Educational Psychology
Directly about learning and teaching; NCCRS-recommended.
Self-paced online Educational Psychology course (Psychology 120). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →IowaTeachers
College credit for Iowa teaching license renewal: what counts
Checked 15 Nov 2026 by the team. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
The short answer
Iowa teaching license renewal for the standard license comes every five years and needs 6 renewal credits plus mandatory reporter training (282 IAC 20.3). Each semester hour of college credit related to education or your endorsement area counts as one renewal credit, graduate or undergraduate, from a regionally accredited college. Approved Iowa provider courses also count. CEUs and staff development do not.
The rule
Under 282 IAC 20.3(2)a the Iowa standard teaching license requires six renewal credits, and under 20.3(1)a one renewal credit is earned for each semester hour of college credit related to education or any endorsement area.
The rule asks for 6 renewal credits every 5 years (6 semester hours of college credit). The legal source is 282 IAC 20.3.
| Item | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Standard license term | 5 years | [3] |
| Credits needed | 6 renewal credits | [1] |
| College credit conversion | 1 semester hour related to education or an endorsement area = 1 renewal credit | [1] |
| IPDP | Up to half the credits (3), completed in an Iowa school setting | s1, s2 |
| Recency | Earned after the current license's issue date; within 5 years if the license has expired | s1, s2 |
| Also required | Child abuse (mandatory reporter) training certificate | s1, s3 |
Who decides
Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE), Iowa Department of Education decides how this rule applies to you. We read its published rule and the pages below; each was checked on 15 Nov 2026.
Which credits count
What counts
- Semester hours of college credit, graduate or undergraduate, from a regionally accredited institution, related to education or an endorsement area: 1 semester hour = 1 renewal credit.
- Renewal credit courses from approved Iowa providers such as the AEAs, ISEA and PEI.
- An individualized professional development plan (IPDP) verified by your evaluator, for up to half of the credits (3 of 6), completed in an Iowa school setting.
- National Board certification or renewal (4 credits).
What does not count
- CEUs and staff development hours.
- Credits earned before the issue date of your current license (if you renew on time).
- College credit unrelated to education or your endorsement area.
- Course hours that do not appear on a college transcript or an approved provider record.
Courses that fit
Each course below is ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended for college credit. Whether it counts here is the decision of the college and of Iowa Board of Educational Examiners (BOEE), Iowa Department of Education.
Psychology of Diversity
Fits work with diverse classrooms; NCCRS-recommended.
Self-paced online Psychology of Diversity course (Psychology 112). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Abnormal Psychology
Background for student mental health and special education; NCCRS-recommended.
Self-paced online Abnormal Psychology course (Psychology 180). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Relevant to teaching with new classroom technology; ask whether it fits your endorsement.
Self-paced online Introduction to Artificial Intelligence course (Computer Science 373). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →
Research Methods in Psychology
Helps with reading education research and data.
Self-paced online Research Methods in Psychology course (Psychology 111). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →The path via a college transcript
- Check your datesFind your license issue and expiry dates. Credits must be earned after the issue date, and you can apply no earlier than one year before expiry.
- Ask the board firstWrite to the Board of Educational Examiners and ask whether undergraduate credit posted on your chosen college's transcript, related to your endorsement area, counts toward the six renewal credits.
- Choose two education-related coursesTwo 3-credit courses make 6 semester hours, which equal the 6 renewal credits.
- Move the credit via a college transcriptTESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit. The board's page asks for credit from a regionally accredited institution, so check that before you choose.
- Renew onlineUpload the transcript and your mandatory reporter training certificate with the renewal application.
TESU and UoPeople are partner colleges that consider ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended credit; the board reads the result via a college transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
What it costs
| Option | Price | For this rule | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPI Study PRO | $99 a month, every course | $99 for each month you are subscribed; take as many courses as you finish in that time | 15 Nov 2026 |
| DMACC (Iowa resident) | $215 per credit hour (online +$30 per credit) | 6 credits: $1,290 in tuition, or $1,470 online | 15 Nov 2026 |
Renewal course providers price their courses separately; the board's renewal fee is extra on every route. Confirm the transcript question with the board before you pay.
What UPI Study cannot do here
- UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited; the credit reaches the board only via a college transcript.
- UPI Study is not an approved Iowa renewal credit provider; its courses count only as college credit once a college posts them.
- UPI Study cannot renew a license or say in advance that the board will count a course; the board decides.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
Confirm in writing first
Ask the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners in writing whether the transcript and courses you plan to use count toward your six renewal credits before you enrol.
Iowa teaching license renewal requirements in one place
The standard teaching license is the one most Iowa teachers hold after their initial license. It runs for five years. To renew it you need six renewal credits and a valid certificate of child abuse (mandatory reporter) training. You may apply no earlier than one year before the license expires.
There are three ways to earn the credits, and you can mix them. Approved Iowa providers, including the AEAs, ISEA and PEI, run renewal credit courses. College courses count at one renewal credit per semester hour. An individualized professional development plan, signed off by your evaluator, can cover half.
When college credit is the better route
The board's page says semester hours of college credit, graduate or undergraduate, may be used to renew a teacher or administrator license, provided they come from a regionally accredited institution and relate to education or an endorsement area. Two 3-credit college courses complete the whole requirement.
College credit helps when you are not in an Iowa school and cannot use an IPDP, when you want credit that also builds toward an added endorsement or a later degree, or when you would rather work at your own pace than attend scheduled provider sessions. It does not help if the course is unrelated to teaching, so choose subjects such as educational psychology or diversity that clearly fit.
Renewing teaching license in Iowa with ten years and a master's
Under 282 IAC 20.3(3), teachers with a master's degree or higher and at least ten years of PK-12 licensed experience may renew by verifying the degree and experience instead of earning renewal credits. Mandatory reporter training is still required. If you qualify, you may not need courses at all.
Questions people ask
how to renew iowa teaching license
Earn six renewal credits during your license term, complete mandatory reporter training, and apply online to the Board of Educational Examiners no earlier than one year before expiry. Credits can come from approved Iowa providers, college courses related to education, or an evaluator-verified IPDP for half.
how many credits do i need to renew my iowa teaching license
Six renewal credits for the standard teaching license, under 282 IAC 20.3(2)a. The master educator license needs four. College credit converts at one renewal credit per semester hour, so two 3-credit courses cover the standard license.
does undergraduate credit count for iowa license renewal
The board's renewal page says semester hours of college credit, graduate or undergraduate, may be used, if they come from a regionally accredited institution and relate to education or an endorsement area. Ask the board in writing before you rely on a specific transcript.
do ceus count for iowa teaching license renewal
No. The board's page says semester hours of college credit count, not CEUs or staff development. Hours from approved Iowa renewal providers such as the AEAs count as renewal credits through the provider's own records.
can i use credits from before my current license was issued
Not if you renew on time. Credits must be earned during the term of your current license. If the license has already expired, the rule allows credits completed within the five years before your renewal application.
what if i run out of time to renew my iowa license
The board offers a one-year Class A extension if you need more time to finish renewal requirements, under 282 IAC 20.4(1). Apply before your license lapses, and plan your remaining credits so they are finished within that year.
Read next
- Iowa teaching license renewal: hours, credits and conversionsIowa counts renewal in credits, not clock hours. One semester hour of college credit related to education equals one renewal credit, so two 3-credit...
- Renewing an Iowa teaching license when you are not in a classroomIf you are not working in an Iowa school, you cannot use the IPDP for half your renewal, because the board says the plan must be completed in an Iowa...
The same topic in nearby states
Ready when you have it in writing
Two education-related courses can cover six renewal credits once posted on a college transcript.
Sources
- Iowa Administrative Code 282 IAC chapter 20 (Renewals and extensions) (official)282 IAC 20.3(1)a: one renewal credit for each semester hour of college credit related to education or any endorsement area; 20.3(1)d: an IPDP can earn half the credits; 20.3(2)a: the standard teaching license needs six renewal credits; 20.1(2) child abuse training; 20.1(3) recency; 20.1(4) apply no earlier than one year before expiry; 20.3(3) master's plus ten years; 20.4 extensions (ARC 8818C, effective 26 Feb 2025). Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Iowa Board of Educational Examiners: More Renewal Information (official)Renewal credits from approved Iowa providers (AEAs, ISEA, PEI) or semester hours of college credit (graduate or undergraduate) from regionally accredited institutions, not CEUs or staff development; credits earned after the current license's issue date; credits no more than five years old for an expired license; credits relevant to education or an endorsement area; one IPDP is 3 credits and must be completed in an Iowa school setting. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Iowa Board of Educational Examiners: Standard Teaching License (official)Term 5 years; renewal needs 6 renewal credits and mandatory reporter training for child abuse; alternative route with a master's degree or higher and 10 years of PK-12 licensed experience; extension available if more time is needed. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- Des Moines Area Community College: Tuition and Fees (official)Iowa resident tuition $215 per credit hour for Fall 2026 to Summer 2027; online courses add a $30 per credit fee. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.
- DMACC Tuition and FeesPrice for DMACC (Iowa resident), checked on 15 Nov 2026.