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.
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
| Real Estate Brokerage | |
|---|---|
| Iowa Realty /HomeServices | |
| RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts | |
| Keller Williams Realty Des Moines/Ankeny /Ames/ Siouxland | |
| Coldwell Banker Mid-America Group, Realtors | |
| CENTURY 21 Signature Real Estate |
Davenport
| Real Estate Brokerage | |
|---|---|
| Ruhl & Ruhl Realtors | |
| Mel Foster Co. | |
| Keller Williams Realty Greater Quad Cities |
*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):
| County | Median Sales price | |
|---|---|---|
| Dickinson | ||
| Lucas | ||
| Johnson | ||
| Dallas | ||
| Warren | ||
| Madison | ||
| Winneshiek | ||
| Story | ||
| Polk | ||
| Dubuque |
Patrice Banks
Hello, I’ am very interested in becoming an Real Estate agent. I was wondering where would be the nearest school to attend for the pre-licensing course near Newton, Ia in person not online.
Daniel Macaraeg
Hi Patrice,
Thanks for your comment. I think the nearest school is in Clive, about 40-50 miles west of Newton:
Iowa Association of REALTORS
1370 N.W. 114th Street, Suite
Clive, IA 50325
They offer a 60-hour pre-licensing course on weekdays that begins on January 8, 2018. It costs $460. They also offer classes on weekends, meeting in Ankeny, about 30-40 miles west of Newton. Those classes begin on February 9, 2018, and the course fee is $485. You can find more information on their website here:
https://www.iowarealtors.com/
I hope this information helps.
All the best!
Daniel