Welcome to the Iowa Board of Nursing

Online License Center

The Online License Center enables RNs and LPNs to renew their nursing license and to make their own address changes.

(NOTE: If you are an LPN in Iowa and have applied for the RN Exam, you will need to direct your change of address to the New Licensure Department newnurs@iowa.gov or FAX the change to 515/281-4825–Do Not Change Your Address Through This Link.)

Click here for additional information, including troubleshooting tips, how to register, and what you will need in order to use this application. If you have already reviewed this information, then you can go directly to the Online License Center.

Online renewal is not available for ARNPs. ARNPs cannot renew their RN license online regardless if the ARNP is active or inactive. An ARNP renewal application is mailed to the licensee's address of record approximately sixty (60) days prior to license expiration. Contact ARNP continuing education requirement information.

Online reactivation is not available for persons who wish to reactivate a nursing license. Contact the Board of Nursing either by e-mail at ibon@iowa.gov or call 515/281-3264 to request a reactivation packet be mailed.

Online License Verification

Effective Immediately: New graduates and employers will NOT be given license numbers over the phone. Wallet cards are mailed to licensees on Thursday's. Do not call or e-mail the board office to request this information.

Online License Verification allows you to enter a license number and retrieve Iowa license status information. This verification is primary source verification. (NOTE: When verifying an ARNPs license do not enter the letter designation as part of the license number)

A Temporary License cannot be verified online.

Many other states have license verification web sites. To access the National Council of State Boards of Nursing centralized listing of verification web sites, click on the following:

NCSBN Listing of Verification Web Sites

Online License Verification, Authorized Users Only

Effective January 1, 2007, a new method of license verification will become available. Although this method will retrieve the identical data as the On-Line License Verification described above, it allows record retrieval using a last name and a partial SSN.

Access to this portal is password-protected, and by application only. You may access the application by clicking here. The application should be completed on the screen, then printed, then signed and mailed or faxed to the Iowa Board of Nursing.

After you have received your login I.D. and password, you can enter the secured site.

All Other State Boards of Nursing

Click on the link below to obtain specific state board of nursing information from all other states.

Contact Information for all State Boards of Nursing.

Iowa ANNI

Iowa ANNI (Automated Network of Nursing Information) allows you to call the main telephone line (515-281-3255) to verify licensure status by license number or SSN and retrieve information about license renewal or reactivation.

A menu for the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system is provided on the Contact Us page.

Nurse Licensure Compact

Governor Vilsack signed the Nurse Licensure Compact on March 16, 2000, and the compact became effective in Iowa on July 1, 2000. The text of the multi-state licensure compact legislation is available on the legislative web site at http://www.legis.state.ia.us/IACODE/2003/152E/ . More basic information about the compact.

For updates on compact legislation in other states, see: https://www.ncsbn.org/nlc.htm.