How to Get a Real Estate License in Iowa

Iowa’s real estate market has something for everyone, whether it’s helping first-time buyers find their perfect home in Des Moines or working with families settling into smaller towns like Ames or Dubuque. If you enjoy connecting people and guiding them through one of life’s biggest decisions, a career in real estate can be a rewarding path. 

Before you can start working with clients, you’ll need to earn your real estate license through the Iowa Real Estate Commission (IREC). The process includes a few key steps that prepare you to represent buyers and sellers across the state:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Finish prelicensing education through an IREC-approved provider
• Pass the national and state portions of the Iowa real estate exam
• Complete fingerprinting and a background check
• Choose a sponsoring broker to guide your early career
• Apply for your Iowa real estate license through the IREC

Table of Contents

• Steps to Getting a Real Estate License in Iowa
• Iowa Continuing Education and License Renewal Requirements
• Iowa Real Estate License Reciprocity

Steps to Getting a Real Estate License in Iowa

Here’s what you’ll need to do to earn your Iowa real estate license and start your career:

Step 1: Meet Iowa’s Basic Eligibility Requirements

Before you can start your education, you’ll need to make sure you meet the IREC’s basic requirements for becoming a licensed real estate salesperson. To qualify, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent
• Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
  

Once you meet these requirements, you can move on to your prelicensing education, the first major step toward earning your Iowa real estate license. 

Step 2: Complete 60 Hours of Prelicensing Education

Once you’ve met the eligibility requirements, your next step is completing 60 hours of prelicensing education. This coursework gives you the foundation you’ll need to pass the exam and work confidently with clients. Topics include:

• Property ownership and transfer
• Real estate law and contracts
• Financing and mortgages
• Agency relationships and ethics
• Iowa-specific rules and regulations
  

After completing your 60-hour course, you’ll receive a certificate of completion. Keep this document safe–you’ll need it to register for the Iowa real estate exam. 

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Step 3: Pass the Iowa Real Estate Exam

After completing your coursework, you’ll be ready to take the Iowa real estate salesperson exam, administered by PSI. Here’s what to expect:

• Two Parts: a national section covering general real estate principles and a state section focused on Iowa laws
• Testing Options: Take it at a PSI testing center or online from home
• Passing Requirements: You must pass both sections to qualify for your license.

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Step 4: Submit Your Fingerprints and Background Check

Before your license can be approved, you’ll need to complete a criminal history and a background investigation through the IREC. Here’s what to know:

• Request a fingerprint packet through the Iowa Professional Licensing Bureau website.
• Submit your fingerprints and pay the required fee–this allows checks through the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the FBI, and Iowa Courts Online.
  
• Results are valid for 210 calendar days, so be sure to complete this step within that window.
  

The DCI reviews these reports when your license application is submitted. More details can be found on the Iowa Professional Licensing Bureau website. 

Step 5: Find a Sponsoring Broker

Every new real estate agent in Iowa must be affiliated with a licensed sponsoring broker. This partnership gives you the supervision and hands-on training you’ll need as a new agent. When choosing a sponsoring broker, consider factors such as:

• Company Culture and Values: Work with a brokerage whose approach and reputation align with your professional goals.
• Commission Structure: Review how commissions are divided so you know exactly how you’ll be compensated.
• Training and Mentorship: Choose a broker who provides strong guidance and resources for new salespersons. 
• Location: Focus on a market area–like Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, or smaller surrounding towns–where you want to build your business. 

Once you’ve selected your sponsoring broker, you’ll include their information in your license application. 

Step 6: Apply for Your Iowa Real Estate License

After you’ve passed the exam, completed your background check, and chosen your sponsoring broker, you’re ready for the final step–applying for your Iowa real estate license through the IREC’s online portal. You’ll need to provide:

• Your course completion certificate
  
• Passing exam results
  
• Background check documentation
  
• Sponsoring broker details

Once your application is approved, the IREC will issue your license, and you’ll officially be able to practice real estate anywhere in Iowa. 

Iowa Continuing Education and License Renewal Requirements

To keep your real estate license active in Iowa, you must complete continuing education (CE) every three years. Learn more:

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Continuing Education Requirements

Each renewal cycle requires 36 hours of CE, which must include:

• 8 hours of Law Update
  
• 4 hours of Ethics
  
• 24 hours of IREC-approved electives

Of the 36 required hours, at least 12 hours must be taken through live instruction, either in-person or through a live virtual class. The remaining 24 hours may be completed online. 

All CE hours must be finished by December 31 of your license expiration year. Courses taken after that date will not count toward your current renewal. 

First-Time vs. Subsequent Renewals

For your first license renewal, you must complete the same 36-hour CE requirement–your prelicensing courses do not count toward renewal. 

For all later renewals, the requirements remain the same, though you may carry forward up to 18 elective hours into your next renewal cycle. Law Update and Ethics courses must be retaken every three years and cannot be carried forward.

Renewal Process

Renewals are submitted online through the Iowa Professional Licensing Bureau. Once your CE hours are complete, you’ll log in, verify your coursework, and pay the renewal fee. 

Make sure to keep copies of your CE certificates in case of an audit by the IREC. 

Iowa Real Estate License Reciprocity

If you already hold a real estate license in another state, Iowa may allow you to earn an Iowa license more easily through reciprocity. The IREC has agreements in place that recognize equivalent education and testing from certain states, helping licensed agents transfer their credentials without starting from scratch.

How Reciprocity Works in Iowa

Iowa has reciprocity agreements with the following states:

• Arkansas
  
• Georgia
• Louisiana
  
• Massachusetts
  
• Minnesota
  
• Mississippi
  
• North Dakota

These agreements make it easier for licensed real estate professionals in those states to earn an Iowa real estate license without repeating prelicensing education or the full national exam. However, all applicants must still:

• Submit an Iowa license application through the IREC.
  
• Complete a criminal background check and fingerprinting.
  
• Pass the Iowa-specific portion of the real estate exam. 

Important Notes for Out-of-State Salespersons

• Your current license must be active and in good standing.
  
• You must apply for your Iowa license within six months of completing your background check.
  
• Iowa does not currently offer license portability for salespersons who only wish to conduct business temporarily within the state–you must hold an Iowa license to practice in-state.