Real Estate License from Iowa to Pennsylvania: Does It Transfer? (2026)

What's different between Iowa and Pennsylvania

Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Pennsylvania. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.

Route, each way

Iowa to Pennsylvania (this page): Licensure by endorsement.

Pennsylvania to Iowa (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.

The route is the same in both directions.

Does coming from Iowa matter?

Coming from Iowa does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Pennsylvania.

Reciprocity agreements

Pennsylvania's row names no reciprocity agreement states.

Iowa's reciprocity agreement list names 7 states (Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, and North Dakota), not including Pennsylvania.

Application fee

Pennsylvania lists $97 for an out-of-state applicant and Iowa lists $125 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.

Pre-license education

Pennsylvania's first-time-applicant standard is 75 hours of pre-license education; Iowa's is 60.

Pennsylvania's is 15 education hours higher than Iowa's.

Exam rules on record

Pennsylvania and Iowa carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.

• Pennsylvania (this move): An applicant actively licensed as a salesperson or broker in another state within the last 5 years takes and passes only the Pennsylvania state portion of the exam (national portion waived); a non-resident reciprocal license requires no Pennsylvania examination.
• Iowa (the reverse move): Reciprocity applicants (residents of a reciprocal state who obtained their original license there) take NO Iowa examination and complete no additional education. Applicants from non-reciprocal states qualify under Rule 193E-5.3 and pass the IOWA STATE PORTION ONLY of the salesperson exam with no added pre-license education; EXCEPTION: applicants originally licensed by examination in California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, or Wisconsin must pass BOTH the national and state portions (still no added education).

What changes, Iowa → Pennsylvania

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Pennsylvania sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

1. Confirm Pennsylvania's current requirements on the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) website (linked below) — rules change.
2. Submit the endorsement application to the Pennsylvania State Real Estate Commission (Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, Department of State) (application linked below).
3. Arrange license verification from your current state.
4. Be at least 18 years old and a high school graduate or equivalent.
5. Submit a current letter of good standing from the state licensing agency where you are licensed.
6. For a reciprocal license, keep your principal place of business outside Pennsylvania.
7. Be active, in good standing, and free of discipline/criminal conviction (Act 41 endorsement).
8. Apply through the PALS licensing system.
9. Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.

Official links

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