ABA licensure in Iowa: who needs a license, how to get one and how to keep it
The short answer
Iowa requires a license to practice applied behavior analysis unless a statutory exemption applies. Iowa licenses both behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts. Confirm with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) before you rely on this.
What the law says
Who licenses. The license is issued by the board of behavioral health professionals. The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) runs the application and renewal, and the state's school rules name DIAL as the source of the license. Iowa Code section 154D.1 defines "board" this way:
"'Board' means the board of behavioral health professionals established in chapter 147."
Who must have one. Section 147.2(1) lists the professions that need a license. Applied behavior analysis is on the list:
"A person shall not engage in the practice of medicine and surgery, podiatry, osteopathic medicine and surgery, genetic counseling, psychology, chiropractic, physical therapy, physical therapist assisting, nursing, dentistry, dental hygiene, dental assisting, optometry, speech pathology, audiology, occupational therapy, occupational therapy assisting, orthotics, prosthetics, pedorthics, respiratory care, pharmacy, cosmetology arts and sciences, barbering, social work, dietetics, applied behavior analysis, marital and family therapy or mental health counseling, massage therapy, mortuary science, polysomnography, athletic training, acupuncture, nursing home administration, or sign language interpreting or transliterating, or shall not practice as a physician assistant or a hearing aid specialist, unless the person has obtained a license for that purpose from the board for the profession."
What counts as practice. Section 154D.1 defines the practice of applied behavior analysis:
"'Practice of applied behavior analysis' means the design, implementation, and evaluation of instructional and environmental modification to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior. 'Practice of applied behavior analysis' includes the empirical identification of functional relations between behavior and environmental factors, known as functional assessment and analysis. 'Practice of applied behavior analysis' excludes psychological testing, psychotherapy, cognitive therapy, sex therapy, psychoanalysis, hypnotherapy, and counseling as treatment modalities."
Titles. Section 147.74(15) says a licensed behavior analyst "may use the letters 'LBA' after the person's name" and a licensed assistant behavior analyst may use "LABA."
Who is exempt. Section 154D.4(3) says the licensing chapter and chapter 147 "do not prevent or restrict the practice of applied behavior analysis" by several groups. These include:
- Persons licensed in other professions under the same subtitle, if ABA is within their scope of practice and competence, as long as they do not represent that they are a licensed behavior analyst or assistant unless also licensed as one.
- Family members of recipients who implement treatment plans "under the extended authority and direction of a licensed behavior analyst or a licensed assistant behavior analyst."
- "Paraprofessional technicians who deliver applied behavior analysis services under the extended authority and direction of a licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst," who "shall use titles that indicate their nonprofessional status, including but not limited to 'assistant behavior analyst technician', 'behavior technician', 'tutor', or 'line therapist'."
- Behavior analysts who practice with nonhumans.
- Professionals providing general ABA services to organizations, when the services benefit those organizations and do not involve direct services to individuals.
- Students in a defined program of study, course, practicum, internship, or postdoctoral fellowship under the supervision the statute describes.
- Unlicensed persons pursuing supervised ABA experience that meets a certifying entity's experience requirements, with supervision that also meets that entity's requirements.
- People who teach ABA or conduct behavior-analytic research without delivering ABA services directly.
- Behavior analysts "licensed in another jurisdiction or certified by a certifying entity to practice independently and who work in this state no more than two thousand eighty hours within a calendar year."
- "Persons employed by a school, school district, or area education agency performing the duties of their positions," who may not offer ABA services to anyone other than their school employer or accept pay for ABA services other than from that employer.
Read the statute for the exact conditions on each group.
Penalty. Section 147.86 says:
"Any person violating any provision of this subtitle, except insofar as the provisions apply or relate to or affect the practice of pharmacy, or where a specific penalty is otherwise provided, shall be guilty of a serious misdemeanor."
Where the license shows up in other Iowa rules.
- Insurance. Iowa Code 514C.31 requires the group policies and plans it describes to cover applied behavior analysis provided by a practitioner to covered individuals for treatment of autism spectrum disorder pursuant to a treatment plan. Its definition of "practitioner" includes "A behavior analyst licensed pursuant to chapter 154D."
- Medicaid. Iowa Code 249A.15A(5) says the department "shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A entitling behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts who are licensed pursuant to chapter 154D to payment for behavioral health services provided to recipients of medical assistance, subject to limitations and exclusions the department finds necessary on the basis of federal laws and regulations."
- Schools. Under Board of Educational Examiners rule 282-16.1, the school behavior analyst statement of professional recognition "may be obtained by first obtaining licensure from the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing." Rule 282-16.8 says its holder "can serve as a school behavior analyst to pupils from birth to age 21."
Source: Iowa Code chapter 154D; Iowa Code chapter 147; Iowa Code chapter 514C; Iowa Code chapter 249A; Iowa Administrative Code 282, chapter 16.
How to get licensed
Iowa Code section 154D.2A sets the path for a behavior analyst:
"An applicant for a license to practice as a behavior analyst shall be granted a license by the board upon submitting to the board proof of the applicant’s current certification as a behavior analyst or behavior analyst-doctoral by a certifying entity."
The statute defines "certifying entity" as "the behavior analyst certification board or another entity whose programs to certify professional practitioners of applied behavior analysis are accredited by the national commission for certifying agencies or the American national standards institute." The administrative rule is narrower. Rule 481-880.2(2) says:
"For licensure as a behavior analyst, the applicant shall submit proof of current BACB certification as a board-certified behavior analyst or board-certified behavior analyst-doctoral."
The rule also says the applicant "must submit a completed application for licensure and pay the nonrefundable licensure fee." The fee is $120 (rule 481-507.3(3)). DIAL's application page tells applicants to create an account, apply and pay online through the licensing portal, and to send proof of BACB certification with the application or by email to the address on that page. The sources we read do not list an exam, a degree or a background check beyond that certification proof.
An initial license "shall be issued with the same expiration date as the applicant’s current certification issued by BACB" (rule 481-880.11(1)).
Source: Iowa Code chapter 154D; 481 IAC chapter 880; 481 IAC chapter 507; DIAL, how to apply for a behavior analyst or assistant behavior analyst license.
Assistants, RBTs and technicians
Assistant behavior analysts are licensed. Section 154D.2A(2) says:
"An applicant for a license to practice as an assistant behavior analyst shall be granted a license by the board upon submitting to the board proof of the applicant’s current certification as an assistant behavior analyst by a certifying entity. The applicant must also provide proof of ongoing supervision by a licensed behavior analyst in accordance with the requirements of the certifying entity."
Section 154D.1 defines a licensed assistant behavior analyst as a person licensed to practice ABA "under the supervision of a licensed behavior analyst." The licensing fee is the same $120 as for a behavior analyst (rule 481-507.3(3)).
Technicians. The statute does not use the term "RBT." It exempts "paraprofessional technicians who deliver applied behavior analysis services under the extended authority and direction of a licensed behavior analyst or licensed assistant behavior analyst" (section 154D.4(3)(c)). Those technicians may not represent themselves as behavior analysts or assistant behavior analysts and must use titles that show their nonprofessional status. We did not find an Iowa license or registration for technicians in the sources we read.
Source: Iowa Code chapter 154D; 481 IAC chapter 507.
Renewal and state-required training
Rule 481-880.11 sets renewal for behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts:
"The biennial license renewal period for a behavior analyst or assistant behavior analyst shall run concurrent with the licensee’s BACB certification. Each license renewed shall be given the expiration date that is on the licensee’s current BACB certification."
To renew, a licensee shall:
"a. Meet the continuing education requirements required by BACB to renew a certification. b. Maintain current certification as a board-certified behavior analyst, board-certified behavior analyst-doctoral, or board-certified assistant behavior analyst issued by BACB. c. Submit the completed renewal application and renewal fee before the license expiration date."
Rule 481-880.11 requires licensees to meet BACB continuing education requirements for certification renewal. That rule does not specify additional state-set continuing education hours or required topics for behavior analysts.
Fees and timing, from the rules and DIAL:
- Biennial renewal fee: $120. Licenses issued for less than one year are not subject to a renewal fee for the first renewal (rule 481-507.3(3)-(4)).
- Late fee: $60. A license becomes late when it is not renewed by the expiration date. The grace period is "the 30-day period following expiration of a license when the license is still considered to be active" (rules 481-880.1, 880.11(6), 507.3(5)).
- After the grace period the license is inactive. An inactive licensee "shall not engage in the practice of applied behavior analysis for which a license is required in Iowa until the license is reactivated." Reactivation takes a renewal application, proof of current certification and a $180 fee (rules 880.11(7)-(8), 507.3(6)).
- DIAL says: "You can renew your license up to 60 days before your current license expires." It also says renewal notices are emailed 30 days before expiration.
- A licensee must keep the license certificate and renewal displayed in a conspicuous public place at the primary site of practice (rule 880.11(5)).
Source: 481 IAC chapter 880; 481 IAC chapter 507; DIAL, Mental & Behavioral Health.
Training the staff you supervise
If you run a program in Iowa and need new technicians or aides trained in the basics, this is what our Intro to ABA Level 1 course covers.
The Intro to ABA Level 1 course teaches methods and techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for parents and caregivers, teachers, paraprofessionals and behavior technicians who work with a child every day. Topics include what autism is, what ABA is, pairing, errorless teaching and prompting, and active student responding. Complete the course and pass its 40-question final exam with a score of at least 80%. Completing this course earns a Special Learning certificate of completion. That certificate is not a continuing education (CE) certificate. It is basic training in ABA methods for daily practice, not a professional credential. It is not the 40-hour training required for the RBT credential. We do not claim Iowa state approval or continuing education credit for this course.
Two ways to start
- For one person: try the first two sessions free for 7 days; account creation is required, with no payment information requested. The full course costs $199, paid once, with no subscription or recurring charge. Activate your license code within 90 days of purchase; the published completion window is 10 weeks after activation. You may request a later start date, no later than three months after purchase. Start the free sessions
- For your team: tell us how many people need training and when, and we will send a quote; each participant who completes the course and passes its 40-question final exam with a score of at least 80% earns an individual certificate of completion. Ask for a team quote
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026.