Before you apply for your license you must complete a total of 96 hours of Pre-Licensing courses. 60 of these 96 hours can be completed online in our convenient mobile-friendly format.

• 60 hours of Real Estate Principles and Practices

• 12 Hours of Developing Professionalism and Ethical Practices (In-person course only; not offered by The CE Shop)

• 12 Hours of Buying Practices (In-person course only; not offered by The CE Shop)

• 12 Hours of Listing Practices (In-person course only; not offered by The CE Shop)

After you complete all the course materials, you’ll need to score at least a 75% on the unit exams. Then you’ll need to score a 80% on the final exam issued by your Pre-Licensing real estate school.

PSI administers the Iowa Real Estate Salesperson Licensing Exam. The examination fee is $95 and you’ll need to take the exam within 12 months of completing your Pre-Licensing education.

The exam consists of 120 questions and includes two sections covering both state and national requirements. To pass, you’ll need to answer 56 out of 80 questions (70%) correctly on the national portion and 28 out of 40 questions (70%) on the state portion for a total of 84 out of 120 (70%).

For more information, see the PSI candidate information bulletin.

You must have an E&O insurance policy in place before obtaining an active license. For more information on the Iowa’s Errors & Omissions insurance requirements click here.

After passing your licensing exam, you must become associated with a current and active sponsoring broker. This broker will be a career and education mentor providing you with an inside view into the day-to-day operations of a real estate agent.

Here are some questions to consider when searching for the right broker:

• What is their reputation, both locally and nationally?

• What kind of real estate agents are they looking for?

• Are they technologically advanced and up-to-date with the latest systems?

• How do they support their agents with education and training?

• What kind of commission structure do they offer?

• Do they offer benefits?

• Do they provide their agents with leads and marketing material?

• Is there room to grow with the brokerage?

Next, you must submit a set of fingerprints to the Iowa Bureau of Investigation. This is for the purpose of conducting an Iowa and national fingerprint-based, criminal history background check, utilizing records of the IBI and the FBI. For more information, click here.

All applicants will need to visit https://plb.iowa.gov/ and create a login for DataPro (aka "My Iowa PLB"). Then you will have to electronically submit your request for a fingerprint packet through the application named "RE - Background Request” and pay a $51 fee.

The final step is to apply for your Iowa real estate Salesperson license. Completed applications must be submitted within six months of taking the state-issued exam.

Here’s what you’ll need to complete the process:

• Pay the $125 application fee

• Proof that you’ve completed the necessary Pre-Licensing education requirements

• Documentation that you’ve successfully passed the Iowa licensing exam

• Proof of E&O insurance coverage

• The notarized signature of your employing broker on your license application form

• Your signature notarized on the license application form