There is no single answer to this question.  Unfortunately, with 99 counties in Iowa, there are 99 different ways to obtain an Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons.  Every Sheriff has his own set of guidelines and requirements in order to obtain a permit.

The only constant is that you must start the process by visiting your local Sheriff's office.  You obtain an application from your local Sheriff, and you must obtain the application from the Sheriff of the county in which you live.

Some level of training is required by nearly all Sheriffs.  The amount and type of training will vary from county to county.  Each Sheriff can also prescribe the parties authorized to provide the training, so even though two counties may have identical training requirements, the parties that provide the training must be recognized and authorized by the local Sheriff, or it will not count toward the application of a permit.