Iowa Interstate Real Estate Guide
Out of State Licensee (OSL) Participation in deals:  
Physical Location State

Iowa Out of State Broker Cooperation

​- An out-of-state licensee may enter state but perform no licensed services within the state.
​- An out-of-state licensee may receive part of a commission or fee from Iowa licensee.
- An out-of-state licensee could likely bring a lawsuit for a lawfully earned commission.

Iowa Real Estate License Types
Iowa ​Real Estate Exam Providers
Iowa Real Estate Waivers
Real Estate Salesperson
​Real Estate Broker
PSI Exams
Real Estate Education Waiver for Any State
(Rule 5.3 Licensing)
Some States need take State Exam
CA Licensees must take whole exam
We Need Brokers!

Iowa Real Estate Reciprocity

Basically anyone EXCEPT Arkansas, California, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Dakota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont, : AK, AL, AZ, CO, CT, DE, DC, FL, HI, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MD, ME, MI,  MO, MT, NC, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY and all US territories

* Must be a Resident, received their ORIGINAL LICENSE from this State, and will have their Iowa license in the same real estate company.
Confirmed by Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, & Licensing

Specific to Iowa Real Estate ​

- Brokers must license their FIRM in Iowa.
- Mandatory E&O coverage is necessary (RISC)
https://www.risceo.com/states/iowa/
- Mandatory Trust Account Necessary (see Trust Account Manual below)

Iowa Reverse Reciprocity

​These states specifically mention Iowa in their Reciprocity: 
Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, West Virginia

These States recognize any other State licenses but may have additional requirements: 
​Alaska, Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Nebraska, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Washington

Iowa Real Estate ​Customs

Attorneys may conduct closings, and so may real estate agents.
Conveyance is usually by warranty deed. Mortgages and deeds of trust are both authorized security instruments, but lenders prefer mortgages because deeds of trust do not circumvent judicial foreclosure proceedings anyway.
Buyers and sellers share the closing costs; sellers pay the documentary taxes.

*Iowa is the only state which does not authorize private title title insurance, property holders who want it must go through a state administered title company or fund.