1. 1. A person born after January 1, 1972, shall not obtain a hunting license unless the person has satisfactorily completed a hunter education course approved by the commission. A person who is eleven years of age or more may enroll in an approved hunter education course, but a person who is eleven years of age and who has successfully completed the course shall be issued a certificate of completion which becomes valid on the person’s twelfth birthday. A certificate of completion from an approved hunter education course issued in this state, or a certificate issued by another state, country, or province for completion of a course that meets the standards adopted by the international hunter education association — United States of America, is valid for the requirements of this section.

2. 2.

   1. a. A certificate of completion shall not be issued to a person who has not satisfactorily completed an approved hunter education course. The department shall establish the curriculum based on the standards adopted by the international hunter education association — United States of America for the approved hunter education course. Upon completion of the course, each person shall pass an individual oral test or a written test provided by the department. The department shall establish the criteria for successfully passing the tests. Based on the results of the test and demonstrated safe handling of a firearm, the instructor shall determine the persons who shall be issued a certificate of completion.
   2. b. Notwithstanding paragraph “a”, a resident who is eighteen years of age or older may obtain a certificate of completion without demonstrating the safe handling of a firearm.
3. 3. The department shall provide a manual regarding hunter education which shall be used by all instructors and persons receiving hunter education training in this state. The department may produce the manual in a print or electronic format accessible from a computer, including from a data storage device or the department’s internet site.
4. 4. The department shall provide for the certification of persons who wish to become hunter education instructors. A person shall not act as an instructor in hunter education as provided in this section without first obtaining an instructor’s certificate from the department.
5. 5. An officer of the department or a certified instructor may issue a certificate to a person who has not completed the hunter education course but meets the criteria established by the commission.
6. 6. A public or private school accredited pursuant to section 256.11 or an organization approved by the department may cooperate with the department in providing a course in hunter education or shooting sports activities as provided in this section.
7. 7. A hunting license obtained under this section by a person who gave false information or presented a fraudulent certificate of completion shall be revoked and a new hunting license shall not be issued for at least two years from the date of conviction. A hunting license obtained by a person who was born after January 1, 1972, but has not satisfactorily completed the hunter education course or has not met the requirements established by the commission, shall be revoked.
8. 8. The commission shall adopt rules in accordance with chapter 17A as necessary to carry out the administration of this section.
9. 9. The initial hunter education certificate shall be issued without cost. A duplicate certificate shall be issued upon payment of the writing fee and administrative fee, if applicable.
10. 10. A person under eighteen years of age who is required to exhibit a valid hunting license shall also exhibit a valid certificate of completion from a state approved hunter education course upon request of an officer of the department. A failure to carry or refusal to exhibit the certificate of completion as provided in this subsection is a violation of this chapter. A violator is guilty of a simple misdemeanor as provided in section 483A.42.
11. 11. An instructor certified by the department shall be allowed to conduct a department-approved hunter education course or shooting sports activities course on public school property with the approval of a majority of the board of directors of the school district. Conducting an approved hunter education course or shooting sports activities course is not a violation of any public policy, rule, regulation, resolution, or ordinance which prohibits the possession, display, or use of a firearm, bow and arrow, or other hunting weapon on public school property or other public property in this state.

For applicable scheduled fine, see §805.8B, subsection 3, paragraph b

[82 Acts, ch 1035, §1] C83, §110.27 85 Acts, ch 104, §1; 86 Acts, ch 1240, §8; 86 Acts, ch 1245, §1877; 91 Acts, ch 235, §1, 2 C93, §483A.27 97 Acts, ch 96, §1, 2; 2001 Acts, ch 176, §43; 2007 Acts, ch 28, §19; 2008 Acts, ch 1161, §19; 2009 Acts, ch 133, §159; 2013 Acts, ch 75, §1; 2015 Acts, ch 26, §7

Referred to in §483A.7, 483A.8, 483A.24, 483A.27A, 724.9, 805.8B(3)(b)