| Customer verification | May sell only to licensed buyers |
|---|---|
| Records to keep | 2 years |
| Separate device or DME distributor license | Yes |
What Iowa requires before you ship
Iowa lets distributors sell prescription drugs only to buyers who are licensed or authorized to receive them, which means checking the license first. Iowa makes it a class C felony for a wholesaler to knowingly sell or transfer a drug or device to someone who is not allowed to buy it where they receive it. There is no written step that says to verify the buyer's license. In practice, a distributor checks licenses to avoid this risk. The Board's distributor rules require written policies on source verification, which is about suppliers. Limited distributors must verify that each order matches what is shipped, which is not a license check.
Who counts as an authorized buyer: A person authorized to purchase the drug or device under the law of the jurisdiction where it receives the product, such as a licensed pharmacy, practitioner, hospital, or licensed distributor.
"knowingly sells, barters, brokers, or transfers a drug or device to a person not authorized to purchase the drug or device under the jurisdiction" Iowa Code § 155A.24(10)
Records to keep
All records about distribution must be kept at the licensed location for at least 2 years from the date of the record. Electronic records must be able to print transactions for any date range. Records older than 12 months may be stored off site if they can be produced within 3 business days. Limited distributors must record the seller, the product and quantity, the date, and the purchaser's name and ship-to address.
Source: Iowa Admin. Code 481-554.4; 481-554.7(4)
Licenses a distributor needs in Iowa
Prescription drug wholesale distributor
No one may engage in wholesale distribution in Iowa without a wholesale distributor license. Iowa law tells wholesale distributors to follow the federal DSCSA standards. The Board's operating rules for distributors require written policies, including on source verification, plus records and facility standards.
Source: Iowa Code § 155A.17; Iowa Admin. Code 481-ch. 554
Medical device and DME distributors
Iowa requires a limited distributor license for anyone other than a wholesale distributor, pharmacy, or practitioner who distributes a medical gas or prescription device at wholesale, or to a patient on a prescription. Iowa defines a device as a medical device that FDA requires a practitioner to order or prescribe. Limited distributors must check each order before shipping and keep transaction records that name the purchaser.
Source: Iowa Code §§ 155A.42, 155A.3(11); Iowa Admin. Code 481-554.7
Controlled substances
Every person who makes, distributes, or dispenses controlled substances in Iowa must hold a registration from the Board, in addition to DEA registration. Registrants keep controlled substance records for at least 2 years.
Source: Iowa Code § 124.302(1); Iowa Admin. Code 481-553.2
Where to look up a Iowa license
- Pharmacies and pharmacy permits: Iowa Board of Pharmacy (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing)
- Physicians and other practitioners: Iowa Board of Medicine (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing)
- NPI: NPPES NPI Registry
- DEA registrations: DEA Diversion Control Division
Federal rules that apply in every state
- A prescription device "is to be sold only to or on the prescription or other order of such practitioner," or to a business lawfully distributing it (21 CFR 801.109).
- A prescription drug wholesale distributor's trading partners "may be only authorized trading partners," which for a pharmacy means one licensed under state law (21 U.S.C. 360eee-1(c)(3)).
How WorkdID handles Iowa accounts
WorkdID by Workd checks every Iowa customer you sell to against the state's pharmacy and medical boards, the NPI registry, and the DEA, every day. It flags an expiration or a board action within a day of posting, and in Workd order entry it can hold the order until your compliance team clears the account. Every check is saved with the date and the board record, so your Iowa file is ready when someone asks for it.
Other states
Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming