Exhibit 99.CERT

CERTIFICATIONS

I, Nora M. Everett, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-Q of

Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc.

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the
period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the schedules of investments included in this report fairly present in
all material respects the investments of the registrant as of the end of the fiscal quarter for which
the report is filed;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the
Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Rule 30a-3-(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and
procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to
the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over
financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and
presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report, based on such
evaluation; and

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting
that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is
reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and
the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
functions):

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal
control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

(b)	Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have
a	significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date:

05/23/2011

/s/ Nora M. Everett

Nora M. Everett, Chairman and CEO

Exhibit 99.CERT

CERTIFICATIONS

I, Layne A. Rasmussen, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-Q of

Principal Variable Contracts Funds, Inc.

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the
period covered by this report

3. Based on my knowledge, the schedules of investments included in this report fairly present in
all material respects the investments of the registrant as of the end of the fiscal quarter for which
the report is filed;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I are responsible for establishing and
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the
Investment Company Act of 1940) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in
Rule 30a-3-(d) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have:

(a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and
procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to
the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

(b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over
financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for
external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

(c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures and
presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
procedures, as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report, based on such
evaluation; and

(d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting
that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter that has materially affected, or is
reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officer(s) and I have disclosed to the registrant's auditors and
the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent
functions):

(a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal
control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's
ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

(b)	Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have
a	significant role in the registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

Date:

05/23/2011

/s/ Layne A. Rasmussen

Layne A. Rasmussen, Vice President,
Controller and Chief Financial Officer