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State & National Criminal History Background Checks. A
background check is required as part of the license process for new
salesperson and broker applicants.
Effective July 1, 2005, all
applicants for an initial Iowa real estate salesperson or broker license
must go through a state and national criminal history background check
prior to sending in their application. This requirement also includes
those getting licensed by reciprocity and Rule 5.3, salespersons converting
to a broker, and those who are reinstating a license that has been expired
for more than 3 years. Fingerprinting is
NOT required for license renewal, changing from
“inactive” to “active” status, or reinstatement of a license expired for
less than three years.
Frequently asked questions.
To begin the process you will need to
obtain a fingerprint card, waiver form, instructions and an information
sheet from our office (563-355-6655) or by contacting the Iowa Real Estate
Commission via e-mail to
Sandy.Malek@iowa.gov
or FAX: 515-281-7411. Be sure to include
your name and mailing address with your request for a fingerprint packet.
The Commission cannot assist persons in the actual fingerprinting process,
however for $5 the Quad City Area REALTOR Association can do the finger
printing. (Please call ahead to set-up an appointment 563-355-6655)
Once you have your fingerprints rolled send the fingerprint card, completed
waiver form and the $52.25 fee to the Iowa Real Estate Commission. The cards
are then sent to the Iowa DCI who in turn sends them to the FBI. The
average time to process the background check is 6-8 weeks. Common delays to
this timeframe include the applicant not properly completing either the
fingerprint card or waiver form, not including the proper fee, or the
fingerprints are rejected by the FBI due to poor quality. When the
background check is completed the applicant will be notified by the Iowa
Real Estate Commission’s office that the process is completed and they can
send in their application for licensure. The background check is valid
for only 90 days. Applicants will need to plan ahead in the
application process and keep in mind that pre-license education is only good
for one year (salesperson) or two years (broker), and a passing examination
score is only good until the last working day of the sixth month following
the exam date.
IOWA
LICENSING QUALIFICATIONS:
(PSI - Iowa Salesperson Candidate Testing Handbook)
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An
applicant for real estate salesperson license must be 18 years of age
or older. (You may actually complete the course and sit for the exam
before you are 18, but you MUST be 18 before you make application for
a license which must be within six months after you pass the exam.)
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An applicant for real
estate salesperson license must be a person whose application for
licensure has not been rejected in this or any other state or
jurisdiction within 12 months prior to the date of application, and
whose real estate license has not been revoked in this or any other
state within two years prior to date of application.
-
An applicant for a real
estate salesperson license who has had a professional license of any
kind revoked in this or any other jurisdiction may be denied a license
by the commission on the grounds of the revocation.
-
An applicant for real
estate salesperson license who has been convicted of forgery,
embezzlement, obtaining money under false pretenses, theft, extortion,
conspiracy to defraud, or another similar offense, or of any crime
involving moral turpitude, in a court of competent jurisdiction in
this state or in any other state, jurisdiction, territory, or district
of the United States, or in any foreign jurisdiction, may be denied a
license by the commission on the grounds of the conviction.
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The required course of
study for the salesperson licensing examination shall consist of 60
classroom or computer–based hours of real estate principles and
practices. To be eligible to take the examination, the salesperson
pre-license education must be completed during the 12 months prior to
taking the examination.
IOWA LICENSE
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
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An applicant who passes a
qualifying examination and applies for a license must file with the
Iowa Real Estate Commission a completed application with license fee,
proof of required education (course completion certificate), and score
report (received from the testing institute after passing the exam) no
later that the last working day of the sixth calendar month following
the qualifying real estate examination.
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You may NOT file an
original application as "inactive" status. You will need to have
identified a sponsoring broker for signature of the "Broker
Certification" section of your application for license, thus verifying
that you are associated with or engaged by that broker to sell real
estate.
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To get your application
ask your sponsoring broker or
click here
(taking you to the Iowa Real Estate Commission)
- Things to attach to your fully completed and signed license
application:
- License fee of $ 125
- Pass notice from the testing service (PSI), this expires after 6 months
of passing date
- Completion certificate of the 60-Hour Pre-license Course
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