The Ombudsman has jurisdiction to investigate complaints about Iowa’s Licensing Boards. Before you make a complaint to us, we want to make sure the board you are complaining about has had an address your complaint. For this reason, we ask that you first try to address your complaint with the executive director of the board.
Most Boards are housed within the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL). You can find information about those at https://dial.iowa.gov/licenses.
NOTE: Iowa’s licensing boards are obligated by law to not reveal any investigative information, whether a case was dismissed and the rationale behind it, or whether any private action was taken with a licensee. To read the Ombudsman’s investigation on licensing boards and secrecy, visit:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/OSR/854006.pdf
The Ombudsman is obligated by law to maintain the confidentiality of any confidential files. This mean that our office may be of limited utility to your individual complaint, as we will not be able to explain the investigative or deliberative process followed by the board, or the outcome of any non-public action.
Please understand that the Ombudsman has attempted to address several issues surrounding the secrecy of licensing boards through proposed legislation, including what licensing boards should be obligated to share with complainants or what our office may be able to relay to complainants. To date, we have been unsuccessful.
If your complaint relates to information that a licensing board is unwilling to share with you, you may consider contacting your state legislator at:
Already completed this process?
If you have already gone through this process and want to file a complaint with our office, click here:
Tips for Making a Complaint
► Ask if you can speak with a supervisor or manager about your issue.
► Clearly explain what your issue is and what you’d like the outcome to be.
► Write down the names of the people you speak with, when you spoke with them and what they said.
► Make the conversation about what you need, be persistent but remain calm and polite.
► If you are still unsatisfied, ask what appeal and review processes are available and pay close attention to their criteria and deadlines.
Not Sure? Contact Us!
Please contact us directly if you don’t think it would be appropriate for us to require you to go through an available complaint or review process before we consider your complaint. We can consider your specific circumstances before we decide – including the urgency of your complaint or any disabilities or barriers you may be experiencing.
