How many continuing education credits are required to renew a real estate license?

Iowa requires 36 hours of continuing education per three-year renewal cycle: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of Commission-approved electives. All CE must be completed by December 31 of the renewal year and before submitting the renewal application. A maximum of 24 hours may be taken through distance learning, and at least 12 hours must be completed through live instruction, which includes classroom or real-time electronic delivery such as Zoom.

How many continuing education credits are required to renew a real estate broker license?

Iowa requires the same 36 hours of continuing education for brokers and salespersons renewing to active status: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of Commission-approved electives per three-year cycle. At least 12 hours must be completed through live instruction, and a maximum of 24 hours may be taken through distance learning. Up to 18 excess elective hours from the previous cycle may be carried forward, but mandatory Law Update and Ethics hours cannot.

Can you complete real estate continuing education courses online?

Yes, Iowa allows up to 24 of the 36 required continuing education (CE) hours to be completed through distance learning, which includes computer-based instruction and home-study courses. At least 12 hours must be taken through live instruction, defined as a program delivered in a traditional classroom or by electronic means where the instructor and student have real-time visual and audio contact. Zoom courses qualify as live instruction. There is no restriction on which specific courses must be taken in each format.

What are the easiest real estate continuing education options?

Iowa allows several CE delivery options. Up to 24 of the 36 required hours may be completed through distance learning (online or home study), while at least 12 hours must be live instruction, which includes classroom or real-time video platforms such as Zoom. NAR-sponsored courses count toward the 24-hour elective requirement. Licensees may also take and pass the state and national licensing exam between July 1 and December 31 of the renewal year instead of completing CE. Up to 18 excess elective hours from the previous cycle may be carried forward, though mandatory Law Update and Ethics hours cannot.

How do you renew a real estate license?

Iowa real estate licenses are issued for three-year terms and expire on December 31 of the renewal year. To renew to active status, salespersons and brokers must complete 36 hours of continuing education: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of Commission-approved electives, all finished by December 31 and before submitting the renewal application. A maximum of 24 hours may be taken by distance learning, and at least 12 hours must be live instruction, which includes Zoom. There is no 30-day grace period for CE completion, and renewal applications are submitted electronically through the "My Iowa PLB" portal with fees of $125 for salespersons and $170 for brokers. Up to 18 excess elective hours may be carried over to the next renewal cycle.

What are the NAR continuing education requirements?

National Association of Realtors (NAR) requires its members to complete Code of Ethics training, which is available at no cost to new and existing members, and Fair Housing training on a three-year cycle. Any course sponsored by NAR counts toward Iowa's 24-hour elective continuing education (CE) requirement for license renewal. To satisfy NAR membership requirements, the ethics course must be taken through NAR, a state association such as IAR, or a local board or association; an ethics course from a brokerage or outside school does not meet this standard.

How do you check your real estate continuing education credits?

Iowa real estate licensees must track their own continuing education credits, because course providers do not report completions to the state. Licensees should retain all course completion certificates, which include a course number that the Iowa Real Estate Commission uses to verify completion during an audit. Completion certificates do not need to be submitted at renewal but must be kept on file. Licensees submit renewal applications electronically through their "My Iowa PLB" account after completing all 36 required CE hours by December 31 of the renewal year.

Where can you take real estate continuing education courses?

Continuing education courses must be taken from providers approved by the Iowa Real Estate Commission, which maintains a list of approved courses, providers, and instructors on the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) website. Courses may be completed through live instruction, including classroom settings or Zoom with real-time visual and audio contact, or through distance learning such as computer-based instruction. A maximum of 24 hours may be taken by distance learning each renewal period, and at least 12 hours must be via live instruction.

Are there free real estate continuing education courses?

The Iowa Real Estate Commission does not offer free continuing education courses, and most approved providers charge fees for CE courses. However, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) provides free Code of Ethics training to its members, and any course sponsored by NAR counts toward Iowa's 24-hour elective CE requirement. The mandatory 8-hour Law Update and 4-hour Ethics courses must still be completed through Iowa-approved providers, and at least 12 of the 36 required CE hours must be taken via live instruction.

Iowa real estate license renewal and CE requirements

13 min readUpdated September 14, 2026

Iowa real estate licenses expire every 3 years on December 31, and renewing to active status requires 36 hours of continuing education (CE) for real estate license renewal: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of electives, all completed before the renewal application is submitted. The Iowa Real Estate Commission (IREC), housed within the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL)^[1], sets and enforces all renewal and CE rules for salespersons and brokers. Licensees who fail to finish CE by the deadline must renew to inactive status or allow the license to lapse, because Iowa provides no grace period for completing education after expiration.

Iowa real estate license renewal cycle and key deadlines

Iowa real estate licenses are issued for 3-year terms and expire on December 31 of the renewal year. For licenses expiring December 31, 2025, the renewal cycle spans the calendar years 2023, 2024, and 2025. The renewal period opens November 16 through the My Iowa PLB online portal ^[2], and all applications must be submitted electronically.

The commission sends renewal notices approximately 45 days before the expiration date to the licensee's email address on record, per the DIAL real estate licensees page ^[3]. Licensees must keep their contact information current, because not receiving a notice does not extend the deadline.

Continuing education must be completed within the renewal cycle and before the renewal application is submitted, per the Iowa DIAL real estate FAQs ^[2]. Licensees have no grace period for completing CE after the license expires. The IREC CE Requirements page ^[1] states:

Licensees DO NOT have a 30-day grace period to complete continuing education. If continuing education is not completed by the expiration date of a license, licensees will have to renew to inactive status or allow their license to expire.

Continuing education requirements for Iowa real estate renewal

Both salespersons and brokers must meet identical continuing education obligations to renew to active status in Iowa. The specific hour breakdown and deadline are detailed below.

How many continuing education credits are required to renew a real estate license?: Iowa requires 36 hours of continuing education per three-year renewal cycle: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of Commission-approved electives. All CE must be completed by December 31 of the renewal year and before submitting the renewal application. A maximum of 24 hours may be taken through distance learning, and at least 12 hours must be completed through live instruction, which includes classroom or real-time electronic delivery such as Zoom.
Answered for IowaView answer for 48 other states

The Law Update requirement is satisfied by completing "Federal and State Laws Affecting Real Estate" combined with "Avoiding Issues That Impede Professionalism," per Iowa REALTORS®^[4]. The "Developing Professionalism and Ethical Practices" course satisfies the Ethics requirement and also earns additional elective credit in the same cycle.

For National Association of REALTORS® members, the Ethics course must be taken from NAR, Iowa REALTORS®, or a local board or association to satisfy both the state and NAR Ethics requirements, according to Iowa REALTORS®^[4]. An Ethics course from a brokerage or outside school satisfies the state requirement but not the NAR requirement.

Do brokers and salespersons have different CE requirements?

No. Both license types must complete the same continuing education for license renewal.

How many continuing education credits are required to renew a real estate broker license?: Iowa requires the same 36 hours of continuing education for brokers and salespersons renewing to active status: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of Commission-approved electives per three-year cycle. At least 12 hours must be completed through live instruction, and a maximum of 24 hours may be taken through distance learning. Up to 18 excess elective hours from the previous cycle may be carried forward, but mandatory Law Update and Ethics hours cannot.
Answered for IowaView answer for 47 other states

Live instruction and distance learning for Iowa CE

Iowa permits a combination of distance learning and live instruction for continuing education, with specific limits on each format.

Can you complete real estate continuing education courses online?: Yes, Iowa allows up to 24 of the 36 required continuing education (CE) hours to be completed through distance learning, which includes computer-based instruction and home-study courses. At least 12 hours must be taken through live instruction, defined as a program delivered in a traditional classroom or by electronic means where the instructor and student have real-time visual and audio contact. Zoom courses qualify as live instruction. There is no restriction on which specific courses must be taken in each format.
Answered for IowaView answer for 49 other states

The IREC CE Requirements page ^[1] defines live instruction as requiring real-time visual and audio contact between instructor and student. Zoom courses count as live instruction under this definition, as confirmed by Iowa REALTORS®^[5].

What are the easiest CE delivery options?

Iowa allows several flexible formats for completing CE, including in-person classroom sessions, live webinars, and self-paced online courses.

What are the easiest real estate continuing education options?: Iowa allows several CE delivery options. Up to 24 of the 36 required hours may be completed through distance learning (online or home study), while at least 12 hours must be live instruction, which includes classroom or real-time video platforms such as Zoom. NAR-sponsored courses count toward the 24-hour elective requirement. Licensees may also take and pass the state and national licensing exam between July 1 and December 31 of the renewal year instead of completing CE. Up to 18 excess elective hours from the previous cycle may be carried forward, though mandatory Law Update and Ethics hours cannot.
Answered for IowaView answer for 37 other states

Can you carry over excess CE hours to the next renewal cycle?

Yes. As of June 18, 2025, Iowa allows licensees to carry over up to 18 unused elective hours from one renewal cycle to the next. This policy was implemented under 2024 Iowa Acts House File 2686 and Iowa Administrative Rule 193E subrule 3.4(1) (ARC 9245C), which permits carrying over up to 50% of the required hours (maximum 18 hours) to the following renewal period.

Carryover hours apply only to electives. The mandatory Law Update and Ethics courses cannot be carried over and must be completed fresh each renewal cycle. The Iowa DIAL IREC CE Requirements page ^[1] confirms this policy.

Before this rule change, Iowa did not allow any carryover of CE hours. The new policy gives licensees flexibility if they complete extra elective courses in one cycle.

The Iowa real estate license renewal process

Renewal is handled entirely online through the My Iowa PLB portal ^[2].

How do you renew a real estate license?: Iowa real estate licenses are issued for three-year terms and expire on December 31 of the renewal year. To renew to active status, salespersons and brokers must complete 36 hours of continuing education: 8 hours of Law Update, 4 hours of Ethics, and 24 hours of Commission-approved electives, all finished by December 31 and before submitting the renewal application. A maximum of 24 hours may be taken by distance learning, and at least 12 hours must be live instruction, which includes Zoom. There is no 30-day grace period for CE completion, and renewal applications are submitted electronically through the "My Iowa PLB" portal with fees of $125 for salespersons and $170 for brokers. Up to 18 excess elective hours may be carried over to the next renewal cycle.
Answered for IowaView answer for 49 other states

Licensees can renew to active status, renew to inactive status, or allow the license to lapse. Each option has different requirements and consequences, described in the sections below.

Renewal fees and late penalties

The renewal fee for a salesperson license is $125, and the broker license renewal fee is $170, due every 3 years by December 31, according to the Iowa DIAL PSI Licensing Information Bulletin ^[6].

License type	Renewal fee	Due
Salesperson	$125	Every 3 years by Dec. 31
Broker	$170	Every 3 years by Dec. 31

Licenses renewed between January 1 and January 30 following expiration incur a flat $25 penalty in addition to the regular renewal fee. After January 30, the license is treated as expired and reinstatement requires the regular renewal fee plus $25 for each partial or full month following expiration, with no stated cap, under Iowa Administrative Code r. 193E-4.6 and r. 193E-9.1(2)^[7]. Reinstatement is available for up to 3 years after expiration.

A licensee cannot practice real estate on an expired license. The license is expired as of January 1 until it is renewed, and there are no grace periods that allow continued work while unlicensed.

Inactive status, expired licenses, and reinstatement

Licensees who cannot complete CE by the deadline have the option to renew to inactive status. An inactive license remains current for another 3 years upon payment of the applicable license fee, but the licensee cannot practice real estate. Inactive licensees are not required to complete CE or maintain errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, per the Iowa DIAL real estate FAQs ^[2].

To reactivate an inactive license, the licensee must submit the appropriate application, complete the required CE, and pay the applicable fees. Lapsed licenses may be reactivated through the same process.

For licenses expired less than 3 years, reinstatement requires completing the CE or retaking the licensing exam, plus paying the regular renewal fee and the monthly reinstatement penalty. Reinstatement is not available after 3 years; at that point, the individual must reapply for a new license through the state.

Special CE rules and alternatives

Iowa offers several special provisions that give licensees flexibility in meeting their continuing education requirements.

Exam alternative to CE

Salespersons and brokers may take and pass the appropriate licensing exam instead of completing CE, if the exam is passed between July 1 and December 31 of the renewal year, according to the IREC CE Requirements page ^[1]. This option replaces the entire CE requirement for that cycle.

Out-of-state CE credits

The commission accepts out-of-state CE credits if the course is approved by that state's real estate licensing board and the subject material is not specific to that state's license law or rules, per the Iowa Real Estate Commission ^[1].

NAR courses for elective credit

Any course sponsored by the National Association of REALTORS® is accepted for elective CE credit by the Iowa Real Estate Commission, per the IREC CE Requirements page ^[1].

What are the NAR continuing education requirements?: National Association of Realtors (NAR) requires its members to complete Code of Ethics training, which is available at no cost to new and existing members, and Fair Housing training on a three-year cycle. Any course sponsored by NAR counts toward Iowa's 24-hour elective continuing education (CE) requirement for license renewal. To satisfy NAR membership requirements, the ethics course must be taken through NAR, a state association such as IAR, or a local board or association; an ethics course from a brokerage or outside school does not meet this standard.
Answered for IowaView answer for 37 other states

Course duplication rule

During each renewal period, a course may be taken for credit only once. A course may be repeated for credit only if the course number and instructor are different, according to the Iowa Real Estate Commission ^[1].

Tracking and documenting your CE credits

Iowa real estate licensees are responsible for tracking their own continuing education credits. CE providers are not required to submit completion records to DIAL, so licensees must keep their own certificate files.

How do you check your real estate continuing education credits?: Iowa real estate licensees must track their own continuing education credits, because course providers do not report completions to the state. Licensees should retain all course completion certificates, which include a course number that the Iowa Real Estate Commission uses to verify completion during an audit. Completion certificates do not need to be submitted at renewal but must be kept on file. Licensees submit renewal applications electronically through their "My Iowa PLB" account after completing all 36 required CE hours by December 31 of the renewal year.
Answered for IowaView answer for 34 other states

Course completion certificates include a course number that DIAL uses to verify completion. Licensees should keep certificates on file in case of an audit. Iowa REALTORS® School tracks hours completed through its own platform, but hours from other providers are the licensee's responsibility, according to Iowa REALTORS®^[5].

Choosing an Iowa real estate CE provider

CE courses in Iowa must be completed through schools and instructors that have received advance approval from the state commission. The DIAL licensing education page ^[8] provides a searchable directory of approved CE courses, providers, and instructors.

Where can you take real estate continuing education courses?: Continuing education courses must be taken from providers approved by the Iowa Real Estate Commission, which maintains a list of approved courses, providers, and instructors on the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL) website. Courses may be completed through live instruction, including classroom settings or Zoom with real-time visual and audio contact, or through distance learning such as computer-based instruction. A maximum of 24 hours may be taken by distance learning each renewal period, and at least 12 hours must be via live instruction.
Answered for IowaView answer for 49 other states

Courses are available in multiple formats, including in-person classroom sessions, live Zoom webinars, and self-paced online modules. The format choice affects how the hours count toward the live instruction and distance learning limits. When selecting a provider, licensees should verify that the provider is commission-approved, confirm the course number, and ensure the format satisfies the live instruction requirement where needed.

Are there free real estate continuing education courses?: The Iowa Real Estate Commission does not offer free continuing education courses, and most approved providers charge fees for CE courses. However, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) provides free Code of Ethics training to its members, and any course sponsored by NAR counts toward Iowa's 24-hour elective CE requirement. The mandatory 8-hour Law Update and 4-hour Ethics courses must still be completed through Iowa-approved providers, and at least 12 of the 36 required CE hours must be taken via live instruction.
Answered for IowaView answer for 16 other states

Next steps for Iowa real estate license renewal

Check your renewal year and calculate how many CE hours you have completed in the current cycle. Review the Iowa DIAL IREC CE Requirements page ^[1] to confirm your obligations, and verify your email address in the My Iowa PLB portal to ensure you receive the renewal notice. If you have excess elective hours, remember that up to 18 can carry forward. Complete all CE before submitting your renewal application through the online portal.

Sources

Iowa DIAL — IREC CE Requirements
GovernmentMay 2026
Iowa DIAL — Real Estate FAQs
GovernmentMay 2026
Iowa DIAL — Real Estate Licensees (Salesperson and Brokers License by Exam)
GovernmentAugust 2026
Iowa Realtors — License Renewal
EducationAugust 2026
Iowa Realtors — Education FAQ
EducationMay 2026
Iowa DIAL — PSI Licensing Information Bulletin (Document Download)
GovernmentAugust 2026
Iowa Administrative Code r. 193E-4.6 and r. 193E-9.1(2) (Iowa Real Estate Commission / Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing)
EducationAugust 2026
Iowa DIAL — RE Licensing Education
GovernmentAugust 2026