Real Estate Sales & Brokers

Original license fee and renewal fees are as follows:

Please note that the renewal fee for a salesperson or a broker are the same regardless of current licensure status (active or inactive). 

The mission of the Iowa Real Estate Commission is to protect the public through the examination, licensing, and regulation of real estate brokers, salespersons, and firms pursuant to Iowa Code Chapter 543B.

The Commission is a policy-making body with authority to promulgate rules for the regulation of the real estate industry consistent with all applicable statutes. Rules promulgated by the Commission are published under Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 193E.

Board Staff

Kristen Conway, Licensing Specialist—515-725-9027
Danielle Bartkiw, Background Coordinator—515-725-9029
Colleen Goddard, Trust Account Auditor—515-725-9036
​Ashley Thompson, PLB Investigator—515-725-9035
Renee Paulsen, Education Director—515-725-9028
Renee Paulsen, Executive Officer—515-725-9028
John Lundquist, Assistant Attorney General

You may also email RealEstateCommission@iowa.gov to correspond with any staff member.

Meeting Agendas & Minutes

• Iowa Code Chapter 17A - Iowa Administrative Procedure Act
• Iowa Code Chapter 272C - Continuing Education and Regulation - Professional and Occupational
• Iowa Code 543B - Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons
• Iowa Code 558A - Real Estate Disclosures
• Iowa Code 543C - Sales of Subdivided Land Outside of Iowa
• Iowa Code 557A - Time Shares
• Iowa Administrative Rule 193E - Real Estate Commission
• Iowa Administrative Rule 193 – Professional Licensing Bureau

Pursuant to Executive Order 10, the Iowa Professional Licensing & Regulation Bureau will be reviewing its existing Administrative Rules in accordance with the schedule. More information about Executive Order 10 is available on the Department of Management’s website.

Agency Rules Administrator

The Agency Rules Administrator is the official responsible for the administration of the agency rulemaking process. If you have any questions about current or pending agency rules for the Board, contact the Agency Rules Administrator:

Agency Rules Administrator
Real Estate Commission
200 E Grand Ave, Ste. 350
Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 725-9022
Fax: (515) 725-9032
Email: RealEstateCommission@iowa.gov

The Iowa Legislature has tools available in order to keep up-to-date with the rulemaking process.

• Administrative Rules Agency Changes Subscription: To subscribe to receive a notice of any rule changes from an agency, visit https://www.legis.iowa.gov/subscribe/agencyChanges and select the agency (or agencies) from which you want to get notices.
• Rules Tracker: To track the progress of each rule-making document, visit https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/administrativeRules/tracker.
• To learn more about the rule-making process, visit https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/administrativeRules/howDoRulesWork. 

Checklists and Instructions for Applications

The links below will take you to a checklist of requirements or instructions for each application. The actual application is to be done on your PLB Account. 

• Salesperson/Broker Application - Use this to apply for a new salesperson or a new broker license. 
• Converting from Salesperson to Broker Application - Use this if you already have an Iowa salesperson license and are now applying for a broker license.  
• Branch Office Application - Use this to license a branch office.  Must already have your main office licensed.
• Broker Associate to Broker Officer Conversion - Use this if you  need to change the type of broker license from associate or sole proprietor to an officer.
• Additional Broker Officer Application - Use this if you already are licensed as a broker officer of a company and are now needing to obtain an additional broker officer license for another company.
• ​Broker Sole Proprietor Conversion - Use this if you need to change the type of broker license from an associate or an officer to a sole proprietor.  
• Firm License Application - Use this to apply for a firm license for a corporation, partnership, LLC, PC, etc.  This must be submitted by a broker officer, a broker partner or a broker member of the firm.
• Tradename Application - Can only be submitted by a firm or a broker sole proprietor to apply for a tradename (a DBA or a fictitious name) to be used for advertising purposes.

Reinstatement Checklists

• Reinstatement Application - Branch/Tradename/Additional Broker Officer - Use this to reinstate an expired or cancelled branch office, tradename or additional broker officer license.
• Reinstatement Application - Firm - Use this to reinstate an expired or cancelled firm.
• Reinstatement Application - Individual - Use this option to reinstate a broker or salesperson license that has been expired for less than three years.

Change of status or transfer

• Request to Change Affiliated Licensee Status to Inactive - This must be submitted by the employing broker to change the status of a licensee assigned to him/her to inactive status. A salesperson or broker associate cannot place their own license on inactive status.  The broker will be asked for the license number of the individual going inactive at the "Submit for Review" feature.
• Change of Status from Inactive to Active - This must be submitted by the licensee that wants to change his/her status from inactive to active.
• Transfer Form - To be submitted by the licensee that wants to transfer directly from his/her current company to another licensed company.

Change of Designated Broker of a Firm or Branch Office

• Request to Change Designated Broker - To be submitted only by a broker officer to change the designated broker (broker in charge) of either the main office or a branch office.

Closing of Offices or Cancellation of Licenses

• Request to Close Firm/Sole Proprietorship - Use this to close (or cancel) a firm or a sole proprietorship.
• Tradename Cancellation Request - Can only be submitted by the firm or the broker sole proprietor to whom the tradename license is assigned to.
• Closing a Branch Office  Must be submitted either as an "Other" type electronically, or E-mail to realestatecommission@iowa.gov.  

Trust Account Forms

First choose Other Application – Attach Scanned Copy of a Paper Version. You will then need to attach the appropriate completed form:

• Consent to Examine Trust Account 
• Trust Account Affidavit Form

Trust Resources

• Trust Account Manual  
• Bank Reconciliation Form This is an Excel worksheet.
• Interest Remittance form 
• How to Close a Trust Account
• How to Close a Real Estate Firm/Sole-Proprietorship

​If closing a trust account, use this application type:
Notice of Closed Trust Account - Submit this whenever you close a trust account.

Criminal History Background / Fingerprint packet

• RE – Background Check Packet Request - To be used for requesting a criminal history background (fingerprint) packet to be mailed.

Reference the Criminal History Background Index for further information concerning the background process, including a FAQ link.

General Forms

• Change of Firm Name and/or Address
• General-Real Estate Licensee List Request Form
• General – Request for Verification (License and/or Exam History)  This is the application to complete for those who need a Certification of Licensure or a License History.
• General-Request to take the Real Estate Exam in Lieu of Continuing Education Application 
• General – Petition for Waiver from Administrative Rules
• General – Request for Change of Legal name - To change the legal name of an individual.  Will be required to provide proof of legal change.
• General – Application to Apply Military Service to an Experience or Educational Requirement for Licensure