StateLicensed

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License Requirements in Iowa

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$293
Exam
NCLEX-PN
Renewal cycle
Every 3 years
Issuing board
Iowa Board of Nursing (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No official Iowa Board of Nursing source states a fixed minimum age for LPN licensure (only that the applicant be a high school graduate or equivalent), so minAge is left null rather than guessed. A fingerprint-based criminal history background check is required with the application, processed through Fieldprint (which the Board now uses as its primary fingerprinting vendor). [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. Iowa requires the applicant to be a high school graduate or equivalent and to graduate from an approved school of nursing at the practical-nurse level (with CGFNS credential evaluation required for foreign-educated applicants before taking the NCLEX-PN). The Board's official application-requirements pages do not publish a fixed statewide total instructional-hour minimum for LPN programs, so left null rather than guessed. [1]

  3. 3

    NCLEX-PN

    Pass the NCLEX-PN (fee: $200). The $200 NCLEX registration fee is paid online to NCSBN, separate from the Iowa Board of Nursing's own $143 application/background-check fee. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Iowa Board of Nursing (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) with the $93 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Iowa Board of Nursing (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) issues your Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) for Iowa.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $93
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $99
NCLEX-PN [2] $200
Criminal history background check (required with initial application/examination) [3] $50
Endorsement application fee (out-of-state LPN) [3] $119
Late Renewal (includes $99 renewal fee plus $50 late fee) [3] $149
Reactivation (includes $175 application fee plus $50 background-check fee) [3] $225

Per the Board's official Fees and Fee Waivers page: initial Examination applicants pay $143 total ($93 application fee + $50 criminal history background check fee, listed separately here as application=93 and an 'other' background-check line); there is no separate license-issuance fee beyond the application fee, so license is null. Renewal is $99, due every three years.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 3 years. 36 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Iowa nurse licenses (including LPN) renew every three years, expiring on the 15th of the licensee's birth month (a first license term after initial issuance runs two years plus the number of months to the licensee's birth month, then every three years thereafter). The Board's official renewals page confirms a requirement of 36 contact hours of continuing education to renew any license.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available. Participates in: NLC.

Iowa is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), implemented Jan. 19, 2018 per the compact commission's official jurisdiction list, so an active multistate LPN license from another NLC member state is valid to practice in Iowa without separate endorsement. LPNs licensed elsewhere can instead apply for Licensure by Endorsement ($169 total: $119 application + $50 background check) through the Iowa Board of Nursing.

15 state-approved training providers in Iowa — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $93
  • $200
Total$293

Frequently asked questions

How do I apply for an LPN license in Iowa?

Be a high school graduate or equivalent, graduate from an approved practical-nursing program, submit fingerprints for a criminal history background check (via Fieldprint), pay the $143 application fee through the Board's online portal, and separately register for the NCLEX-PN with NCSBN for $200.

Who administers the LPN licensing exam in Iowa?

Pearson VUE administers the NCLEX-PN under contract with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, at approved Pearson Professional Centers in Davenport, West Des Moines, Coralville, and Sioux City. The $200 exam fee is paid to NCSBN, separate from the Board's $143 application/background-check fee.

How often do I need to renew my Iowa LPN license?

Every three years, expiring on the 15th of your birth month, with a $99 renewal fee and a requirement of 36 contact hours of continuing education.

Can I transfer my out-of-state LPN license to Iowa?

If you hold an active multistate license from another Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) state, you can practice in Iowa without additional action. Otherwise, apply for Licensure by Endorsement ($169 total) through the Iowa Board of Nursing.

Sources

  1. [1] dial.iowa.gov/licenses/health-professions/nursing-professional-midwifery/nursing-licensure/how-do-i-apply-nursing-license-examination — accessed 2026-07-10
  2. [2] nclex.com/fees-payment.page — accessed 2026-07-10
  3. [3] dial.iowa.gov/licenses/health-professions/nursing-professional-midwifery/nursing-licensure/fees-and-fee-waivers — accessed 2026-07-10
  4. [4] dial.iowa.gov/licenses/health-professions/nursing-professional-midwifery/nursing-licensure/renewals — accessed 2026-07-10
  5. [5] nursecompact.com/files/NLC_Map.pdf — accessed 2026-07-10