Iowa RT Permit Renewal — CE Requirements & Deadlines
- Iowa-permitted radiologic technologists approaching their renewal date
- Travel RTs holding an Iowa Permit to Practice who need to renew
- RTs whose Iowa permit has lapsed and who need to understand reinstatement options
Iowa RT Permit Renewal — At a Glance
| Renewal Cycle | Annual |
| Renewal Fee | $75 |
| Permit Expiration | The date printed on your permit — not a birth month or universal date |
| Grace Period | None — you cannot legally perform procedures once your permit expires |
| If Lapsed | No separate late fee — a flat $150 reinstatement fee applies instead |
| CE Hours Required | 24.0 hours per biennium (two-year cycle indicated on your permit) |
| Renewal Method | Online via the Regulatory Programs Licensing Portal, or by mail |
| When to Submit | Approximately 45 days before your permit expires |
| Renewal Contact | (855) 824-4357 | adperehreg@hhs.iowa.gov |
Iowa Permits to Practice renew annually, but the expiration date isn’t tied to your birth month or a fixed calendar date — it’s the specific date printed on the permit itself. See the At-a-Glance table above for the current fee, CE requirements, and what happens if you let it lapse.
What You Need to Know About Iowa RT Permit Renewal
Iowa doesn’t offer a grace period. Once your permit’s expiration date passes, you’re not legally allowed to perform diagnostic radiography procedures until it’s reinstated (Iowa HHS) — there’s no short buffer window the way some states provide. Iowa HHS recommends submitting your renewal application about 45 days before your expiration date, which gives you real breathing room if anything about your CE documentation or the online portal needs troubleshooting.
Iowa also has a genuinely useful CE option: if your ARRT or NMTCB registration has been renewed within 60 days before you submit your Iowa renewal application, Iowa HHS credits you the number of hours recognized by that national registration — you don’t need to separately document each individual CE activity if your national credential is current and recently renewed.
CE Requirements for Iowa RT Permit Renewal
General Radiologic Technologist permit holders must report 24.0 hours of continuing education within the biennium (two-year cycle) shown on their permit. CE is due at the time of renewal, and failure to complete the hours results in an expired permit — you won’t be allowed to perform diagnostic radiography procedures until it’s resolved.
How CE is documented:
- ARRT/NMTCB registration shortcut: If your ARRT or NMTCB registration has been renewed within the 60 days before you submit your renewal application, you’re credited the number of hours recognized by that registration — no separate activity-by-activity documentation needed for that credit.
- Otherwise, submit proof of ARRT-recognized activities: lectures or self-studies both qualify. Acceptable proof must be documentation signed and dated by the CE provider, showing the participant’s name, activity title, and the provider’s ARRT-accepted approval body name and approval number (such as ASRT or NMTCB).
- Repetition limits: the same lecture may be repeated only once within a biennium. The same self-study activity may not be repeated at all within the same biennium.
- Audits: all permit holders are subject to a department audit of their CE documentation at any time.
How to Renew Your Iowa RT Permit
- About 45 days before your permit’s expiration date, log in to the Regulatory Programs Licensing Portal, or prepare a paper renewal application
- Report your 24.0 CE hours for the biennium indicated on your permit — or rely on the ARRT/NMTCB registration shortcut if your national credential was recently renewed
- Pay the $75 renewal fee through the licensing portal if renewing online, or by mail with your paper renewal application (a specific published list of accepted payment types for the online portal was not identified; Iowa HHS’s radiological health forms generally direct paper-application fees to be paid by check or money order)
- Submit before your permit’s expiration date — there’s no grace period once it passes
If your permit does expire, the consequences scale with how long it’s been lapsed. If it’s been expired six months or more, all previous exemptions no longer apply, and you become subject to the full requirements of an initial permit application — effectively starting over. If it’s been expired more than a year, you’ll additionally need to submit proof of 24.0 hours of continuing education completed within the previous 24 months, on top of meeting the initial-application requirements. Either way, reinstatement carries a flat $150 fee.
Practical Notes for Iowa Permit Renewal
- No grace period means no room for procrastination. Unlike states that give you a week or a month of buffer after expiration, Iowa’s cutoff is immediate — your permit is either valid or it isn’t. Submit early rather than cutting it close.
- Keep your ARRT or NMTCB registration current if you want the CE shortcut. If your renewal dates align, renewing your national registration within 60 days before your Iowa renewal may reduce the amount of CE documentation you need to submit individually.
- Know your specific expiration date — it’s not a shared date like some states use. Check the date printed on your permit rather than assuming a standard date.
- Make your permit available at every facility where you work. If you work at more than one location, keep a duplicate of your permit accessible at each facility — this isn’t a formal wall-posting requirement, but it does need to be available on request.
Relevant Statutes
- Iowa Administrative Code 641—Chapter 42, Rule 641—42.5 — renewal and reinstatement for General Radiologic Technologists
- Iowa Administrative Code 641—Chapter 42, Rule 641—42.18 — continuing education submission
- Iowa HHS — Continuing Education
Related Pages
- Iowa Radiologic Technologist Initial Licensing — Requirements and Application
- Radiologic Technologist Licensing by State — Complete Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do I need to renew my Iowa RT permit?
Annually. Your specific expiration date is the date printed on your permit — it isn’t a shared date across all permit holders. Source: Iowa Administrative Code 641—Chapter 42, rule 641-42.5
How many CE hours are required to renew an Iowa RT permit?
24.0 hours within the biennium (two-year cycle) shown on your permit. If your ARRT or NMTCB registration was renewed within the 60 days before your Iowa renewal submission, Iowa HHS credits you the hours recognized by that registration. Source: Iowa HHS Continuing Education
Is there a grace period if I miss my Iowa permit’s expiration date?
No. Iowa does not provide a grace period — once your permit expires, you cannot legally perform diagnostic radiography procedures until it’s reinstated. Source: Iowa HHS
What is the renewal fee for an Iowa RT permit?
$75 for a single General Radiologic Technologist classification. Source: Iowa Administrative Code 641—Chapter 42, rule 641-42.5
What happens if my Iowa RT permit expires?
If it’s expired six months or more, all previous exemptions no longer apply, and you must meet the full requirements of an initial permit application. If it’s expired more than a year, you must additionally submit proof of 24.0 CE hours completed within the previous 24 months. Reinstatement carries a flat $150 fee in either case. Source: Iowa Administrative Code 641—Chapter 42, rule 641-42.5
Who do I contact with questions about Iowa RT permit renewal?
The Regulatory Programs Help Desk can be reached at (855) 824-4357 or by email at adperehreg@hhs.iowa.gov. Source: Iowa HHS