 yr | Yes | — | View → |
| Professional Engineer (PE) | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Professional ethics | View → |
| Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) | 30 | 2 yr | Yes | Professional ethics | View → |
| Real Estate Agent / Broker | 36 | 3 yr | Yes | Law Update, Ethics | View → |
| Registered Nurse (RN) | 36 | 3 yr | Yes | Identification and Reporting of Child and Dependent Adult Abuse | View → |
Notable Iowa Requirements
Specific mandates Iowa boards impose that often trip up license holders:
- Architect Health, Safety & Welfare (HSW) — 24 hours — All 24 CEHs must be completed in health, safety, and welfare subjects acquired in structured educational activities. Full Architect details →
- CPA Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct — 4 hours — Minimum 4 hours during the three-year licensing period. Full CPA details →
- CPA Financial Statement Presentation — 8 hours — Minimum 8 hours for CPAs supervising compilation services or authorizing compilation reports. Full CPA details →
- PE Professional ethics — 2 hours — At least 2 of the 30 PDH must be in professional ethics for an engineering-only PE. Full PE details →
- PLS Professional ethics — 2 hours — At least 2 of the 30 PDH required each biennium must be earned in the area of professional ethics. Full PLS details →
- Real Estate Law Update — 8 hours — 8 hours of Law Update required each 3-year renewal cycle. Full Real Estate details →
Browse by Profession
Iowa Licensing Boards
CE requirements on this page are sourced from each profession's official Iowa board:
- Architect
- CPA
- PT
- PE
- PLS
- Real Estate
- RN
Other States
Browse CE requirements for another state: