List of Potentially Disqualifying Criminal Convictions

In accordance with Iowa Code section 272C.15(2), the Iowa Board of Nursing provides the following list of specific convictions that may disqualify an applicant from receiving a license. In addition, any offense specified in the laws of another jurisdiction or prosecuted in a municipal, federal, military, or foreign court that is comparable to a conviction listed herein may disqualify an applicant from receiving a license.

Please be advised that just because you have been convicted of one of the offenses listed does not mean you are automatically prevented from obtaining a license. The following offenses are only disqualifying if (1) the actions taken in furtherance of the offense are customarily performed within the scope of practice of the profession, or (2) the circumstances under which the offense was committed are circumstances customary to the profession. Additionally, even if your conviction is disqualifying, you are entitled to submit proof of rehabilitation to the Board to demonstrate your current fitness to safely practice in the profession.

If you are interested in applying for a license and have been convicted of an offense on this list, you may petition the Board for an eligibility determination or submit all relevant information as part of your application for licensure, pursuant to rule 655—3.12. If you have questions about what criminal history information to include with your license application or how to submit a petition for eligibility determination, please contact the Board office for assistance.

Drug Offenses

Prohibited acts, including manufacture, sale, delivery, or possession of controlled substances, in violation of Iowa Code §§ 124.401, 124.402, 124.403
Manufacturing methamphetamine in the presence of minors in violation of Iowa Code § 124.401C
Conspiracy to manufacture for delivery or delivery or intent or conspiracy to deliver amphetamine or methamphetamine to a minor in violation of Iowa Code § 124.401D
Tampering with, possessing, or transporting anhydrous ammonia or anhydrous ammonia equipment in violation of Iowa Code § 124.401F
Distribution to persons under eighteen in violation of Iowa Code § 124.406
Use of persons under eighteen in drug trade in violation of Iowa Code § 124.406A
Gatherings where controlled substances unlawfully used in violation of Iowa Code § 124.407
Accommodation offense (marijuana) in violation of Iowa Code § 124.410
Drug paraphernalia offense in violation of Iowa Code § 124.414
Pseudoephedrine purchase in violation of Iowa Code § 124.213
Prohibited acts regarding drugs, devices, and cosmetics in violation of Iowa Code chapter 126
Unlawful possession of prescription drug or device in violation of Iowa Code § 155A.21
Prohibited acts in violation of Iowa Code §§ 155A.23, 155A.24

Sex Offenses

Sexual Abuse; Lascivious Acts with a Child; Indecent Exposure; Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse; Indecent Contact with a Child; Lascivious Conduct with a Minor; Sexual Exploitation; Sexual Misconduct; or Invasion of Privacy in violation of Iowa Code chapter 709
Sexually motivated offense in violation of Iowa Code § 708.15
Sexually motivated offense in violation of Iowa Code § 726.10
Sexually motivated offense in violation of Iowa Code § 692A.126
Prostitution; Pimping; Pandering; or Leasing Premises for Prostitution in violation of Iowa Code chapter 725
Dissemination or Exhibition of Obscene Materials to Minors; Admitting Minors to Premises Where Obscene Material is Exhibited; Rental or Sale of Hard-Core Pornography; Public Indecent Exposure; or Sexual Exploitation of a Minor in violation of Iowa Code chapter 728
Any offense classified as a sex offense in Iowa Code § 692A.102
Failure to comply with sex offender registry requirements in violation of Iowa Code § 692A.111
Escape from sexually violent predator custody in violation of Iowa Code § 229A.5B

Forcible, Violent, or Endangerment Offenses

Any offense classified as a “forcible felony” in Iowa Code § 702.11
Murder; Manslaughter; Attempted Murder; Solicitation to Commit Murder; or Homicide or Serious Injury by Vehicle in violation of Iowa Code chapter 707
Assault; Willful Injury; Administering Harmful Substances; Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon; Harassment; Going Armed with Intent; Use of Spring Guns or Traps; Hazing; Stalking; Abuse of a Corpse; or Female Genital Mutilation in violation of Iowa Code chapter 708
Kidnapping; Child Stealing; False Imprisonment; Harboring a Runaway Child; Enticing a Minor; or Purchase or Sale of Individual in violation of Iowa Code chapter 710
Human Trafficking or Solicitation of Commercial Sexual Activity in violation of Iowa Code chapter 710A
Robbery; Aggravated Theft; or Extortion in violation of Iowa Code chapter 711
Arson; Reckless use of Fire or Explosives; or Possession of Explosive or Incendiary Materials or Devices in violation of Iowa Code chapter 712
Criminal Gang Participation or Gang Recruitment in violation of Iowa Code chapter 723A
Neglect or Abandonment of a Dependent Person; Child Endangerment; Wanton Neglect of a Resident of a Health Care Facility; Wanton Neglect or Nonsupport of a Dependent Adult; Bigamy; or Incest in violation of Iowa Code chapter 726
Cruelty, neglect, or abuse of person with mental illness in violation of Iowa Code § 229.38

Offenses Involving Dishonesty

Burglary in violation of Iowa Code chapter 713
Theft or Fraudulent Practice in violation of Iowa Code chapter 714
Computer spyware offense in violation of Iowa Code chapter 715
Forgery; Tampering with Records; Credit Card offenses; Prohibitions Relating to False Academic Degrees, Grades, or Honors; or Identity Theft in violation of Iowa Code chapter 715A
Falsifying Public Documents in violation of Iowa Code § 718.5
Interference with Official Acts; Providing False Identification Information; Preventing Apprehension, Obstructing Prosecution, or Obstructing Defense; Assisting Prisoner to Escape, Possessing Contraband or Electronic Contraband; or Furnishing a Controlled Substance or Intoxicating Beverage in violation of Iowa Code chapter 719
Perjury; Tampering with Witnesses or Jurors; False Representation of Records or Process; Malicious Prosecution; or Interference with Judicial Acts in violation of Iowa Code chapter 720
Bribery in violation of Iowa Code chapter 722

Public Health Offenses

Disclosing the name of a person receiving substance abuse treatment or rehabilitation services in violation of Iowa Code § 125.33
Establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a substance abuse treatment and rehabilitation facility without a license in violation of Iowa Code § 125.58
Disclosing confidential child death data, records, or other information in violation of Iowa Code § 135.43
Disclosing confidential domestic abuse death data, records, or other information in violation of Iowa Code § 135.111
Establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a hospital without a license in violation of Iowa Code § 135B.15
Failure to report conviction or entry of an abuse record in violation of Iowa Code § 135B.34
Operation or use of radiation machines or radioactive material in violation of Iowa Code § 136C.4
Establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a health care facility without a license; or interfering with or impeding the enforcement of Iowa Code chapter 135C in violation of Iowa Code § 135C.21
Failure to report conviction or entry of an abuse record in violation of Iowa Code § 135C.33
Establishing, operating, or managing a subacute care facility without a license in violation of Iowa Code § 135G.14
Establishing, operating, or managing a psychiatric medical institution for children without a license in violation of Iowa Code § 135H.15
Knowingly violating confidentiality requirements in violation of Iowa Code § 135L.3
Knowingly violating any provision of law relating to communicable and infectious diseases and poisonings in violation of Iowa Code § 139A.25
Violating acquired immune deficiency syndrome confidentiality requirements in violation of Iowa Code § 131A.11
Unlawful receipt, delivery, use or disposition of a dead body in violation of Iowa Code chapter 142
Vital statistics offenses in violation of Iowa Code § 144.53
Life-sustaining procedure offense in violation of Iowa Code § 144A.10
False Use of Professional Titles or Abbreviations; Forgery, Fraud; or Unlawful Drug Dispensing, Supplying and Prescribing in violation of Iowa Code chapter 147
Prohibited acts in violation of Iowa Code § 147A.11
Establishing, conducting, managing, or operating an elder group home without a certificate in violation of Iowa Code § 231B.15
Establishing, conducting, managing, or operating any assisted living program without a certificate in violation of Iowa Code § 231C.15
Establishing, conducting, managing, or operating an adult day services program without a certificate in violation of Iowa Code § 231D.11
Knowingly and willfully failing to report a suspected case of child or dependent adult abuse in violation of Iowa Code §§ 232.75; 235B.3
Dependent adult abuse in violation of Iowa Code § 235B.20
Disclosure by third-party payor or peer reviewer of confidential mental health information in violation of Iowa Code § 228.7

Other Offenses

Wrongful use, disclosure, or tampering of DNA in violation of Iowa Code § 81.6
Prostitution house offense in violation of Iowa Code § 99.1A
Solicitation in violation of Iowa Code chapter 705
Conspiracy in violation of Iowa Code chapter 706
Ongoing criminal conduct in violation of Iowa Code § 706A.2
Money laundering in violation of Iowa Code § 706B
Feticide; Nonconsensual Termination; Failure to Preserve the Life of the Fetus; or Murder of Fetus Aborted Alive in violation of Iowa Code chapter 707
Performing an abortion on a minor in violation of 135L.3
Prohibited actions with respect to fetal body parts in violation of Iowa Code § 146D.1
Assisting suicide in violation of Iowa Code § 707A.2
Human reproductive cloning in violation of Iowa Code § 707C.4
Terrorism; Soliciting or Providing Material Support or Resources for Terrorism; Obstruction of Terrorism Prosecution; or Threat of Terrorism in violation of Iowa Code chapter 708A
Unlawful possession or distribution of bacillus anthracis or any substance containing bacillus anthracis in violation of Iowa Code § 708B.1
Criminal transmission of a contagious or infectious disease in violation of Iowa Code § 709D.3
Criminal Mischief; Unauthorized Computer Access; Trespass; or Critical Infrastructure Sabotage in violation of Iowa Code chapter 716
Unauthorized Sale or Offer for Direct Sale of Prescription Drugs; Use of Encryption; or Transmission of Unsolicited Bulk Electronic Mail in violation of Iowa Code chapter 716A
Unlawful disposal, transportation, treatment, or storage of hazardous waste in violation of Iowa Code chapter 716B
Bestiality in violation of Iowa Code § 717C.1
Violation of a no-contact order in violation of Iowa Code § 664.7
Riot, Unlawful Assembly; Failure to Disperse, or Disorderly Conduct in violation of Iowa Code chapter 723
Firearm and weapon offenses in violation of Iowa Code Chapter 724
Electronic and Mechanical Eavesdropping; Exposing Persons to X-Ray Radiation; or Transacting Business Without a License in violation of Iowa Code chapter 727
Genetic testing offense in violation of Iowa Code § 729.6
Hate crime in violation of Iowa code § 729A.2
Using a juvenile to commit certain offenses or contributing to juvenile delinquency, 709A
False reports of incendiary or explosive device or material; Threat of placing or attempting to place any incendiary or explosive device or material in violation of Iowa Code chapter 712.

Effective: January 1, 2021