If you hold an Iowa LPN license, the Iowa Board of Nursing requires 36 contact hours of continuing education every three-year renewal period. LPNs who regularly examine, attend, counsel, or treat children or dependent adults must also complete mandatory reporter training. Below is the full breakdown of what you need, what counts, and when it is due.
36 hours / 3 years
Thirty-six contact hours each triennial renewal period.
Mandatory reporter
2 hours of child/dependent adult abuse reporting if you treat those populations.
Triennial renewal
Iowa LPN licenses renew every three years.
No provider pre-approval
As of June 2025, Iowa no longer pre-approves CE providers or content.
How many CE hours Iowa LPNs need
Iowa requires 36 contact hours of continuing education every three years for LPN renewal.
Mandated subject requirements
- Mandatory reporter training: 2 contact hours on identification and reporting of child and dependent adult abuse, for LPNs who regularly treat children or dependent adults.
Renewal cycle and deadlines
Iowa LPN licenses renew every three years. Complete and document your 36 hours, including any required mandatory reporter training, before your expiration date.
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View pricingIowa Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurses (LPN/LVN) CME at a glance
- Mandatory Reporter — Child & Dependent Adult Abuse2 hrs · conditional
2 contact hours on the identification and reporting of child and dependent adult abuse, required for LPNs who regularly examine, attend, counsel, or treat children or dependent adults; counts toward the 36-hour total.
Always confirm with your licensing board
Iowa LPNs complete 36 contact hours of continuing education within each three-year renewal period. LPNs who regularly examine, attend, counsel, or treat children or dependent adults must also complete mandatory reporter training. Effective June 4, 2025, Iowa removed its requirement to pre-approve CE providers and content.
CE requirements change. Confirm current rules with the Iowa Board of Nursing before relying on these figures.
Source: Iowa Board of Nursing. Board website · Researched as of 2026-06-01 · CME rules change; this is administrative guidance, not legal or CME-accreditation advice.
Licensed in more than one state?
Nurse Licensure Compact: active. Active. One multistate RN/LPN license from the home state authorizes practice in member states; practice-state requirements (including CE) may still overlay.
Each state license carries its own CME requirement and renewal date — if you hold more than one, you need a plan for each.
Also licensing in Iowa or beyond?
Our sister teams handle the licensing side with the same concierge service.
Iowa LPN CE Requirements — Frequently Asked Questions
How many CE hours do Iowa LPNs need?
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36 contact hours every three years.
Is mandatory reporter training required in Iowa?
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Yes — 2 hours on child and dependent adult abuse reporting if you regularly examine, attend, counsel, or treat children or dependent adults.
How long is the Iowa renewal cycle?
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Three years (triennial).
Related
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