Real Estate Agent Permit Requirements in Des Moines, IA

Complete permit and license guide for starting a real estate agent in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

Verified 2026-09-03 5 stops $300–$1,000 est. 4–10 weeks
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Not legal advice. Requirements may change — always verify with your local government authority before applying. Key agencies and fees on this page were re-checked against official government sources on .

Federal — start here

1 stop

  1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

    Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online application)

State of Iowa

2 stops

  1. Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

    Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Iowa. The state rate is 6%, and local option sales tax of up to 1% may apply. Iowa taxes about 75 enumerated services, so check whether your service is taxable before assuming you need a permit. Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue online.

    Official government source

    Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permitRegister online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

  2. Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance - required for Iowa licensees

    Iowa does not merely recommend errors and omissions coverage; it requires it. Every active licensee - broker, salesperson, corporation, LLC, partnership - must carry uninterrupted E&O coverage, and the Real Estate Commission requires proof at initial licensure, when reactivating a license inactive more than 20 days, when transferring a license, and if you are picked for a random audit. The commission selects a group policy through Rice Insurance Services Center; you may buy elsewhere, but review Iowa Administrative Code 481 chapter 2019 first to be sure the policy meets the requirements.

    Official government source

    Premiums are set by the carrier; the commission's group program is generally the cheapest route and individual coverage typically runs a few hundred dollars a yearCoverage must be in force before your license is issued and must never lapse while the license is active

City of Des Moines / Polk County

2 stops

  1. Iowa Real Estate Commission (DIAL) — Salesperson or Broker License

    Real estate agents in Iowa are licensed by the Iowa Real Estate Commission, part of the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. A salesperson applicant completes a 60-hour pre-license course plus three 12-hour courses — Buying Practices, Listing Practices, and Developing Professionalism/Ethics — 96 hours in total, all within the year before the commission receives the application, then passes the state and national exam portions through PSI, clears an FBI criminal history check, and carries errors and omissions insurance.

    Official government source

    $95 exam fee, plus the commission's license application fee and course tuitionAllow about four weeks for the FBI criminal history check in addition to coursework and exam scheduling

  2. No Des Moines General Business License Required

    Des Moines has no general or blanket business license, and the Development Services Department does not issue one. The City Clerk's Office licenses only specific regulated activities - alcohol, tobacco, transient merchants, mobile food vendors, peddlers, pawnbrokers, theaters, coin-operated machines, solid waste haulers and similar categories. Most businesses need nothing from the Clerk. What a commercial tenant does need is a Certificate of Occupancy for the space, issued by the Permit and Development Center, and home-based businesses go through home occupation review with Zoning Enforcement.

    Official government source

    Nothing - there is no such license. A commercial Certificate of Occupancy is $51.50Not applicable

Terminus

Open for business — est. $300–$1,000 · 4–10 weeks

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