Iowa funeral directing CE courses

Curated courses matched to Iowa’s funeral directors renewal mandates — with prices, accreditation, and format. Plain listings, no affiliate markup.

24CE hours every 2 yearsBoard-verified 10-06-2026

Renewal: Biennial renewal; compliance period runs the 15th of the birth month to the 15th of the birth month two years later.

Source: Iowa Board of Mortuary Science

Loading…

Mandated topics

TopicHoursFrequencyWho
Current Iowa law/rules covering mortuary science (practice, cremation, vital statistics, cemeteries, preneed)2 hoursEvery 2 yearsAll funeral directors
In-person or live real-time interactive instructor-led programs (within the 24h total; not additive)12 hoursEvery 2 yearsAll funeral directors

General electives

Fill your remaining hours with these board-accepted courses.

Embalming Perspectives and Paradigms Challenged

NFDA · 6h · self-paced · APFSP (APFSP-approved for 6 CE hours; accepted by most state licensing boards)

$150.00non-member; $125 for NFDA membersView course →

Note: Six-hour embalming techniques course from a third-generation funeral director — a strong technical-skills option.

Marketing a Funeral Home for Long Term Profitability

NFDA · 3h · self-paced · APFSP (APFSP-approved for 3 CE hours; accepted by most state licensing boards)

$100.00non-member; $75 for NFDA membersView course →

Note: Three-hour funeral-home marketing and preneed course — counts toward business-management hours.

Ten Tools for Stress Relief

NFDA · 3h · self-paced · APFSP (APFSP-approved for 3 CE hours; accepted by most state licensing boards)

$100.00non-member; $75 for NFDA membersView course →

Note: Three-hour stress-management course for funeral professionals — general elective hours.

Ethical Standards in the Funeral Industry

Elite Learning · 2h · self-paced · State board-approved (Listed on Elite's state funeral CE pages)

Note: Two-hour ethics course at a budget price — one of the cheapest ways to cover an ethics mandate.

HIV/AIDS and Other Bloodborne Pathogens for Funeral Professionals

Elite Learning · 1h · self-paced · State board-approved (Listed on Elite's state funeral CE pages)

Note: One-hour bloodborne-pathogens course — meets OSHA and BBP training requirements.

Infectious Disease Control for Funeral Professionals

Elite Learning · 4h · self-paced · State board-approved (Listed on Elite's state funeral CE pages)

Note: Four-hour infectious-disease control course — fits communicable-disease mandates.

Cremation: An Overview

Elite Learning · 1h · self-paced · State board-approved (Listed on Elite's state funeral CE pages)

Note: One-hour cremation overview — a low-cost way to cover a cremation hour.

Advanced Funeral Planning

Elite Learning · 4h · self-paced · State board-approved (Listed on Elite's state funeral CE pages)

Note: Four-hour advanced funeral planning course — preneed and business content.

Bloodborne Pathogens

WebCE · 1h · self-paced · State board-approved (WebCE funeral CE)

Note: OSHA bloodborne-pathogens training for funeral professionals — fits states with an OSHA or bloodborne-pathogens hour.

Complete renewal bundles

One purchase covering your full 24-hour renewal — usually cheaper than buying courses individually.

Complete Self-Study CE Package for Funeral DirectorsBundle

WebCE · 5h · self-paced · State board-approved (WebCE funeral CE; state-specific catalogs with per-state approval)

Note: Five-hour self-study package covering a full renewal cycle in one purchase. WebCE runs state-specific funeral CE catalogs — pick your state on their site.

Free options

Accredited free courses. Note: free options rarely cover state-specific mandates — verify each mandate is satisfied.

NFDA Level Up Learning WebinarsFree

NFDA · 1h · webinar · APFSP (CE available on Level Up Learning webinars)

Freefree for NFDA members; $79 for non-membersView course →

Note: Live NFDA webinars with CE available — free for NFDA members. Topics rotate through business, legal, and practice issues.

Hamilton's Funeral Director CE ProgramsFree

Hamilton's Funeral Home · 2h · livestream · Iowa Board of Mortuary Science (Free 2-hour programs, in-person and via livestream; Iowa-focused)

Note: Free two-hour CE programs for funeral directors, in person in Des Moines and via livestream. Iowa-focused — out-of-state licensees should confirm board acceptance.

Frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Iowa funeral directors need?

Iowa funeral directors need 24 CE hours every 2 years.

What are the mandatory CE topics for Iowa funeral directors renewal?

Each renewal cycle requires: Current Iowa law/rules covering mortuary science (practice, cremation, vital statistics, cemeteries, preneed) (2 hours); In-person or live real-time interactive instructor-led programs (within the 24h total; not additive) (12 hours). See the mandated topics table above for the full list.

When is the Iowa renewal deadline?

Biennial renewal; compliance period runs the 15th of the birth month to the 15th of the birth month two years later.

Does Iowa accept online CE for funeral directors?

Iowa accepts board-approved online CE, but several states cap distance-learning hours or require a minimum of in-person or live-interactive hours — see the mandated topics table above. NFDA online courses are APFSP-approved and accepted by most state boards; always confirm your board's delivery rules before buying.

Disclaimer: CECourse is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any course provider listed on this page. We do not control provider pricing, course availability, content, accreditation status, or board reporting — all of which may change without notice. Course listings are curated for convenience and were last verified on 10-06-2026. Requirements change — always verify current mandates with the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science. CECourse does not guarantee that any listed course satisfies your specific renewal requirements.

Other states

Iowa funeral directors license requirements →