How To Get Your Real Estate License In Iowa

Do you want to become a real estate agent and get your Iowa Real Estate License? Colibri Real Estate has taught thousands of aspiring real estate agents in Iowa, and we make it easy for you to get up to speed on the Iowa real estate license requirements.

60 Mandatory Hours
0 Elective Hours
60 Total Hours
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Here's what you need to get your Iowa Real Estate license

The information below is a summary of the minimum requirements set forth by the Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board. For a more detailed requirements breakdown, please see the board's site.
If you hold Real Estate licenses in multiple states, please make sure to check each state's requirements.

Iowa Real Estate: Salesperson (Pre-Licensing)

Total Hours Required: 60
Mandatory Hours: 60
Elective Hours: 0

Online Info

  1. 1. Meet the general Iowa real estate license requirements.
    • There are no residency or citizenship requirements for an Iowa real estate license. But, you must be at least 18 years old.
    • Undergo a criminal history and background investigation. Keep in mind this process alone can take up to a minimum of four weeks, possibly more, and can be started many months ahead of submitting your license application. Criminal history backgrounds are valid for 210 calendar days.
  2. 2. Meet the Educational Real Estate License Requirements in Iowa - Enroll Today
    • Complete a 60-hour pre-license course.
    • Complete the following three courses:
      • 12 hours of a Buying Practices course
      • 12 hours of a Listing Practices course
      • 12 hours of a Developing Professionalism and Ethical Practices course
    • All the courses must have been completed less than 12 months prior to the time the Commission’s receives your completed application. You may take the courses in any order.
  3. 3. Meet Iowa real estate license application requirements:
    • Pass your state exam.
    • Exam results are valid until the last working day of the sixth month following the exam pass date (For example, a test passed on any day in January is valid until June 30 of that same year.)
    • Submit a completed application, which you will receive from the testing service when you pass the exams.
    • Be sponsored by broker at the time of your application.
    • You cannot apply for an inactive license.

Online Limitations

Salesperson candidates are required to complete the 60 hour course Iowa Real Estate Principles and Practice. Examinees are required to show their course completion certificate at the examination site as evidence that 60 classroom or computer-based hours of real estate principles and practices have been completed.

In addition all persons applying for a salesperson license beginning January 1, 2009 must show evidence that the following three courses have been completed: 12 hours of Buying Practices, 12 hours of Listing Practices and 12 hours of Developing Professionalism and Ethical Practices. This education is in addition to the 60-hour salesperson prelicense course. The additional three 12 hour courses MUST be completed in a classroom setting.

Students are given 6 months from their registration date to complete their 60-hour pre-license course. If unable to complete in this timeframe, students are required to re-register for the course and take it from the beginning.

Roster

Roster Required: no
Roster Process: Rosters are not required to be submitted for QE.
Roster Sent: Every 0 days

Governing Agency

Name: Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board
Phone: 5157259025
Fax: 5157259032
Address: 200 E. Grand, Ste. 350 Des Moines, 50309

Iowa Real Estate: All (Continuing Education)

Total Hours Required: 36
Mandatory Hours: 12
Elective Hours: 24
Renewal Cycle in Years: 3
License Expiration Date: 12/31/2024
Education Cycle in Months: 36
Next Education Due Date: 12/31/2024

Online Info

Continuing Education and Renewal Date: December 31st every 3 years.

•16.4(1) All individual real estate licenses are issued for three-year terms, counting the remaining portion of the year of issue as a full year. All individual licenses expire on December 31 of the third year of the license term.

Hours Required by Iowa Real Estate Commission: 36 hours

•12 mandatory hours
    o8-hour Law Update
    o4-hour Ethics
•24 elective hours

Duplicate Courses: Per 193E—16.4(3) During each three-year renewal period a course may be taken for credit only once. A course may be repeated for credit only if the course numbers and instructors are different.

Expiration Date of Course: Course expiration dates vary but are generally 6 months after enrollment date.

Final Exam: In accordance with 193E—17.10(4), a passing score of 80 percent is required for course credit to be granted. There is no limit to the number of times a final examination may be taken to achieve a passing score.

Certificate: With few exceptions, online course completion certificates are available for download at course conclusion and posted directly to your student dashboard. 

 

Online Limitations

Per 193E—16.4(4), A maximum of 24 hours of continuing education may be taken by distance learning each three-year renewal period.

Roster

Roster Required: no
Roster Process: N/A
Roster Sent: Every 0 days

Governing Agency

Name: Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board
Phone: 5157259025
Fax: 5157259032
Address: 200 E. Grand, Ste. 350 Des Moines, 50309

Iowa Real Estate: All (Continuing Education)

Total Hours Required: 36
Mandatory Hours: 12
Elective Hours: 24
Renewal Cycle in Years: 3
License Expiration Date: 12/31/2024
Education Cycle in Months: 36
Next Education Due Date: 12/31/2024

Online Info

Continuing Education and Renewal Date: December 31st every 3 years.

•16.4(1) All individual real estate licenses are issued for three-year terms, counting the remaining portion of the year of issue as a full year. All individual licenses expire on December 31 of the third year of the license term.

Hours Required by Iowa Real Estate Commission: 36 hours

•12 mandatory hours
    o8-hour Law Update
    o4-hour Ethics
•24 elective hours

Duplicate Courses: Per 193E—16.4(3) During each three-year renewal period a course may be taken for credit only once. A course may be repeated for credit only if the course numbers and instructors are different.

Expiration Date of Course: Course expiration dates vary but are generally 6 months after enrollment date.

Final Exam: In accordance with 193E—17.10(4), a passing score of 80 percent is required for course credit to be granted. There is no limit to the number of times a final examination may be taken to achieve a passing score.

Certificate: With few exceptions, online course completion certificates are available for download at course conclusion and posted directly to your student dashboard. 

 

Online Limitations

Per 193E—16.4(4), A maximum of 24 hours of continuing education may be taken by distance learning each three-year renewal period.

Roster

Roster Required: no
Roster Process: N/A
Roster Sent: Every 0 days

Governing Agency

Name: Iowa Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board
Phone: 5157259025
Fax: 5157259032
Address: 200 E. Grand, Ste. 350 Des Moines, 50309

Good to know

Other facts and insights about completing your CE

Note: This license renewal information is provided as a convenience only and is subject to change at any time. It's ultimately the responsibility of the licensee to be sure that he or she is meeting all requirements for each license and corresponding renewal period.