How to Get a Real Estate License in Iowa

In this guide you’ll learn all the details you need to know to get your license and become a real estate agent in Iowa.

You’ll learn the basic real estate licensing requirements in Iowa, information about the exam including pass rates and test prep, reciprocity rules, county by county breakdowns of the most expensive real estate in Iowa, and more.

Okay, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s start at the beginning.

Basic Iowa Real Estate Licensing Requirements

Getting a real estate license in Iowa is rather easy compared to other states. You only need a total of 96 (60 + 36) classroom hours of commission-approved pre-licensing courses. In comparison, to get a license in Texas, real estate licenses require applicants to complete 180 hours of courses. Here’s a quick breakdown of the real estate licensing requirements in Iowa:

Pre-licensing Courses Required in Iowa

In order to get a real estate license in Iowa, you will need to complete 96 (60 + 36) hours of real estate pre-licensing courses that will cover:

• The Real Estate Business
• License Law and Qualifications for Licensure
• License Law and Commission Rules
• Authorized Relationships, Duties, and Disclosure
• Real Estate Brokerage Activities and Procedures
• Violations of License Law, Penalties, and Procedures
• Federal and State Laws Pertaining to Real Estate
• Property Rights: Estates and Tenancies, Condominiums, Cooperatives, and Time Sharing
• Title, Deeds, and Ownership Restrictions
• Legal Descriptions
• Real Estate Contracts
• Residential Mortgages
• Types of Mortgages and Sources of Financing
• Computations and Closing of Transactions
• The Real Estate Market and Analysis
• Real Estate Appraisal
• Real Estate Investments and Business Opportunity Brokerage
• Taxes Affecting Real Estate
• Planning, Zoning, and Environmental Hazard

Iowa Real Estate Exam Information

If you work hard and take the courses seriously you should have no problem passing the exam. If you’re looking for help studying for the test, we recommend Real Estate Exam Scholar’s Exam prep course. They offer top-notch exam prep for an affordable price. Even better, they also offer a money back guarantee if you don’t pass on the first try.

Visit Real Estate Exam Scholar

Iowa Pre-licensing Exam Questions

• Total of 120 multiple-choice questions (to be completed all within 3 hours)
• 80 questions on the national portion (passing score: 56)
• 40 questions on the state portion (passing score: 28)

What to Bring to the Exam

• 2 valid forms of identification with signatures. One ID must be a government-issued Photo ID
• Confirmation number when the test reservation was made.

Passing Score

You must earn a score of 70 to pass the Iowa Real Estate Salesperson Exam

Pass Rate

 N/A

Iowa Real Estate License Fee

$125

Exam Fee in Iowa

 $101 ($95 for each retake)

Education Requirements

You need to have at least a high school diploma or GED in order to apply for a license in Iowa.

Age

Applicants must be at least 18 of age or older

Residency

 Any U.S. citizen or a lawfully admitted alien can apply.

Exemptions

 Any active member of the Iowa Bar who is in good standing and qualified under the real estate license law is exempt from taking the real estate sales associate prerequisite course.

Criminal Background

Applicants who have an existing criminal record may be denied a real estate license.

Processing Time

On average, it will take 8-10 weeks for the criminal background check alone. This may or may not include the time it would take for your application to be processed and approved.

Online Real Estate Schools in Iowa

While taking your real estate pre-licensing course in person can be helpful, online courses are much cheaper and offer the exact same courses. Career WebSchool is a solid choice.

Visit Career Web School

Iowa Real Estate License Reciprocity and Portability

If you plan on working in states besides Iowa, then you need to know the real estate license reciprocity and portability laws for Iowa.

• Reciprocity: Iowa has mutual recognition agreements with 11 states:
  • Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia
• Portability: Physical Location

To learn more about real estate license portability in Iowa, check out our guide on real estate license reciprocity and portability here.

How to Choose the Right Real Estate Company to Work For in Iowa

Let’s face it. Choosing the right brokerage to work for in any state isn’t easy. In order to make your choice a little bit easier, check out our in-depth guide on choosing the right real estate company to work for.

Once you’ve finished reading the guide, check out our buyer’s guide comparing Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Century 21 here.

If you’re curious about which Iowa brokerages are the most successful, check out Real Trends list of the top real estate brokerages in Iowa for 2017 below.

Des Moines

Davenport

*Data from Real Trends Market Leaders 2017

Iowa Counties with Highest Average Listing Price and Highest Median Sales Price 2017

Let’s face it, higher listing prices mean higher commission checks! To get a sense of which counties offer the best opportunities for big bucks in Iowa check out this sales data from Trulia’s Iowa home price page below (week ending June 21):