CPA License Renewal in Iowa (2026)

CPA license renewal in Iowa is handled by the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing), which requires Certified Public Accountant (CPA)s to renew every 12 months. Below are the renewal deadline rule, continuing-education (CE) hours, fees, and a direct link to the official renewal page — last verified 2026-06-01. This is an unofficial guide; always confirm the details with the board before you file.

Iowa CPA renewal at a glance

Renewal cycle	12 months
Deadline rule	Individual CPA licenses are renewed annually (Iowa moved to annual renewal beginning in 2012). Licenses expire June 30 and must be renewed by July 1, with a 30-day grace period after lapse during which the licensee may not practice. CPE, however, is measured over a rolling three-year reporting period.
CE hours required	120 hours
Renewal fee	$100.00
Online renewal	Yes
CE tracking system	CPE self-reported on renewal (audit-based); records retained for board audit. No CE Broker.
Governing body	Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing)

Go to the official Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) renewal page →

Last verified 2026-06-01 from the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing). automated research workflow (official iowa Board of Accountancy), confidence medium.

Continuing-education requirements for CPAs in Iowa

Although renewal is annual, CPE is reported on a rolling three-year period: at least 120 hours total, including at least 4 hours in ethics and rules of professional conduct (per 193A Iowa Admin. Code ch. 10). Licensees may elect either a December 31 or June 30 three-year reporting-period end date. An additional 8 hours of financial-statement-presentation (accounting/auditing) CPE is required for those who supervise or sign compilation reports. Phased-in rules apply to newly licensed CPAs: no CPE for the first renewal, 40 hours by the second renewal, 80 hours by the third renewal. No state-specific ethics exam noted.

Need approved hours? Compare Iowa CPA CE courses (some links are affiliate links).

How to renew your CPA license in Iowa

Confirm your renewal deadline and current status on the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) portal.
Complete the required 120 CE hours and confirm they appear in CPE self-reported on renewal (audit-based); records retained for board audit. No CE Broker..
Submit the renewal application and pay the current fee online.
Keep proof of CE and your renewal confirmation for your records.

Good to know: Licensing is state-level via the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (housed under DIAL); NASBA coordinates but does not license. Renewal cadence is annual (confirmed in the official DIAL CPA Renewal FAQ: "Iowa has an annual renewal beginning in 2012"). The 120-hour/4-hour-ethics CPE structure and 30-day grace period were verified verbatim on the official DIAL renewal application form (older form shows 2013-2016 example dates, but the per-cycle CPE structure is unchanged). Renewal is completed online through the My Iowa PLB portal (ia-plb.my.site.com/IPLB_login). The $100 individual renewal fee is reported by multiple secondary sources and the DIAL FAQ but could not be read verbatim from a rendered official page (the official PDFs render with an embedded font that obscures text); treat the fee as likely-current but not independently re-verified. No published late/delinquent fee figure was confirmed.

CPA license renewal in Iowa: frequently asked questions

How often do I renew my CPA license in Iowa?

Iowa CPA licenses renew every 12 months. Individual CPA licenses are renewed annually (Iowa moved to annual renewal beginning in 2012). Licenses expire June 30 and must be renewed by July 1, with a 30-day grace period after lapse during which the licensee may not practice. CPE, however, is measured over a rolling three-year reporting period.

How many CE hours are required to renew an CPA license in Iowa?

Approximately 120 continuing-education hours per cycle. Although renewal is annual, CPE is reported on a rolling three-year period: at least 120 hours total, including at least 4 hours in ethics and rules of professional conduct (per 193A Iowa Admin. Code ch. 10). Licensees may elect either a December 31 or June 30 three-year reporting-period end date. An additional 8 hours of financial-statement-presentation (accounting/auditing) CPE is required for those who supervise or sign compilation reports. Phased-in rules apply to newly licensed CPAs: no CPE for the first renewal, 40 hours by the second renewal, 80 hours by the third renewal. No state-specific ethics exam noted. Confirm the current requirement with the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing).

Can I renew my Iowa CPA license online?

Yes — Iowa offers online renewal through the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing). Use the official link on this page.

What happens if I let my Iowa CPA license expire?

Practicing on an expired license is generally prohibited and can carry penalties. Late or reactivation fees may apply. Contact the Iowa Accountancy Examining Board (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) promptly if your license has lapsed.

Renew the same license in another state

All states: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) renewal