Commercial Explosives Licensing Requirements:
The state of Iowa requires licensing for all commercial explosive contractors and blasters as defined in Iowa Code 101A and Administrative Rules Chapter 235. A company engaged in the manufacture, importation, distribution, sale or commercial use of explosives and their employees must be licensed as commercial explosive contractors and blasters.
Explosive Material User Permit (for County Sheriff/Chief of Police use only) PDF Form
- Complaints about unlicensed commercial explosive contractors and/or blasters should be directed to the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.
- Complaints about detonation of explosives should be directed to the county sheriff or chief of police in the jurisdiction where blasting occurred.
Home Base Iowa Act - Connecting Veterans to Careers and Resources
Companies:
- All contractors working in Iowa must get a commercial explosive contractor license.
- A national criminal history background check is required for all responsible persons and employee possessors who are not licensed as commercial explosive blasters.
- Contractors must license at least one commercial explosive blaster.
Blasters:
- All blasters working in Iowa must get a commercial explosive blaster license under a licensed contractor. They must provide a copy of their current qualifying certification as specified in the matrix below.
- All blasters renewing a license in Iowa are required to provide proof of continuing education as specified in the matrix below.
Blaster Endorsement | Qualifying Certification Option(s) |
---|---|
Commercial Explosive Blaster (new license applicant) |
Satisfactory completion of training in the use and handling of explosives by the employer or reputable third party knowledgeable about the storage, handling, and use of explosives [or] Copy of a current blaster license issued by another state with comparable licensing requirements [or] Satisfactory completion of an applicable training or testing program that has been approved by the department before applying
|
Commercial Explosive Blaster (renewal license applicant) |
Completed continuing education from a nationally recognized institution for professional explosives storage, handling, and use [or] Copy of a current blaster license issued by another state with comparable licensing requirements [or] Satisfactory completion of an applicable training or testing program that has been approved by the department before applying
|
Licensing Fees:
- Fee Structure for Contractor License
-
- $60 license fee (prorated monthly)
- $35 criminal history background check for each listed responsible person and employee possessor
- Fee Structure for Blaster License
-
- $60 license fee (prorated monthly)
- $35 criminal history background check
Payments can be made online by debit/credit card or eCheck/ACH or by mailing a check or money order payable to the Dept. of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing or State of Iowa and mailed to the Dept. of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing, Attention: Alarm Licensing Administration, 215 E 7th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0047.
Criminal History Background Check:
Stop mailing fingerprint cards! Use Fieldprint Iowa Livescan network today!
Use Fieldprint's largest Livescan network in Iowa to schedule secure, electronic submission of your fingerprints for criminal history background checks required by Commercial Explosives licensing.
Refer to the Program Scheduling Aid below for step-by-step instructions to schedule your Livescan appointment at one of the Fieldprint locations nearest you.
Please be sure to use the Fieldprint Code for your license as indicated in the scheduling aids below.
Explosives licensing - FPIASFMExplosives
Commercial Explosives Licensing Fieldprint Program Scheduling Aid
For information on fingerprint locations outside our Livescan network, please visit the National Background Information-Fingerprinting Locations website.
Please visit our License Management System website to find downloadable application forms under the Forms menu.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this form. A free version may be downloaded from Adobe's PDF Suite website.