Iowa Real Estate Exam Topics: Complete Breakdown

Iowa's PSI salesperson exam tests both national real estate principles and Iowa-specific law under Iowa Code Chapter 543B. Here's a complete breakdown of what to expect.

Exam Format

| Section | Questions | Passing Score | |---------|-----------|---------------| | National | 80 | 70% (56 correct) | | State | 40 | 70% (28 correct) | | Total | 120 | Both sections independently |

Time limit: 3 hours. Administered by PSI.

National Content Areas

The national portion covers the standard ARELLO/AMP content outline:

• Property ownership — types, legal descriptions, rights
• Land use controls — zoning, environmental law, CC&Rs
• Valuation — appraisal methods, CMA, market value vs. assessed value
• Financing — mortgage types, LTV, RESPA, TILA, ECOA, CRA
• Transfer of title — deed types, title insurance, closing procedures
• Agency — relationships, duties, disclosure
• Contracts — formation, contingencies, defaults, remedies
• Leasing — lease types, landlord/tenant rights, property management

Iowa State Content Areas

Iowa Real Estate Commission (IREC) - 5-member commission under the Iowa Professional Licensing Bureau (PLB) - Licensing, discipline, rulemaking authority - Iowa Code Chapter 543B governs all licensee conduct

License Requirements - Prelicense: 60 hours - License renewal: every 3 years - CE: 36 hours per 3-year cycle (high CE requirement — know this)

Agency Law in Iowa - Mandatory written buyer agency agreement — required BEFORE working with buyers - Seller's agency, buyer's agency, dual agency - Agency disclosure obligations - Iowa's agency law is more prescriptive than most states regarding written buyer agreements

Iowa Seller's Disclosure - Required for 1-4 unit residential properties - Must be provided before or at contract signing - Buyer has rescission rights if disclosure is delayed

Fair Housing in Iowa - Federal seven classes - Iowa adds: sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, and source of income - Enforcement through Iowa Civil Rights Commission

Trust Accounts - Broker responsibility for timely deposit - Commingling and conversion rules

Iowa-Specific Practice - Iowa is a lien theory (not title theory) state - NOT a community property state - Both deeds of trust and mortgages used

Licensing Classifications - Salesperson license (new applicants) - Broker license (experience + additional education required) - Managing broker responsibilities

High-Frequency State Topics

These topics appear on nearly every Iowa exam:

1. Mandatory written buyer agency agreement — most unique Iowa rule
2. 36 CE hours per 3-year renewal cycle
3. IREC composition: 5 members under PLB
4. Iowa fair housing additions (sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, source of income)
5. Seller's Disclosure applicability (1-4 unit residential)

Knowing these five areas thoroughly will improve your state score significantly.

Practice with Iowa-specific questions at [CARealestate.com/states/iowa](https://carealestate.com/states/iowa).