State rules
Iowa
Iowa Code chapter 135K says a person shall not test or repair a backflow prevention assembly without first registering with and being approved by the department. The Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing now publishes the Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester registration page. A new registration requires an online application plus one of three proofs: completion of an Iowa DIAL-approved 32-hour course, with the application made within 12 months after completion; a current ABPA or ASSE certification; or an out-of-state backflow or cross-connection credential from a state with similar or greater training and continuing-education requirements. Renewal can use an approved five-hour course, current ABPA or ASSE certification, or an approved out-of-state credential.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Drinking-water agency
- The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing registers backflow prevention assembly testers under Iowa Code chapter 135K.
- Who may test an assembly
- Only a registered backflow prevention assembly tester may test or repair a backflow prevention assembly in Iowa.
- Official program page
- Official page →
Iowa Administrative Code chapter 481-476 says no person shall test or repair a backflow prevention assembly unless registered as a backflow prevention assembly tester. The chapter defines ABPA and ASSE by their full organization names. A registered tester must follow the rules and the ordinances of the local administrative authority. The tester keeps a record for each assembly for at least five years and uses the authority’s form if an ordinance requires it. The department or the authority may review those records.
The DIAL page says a training provider uploads the Iowa course certificate. Applicants using a third-party or out-of-state credential must upload a document that shows the name, the type of certification or license, and the expiration date. For renewal, a five-hour recertification course must be taken during the registration period to qualify. Testers whose registrations have been expired for more than two years must retake the Iowa DIAL-approved 32-hour course. The page discusses renewal fees in a table that was not fully captured here, so this record does not state a dollar amount.
Chapter 135K also says the department adopts rules for minimum qualifications, minimum standards for approved courses, fees, a listing of registered testers to local authorities, and enforcement. A violation is a simple misdemeanor. The department may order a person not to test or repair, or may revoke a registration, until corrective action is taken. It may also revoke approval of a course. Those are state registration powers. A city plumbing official can still require the local form. The tester has to satisfy both.
Official resources in Iowa
States the 32-hour course, ABPA or ASSE certification, and out-of-state paths for registration and renewal.
Requires department registration before a person tests or repairs a backflow prevention assembly.
Registration rule, five-year recordkeeping, and the ABPA and ASSE definitions.
Key facts for Iowa
- Iowa Code 135K.3 says a person shall not test or repair a backflow prevention assembly without registering and being approved.
- A new applicant may qualify with a DIAL-approved 32-hour course if the application is made within 12 months, or with current ABPA or ASSE certification.
- An out-of-state credential can qualify if that state has similar or greater training and continuing-education requirements.
- Renewal options include a DIAL-approved five-hour course, current ABPA or ASSE certification, or an approved out-of-state credential.
- A registration expired more than two years requires the 32-hour course again.
- A registered tester must keep each assembly record for at least five years.
What to do next
- Ask whether the person is a State of Iowa registered backflow prevention assembly tester.
- If they are using ABPA or ASSE, ask for the certification that shows the name and expiration date.
- Ask the city whether it requires its own test-report form in addition to the state registration.
- Do not hire someone whose Iowa registration has been expired for more than two years unless they have retaken the 32-hour course.
Looking for your city or county in Iowa?
We haven't found official program-level pages for Iowa we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Iowa, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Iowa DIAL backflow prevention assembly tester registration
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Iowa page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- What a backflow test is
- Who is allowed to test a backflow assembly
- Why utilities require annual backflow testing
- Tester and cross-connection specialist