645—101.6(156) Licensure by endorsement.
	101.6(1) The applicant shall be eligible to apply for a license to practice mortuary science issued by the board when the applicant has completed the educational qualifications, examination requirements, and documentation of experiences as prescribed below:
	a. 	Educational qualifications.
	(1)	A minimum of 60 hours of college credit as indicated on the transcript from a regionally accredited college or university with a minimum of a 2.0 or “C” grade point average. The 60 college semester hours shall not include any technical mortuary science course; and
	(2)	A program in mortuary science from a school accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education; and
	(3)	A college course of at least one semester hour or equivalent in current Iowa law and rules covering mortuary science content areas including, but not limited to, Iowa law and rules governing the practice of mortuary science, cremation, vital statistics, cemeteries and preneed services.
	b. 	Examination requirements. The board shall accept a certificate of examination issued by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, Inc., indicating a passing score on both the arts and sciences portions of the examination.
	c. 	Documentation of experience. The applicant shall furnish certified evidence of:
	(1)	Two or more years of actual practice as a licensed funeral director in the state from which the applicant desires to endorse; or
	(2)	Having met requirements substantially equivalent to those in paragraph 101.3(1)“f” and subrule 101.3(3).
	101.6(2) The applicant shall complete a board-approved application packet. Application forms may be obtained from the board’s website (idph.iowa.gov/Licensure/Iowa-Board-of-Mortuary-Science/Licensure) or directly from the board office. All applications shall be sent to Board of Mortuary Science, Professional Licensure Division, Fifth Floor, Lucas State Office Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0075.
	a. 	The applicant shall complete the application form according to the instructions contained in the application. If the application is not completed according to the instructions, the application will not be reviewed by the board.
	b. 	Each application shall be accompanied by the appropriate fees payable to the Board of Mortuary Science. The fees are nonrefundable.
	c. 	No application will be considered by the board until official copies of academic transcripts showing the completion of training in a college of mortuary science approved by the board have been sent directly from the school to the board.
	d. 	Licensees who were issued their initial licenses within six months prior to the renewal shall not be required to renew their licenses until the renewal month two years later.
	e. 	Incomplete applications that have been on file in the board office for more than two years shall be:
	(1)	Considered invalid and shall be destroyed; or
	(2)	Maintained upon written request of the candidate. The candidate is responsible for requesting that the file be maintained.
	101.6(3) The applicant shall provide verification of license from the jurisdiction in which the applicant has most recently been licensed, sent directly from the jurisdiction to the board office. The applicant must also disclose any public or pending complaints against the applicant in any other jurisdiction. Web-based verification may be substituted for verification direct from the jurisdiction’s board office if the verification provides:
	a. 	Licensee’s name;
	b. 	Date of initial licensure;
	c. 	Current licensure status; and
	d. 	Any disciplinary action taken against the license.
	101.6(4) The applicant shall satisfy the provisions of subrule 101.11(3), if the applicant is not actively licensed in another jurisdiction.
	101.6(5) A person who is licensed in another jurisdiction but who is unable to satisfy the requirements of licensure by endorsement may apply for licensure by verification, if eligible, in accordance with rule 645—19.1(272C).
[ARC 9239B, IAB 11/17/10, effective 12/22/10; ARC 1274C, IAB 1/8/14, effective 2/12/14; ARC 3083C, IAB 5/24/17, effective 6/28/17; ARC 5760C, IAB 7/14/21, effective 8/18/21; ARC 7022C, IAB 5/31/23, effective 7/5/23]