<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ncen">
  <schemaVersion>X0404</schemaVersion>
  <headerData>
    <submissionType>N-CEN</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
      <filer>
        <issuerCredentials>
          <cik>0000009713</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </issuerCredentials>
      </filer>
      <flags>
        <returnCopyFlag>true</returnCopyFlag>
        <overrideInternetFlag>false</overrideInternetFlag>
        <confirmingCopyFlag>false</confirmingCopyFlag>
      </flags>
      <investmentCompanyType>N-4</investmentCompanyType>
    </filerInfo>
    <seriesClass>
      <reportClass>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004189</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004190</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004191</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004192</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004193</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004194</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004195</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000004196</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000098606</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000129044</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000145948</classId>
        </classInfo>
        <classInfo>
          <classId>C000175900</classId>
        </classInfo>
      </reportClass>
    </seriesClass>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <generalInfo isReportPeriodLt12="N" reportEndingPeriod="2023-12-31"/>
    <registrantInfo>
      <registrantFullName>Principal Life Insurance Co Separate Account B</registrantFullName>
      <investmentCompFileNo>811-02091</investmentCompFileNo>
      <registrantCik>0000009713</registrantCik>
      <registrantLei>549300M4TPC8ODL2O635</registrantLei>
      <registrantstreet1>711 High St</registrantstreet1>
      <registrantcity>Des Moines</registrantcity>
      <registrantzipCode>50392</registrantzipCode>
      <registrantstate>US-IA</registrantstate>
      <registrantcountry>US</registrantcountry>
      <registrantphoneNumber>515-362-2384</registrantphoneNumber>
      <websites>
        <website webpage="www.principal.com"/>
      </websites>
      <locationBooksRecords>
        <locationBooksRecord>
          <officeName>Principal Financial Group</officeName>
          <officeAddress1>711 High St</officeAddress1>
          <officeCity>Des Moines</officeCity>
          <officeStateCountry officeState="US-IA" officeCountry="US"/>
          <officeRecordsZipCode>50392</officeRecordsZipCode>
          <officePhone>515-247-5111</officePhone>
          <booksRecordsDesc>Governance, compliance, accounting, administrative and investment oversight records</booksRecordsDesc>
        </locationBooksRecord>
      </locationBooksRecords>
      <isRegistrantFirstFiling>N</isRegistrantFirstFiling>
      <isRegistrantLastFiling>N</isRegistrantLastFiling>
      <isRegistrantFamilyInvComp>N</isRegistrantFamilyInvComp>
      <registrantClassificationType>N-4</registrantClassificationType>
      <isSecuritiesActRegistration>Y</isSecuritiesActRegistration>
      <chiefComplianceOfficers>
        <chiefComplianceOfficer>
          <ccoName>Kelly Stokes</ccoName>
          <crdNumber>002589504</crdNumber>
          <ccoStreet1>711 High St</ccoStreet1>
          <ccoCity>Des Moines</ccoCity>
          <ccoStateCountry ccoCountry="US" ccoState="US-IA"/>
          <ccoZipCode>50392</ccoZipCode>
          <ccoPhone>XXXXXX</ccoPhone>
          <isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>N</isCcoChangedSinceLastFiling>
          <ccoEmployers>
            <ccoEmployer ccoEmployerId="N/A" ccoEmployerName="N/A"/>
          </ccoEmployers>
        </chiefComplianceOfficer>
      </chiefComplianceOfficers>
      <isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>N</isRegistrantSubmittedMatter>
      <isPreviousLegalProceeding>N</isPreviousLegalProceeding>
      <isPreviousProceedingTerminated>N</isPreviousProceedingTerminated>
      <isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>N</isFinancialSupportDuringPeriod>
      <isExemptionFromAct>N</isExemptionFromAct>
      <principalUnderwriters>
        <principalUnderwriter>
          <principalUnderwriterName>Principal Securities, Inc.</principalUnderwriterName>
          <principalUnderwriterFileNumber>008-13975</principalUnderwriterFileNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>N/A</principalUnderwriterCrdNumber>
          <principalUnderwriterLei>N/A</principalUnderwriterLei>
          <principalUnderWriterStateCountry principalUnderWriterCountry="US" principalUnderWriterState="US-IA"/>
          <isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>Y</isPrincipalUnderwriterAffiliatedWithRegistrant>
        </principalUnderwriter>
      </principalUnderwriters>
      <isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>N</isUnderwriterHiredOrTerminated>
      <publicAccountants>
        <publicAccountant>
          <publicAccountantName>Ernst &amp; Young</publicAccountantName>
          <pcaobNumber>42</pcaobNumber>
          <publicAccountantLei>N/A</publicAccountantLei>
          <publicAccountantStateCountry publicAccountantState="US-MN" publicAccountantCountry="US"/>
        </publicAccountant>
      </publicAccountants>
      <isPublicAccountantChanged>N</isPublicAccountantChanged>
      <isOpinionOffered>N</isOpinionOffered>
      <isMaterialChange>N</isMaterialChange>
      <isAccountingPrincipleChange>N</isAccountingPrincipleChange>
    </registrantInfo>
    <unitInvestmentTrust>
      <depositors>
        <depositor>
          <depositorName>Principal Life Insurance Company</depositorName>
          <depositorCrdNo>N/A</depositorCrdNo>
          <depositorLei>SDCMU2LVKGV2AF1KWP64</depositorLei>
          <depositorStateCountry depositorState="US-IA" depositorCountry="US"/>
          <depositorUltimateParentname>Principal Financial Group, Inc.</depositorUltimateParentname>
        </depositor>
      </depositors>
      <uitAdmins>
        <uitAdmin>
          <uitAdminName>N/A</uitAdminName>
          <uitAdminLei>N/A</uitAdminLei>
          <uitAdminStateCountry uitAdminCountry="US" uitAdminState="US-IA"/>
          <isUitAdminAffiliated>N</isUitAdminAffiliated>
          <isUitAdminSubAdmin>N</isUitAdminSubAdmin>
        </uitAdmin>
      </uitAdmins>
      <isUitAdminHiredTerminated>N</isUitAdminHiredTerminated>
      <registrantSeparateInsuranceAccount separateAccountSeriesId="S000001542" isRegistrantSeparateInsuranceAccount="Y"/>
      <numOfContracts>59984</numOfContracts>
      <contractSecurities>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="29170.98" separateAccountTotalAsset="43756172.61" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="101577.03" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Freedom Variable Annuity" contractValueRedeemed="4033701.75" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="2" separateAccountContractId="C000004191" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="107761.76" separateAccountTotalAsset="16894483.51" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="73114.03" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Freedom 2 Variable Annuity" contractValueRedeemed="2065693.77" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="1" separateAccountContractId="C000004196" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="15534194.25" separateAccountTotalAsset="5410924539.69" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="85380097" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Investment Plus Variable Annuity" contractValueRedeemed="825661402.77" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="334" separateAccountContractId="C000004193" numContractsAffected="4" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="429734.71" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="15534194.25" separateAccountTotalAsset="5410924539.69" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="85380097" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Investment Plus Variable Annuity (Applications Signed On or After 08/01/2013) " contractValueRedeemed="825661402.77" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="334" separateAccountContractId="C000129044" numContractsAffected="4" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="429734.71" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="4070509.27" separateAccountTotalAsset="1048590351.32" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="16273170.11" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Variable Annuity (Flexible Variable Annuity) " contractValueRedeemed="153278739.56" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="78" separateAccountContractId="C000004194" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="4070509.27" separateAccountTotalAsset="1048590351.32" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="16273170.11" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Variable Annuity (Flexible Variable Annuity with Purchase Payment Credit) " contractValueRedeemed="153278739.56" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="78" separateAccountContractId="C000004195" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="68475.96" separateAccountTotalAsset="76207901.52" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="933473.31" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Lifetime Income Solutions " contractValueRedeemed="13828988.27" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="8" separateAccountContractId="C000098606" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="124823396.99" separateAccountTotalAsset="782915843.84" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="11218971.63" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Pivot Series Variable Annuity " contractValueRedeemed="56435965.04" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="43" separateAccountContractId="C000145948" numContractsAffected="336" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="47092817.83" numContractsSold="720"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="238754544.75" separateAccountTotalAsset="2063240687.49" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="4865083.29" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Lifetime Income Solutions II Variable Annuity " contractValueRedeemed="67521307.67" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="17" separateAccountContractId="C000175900" numContractsAffected="68" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="11062705.22" numContractsSold="1259"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="176737.85" separateAccountTotalAsset="3661640.18" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0" separateAccountSecurityName="Personal Variable Annuity Contract " contractValueRedeemed="112817.46" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0" separateAccountContractId="C000004192" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="10670827.71" separateAccountTotalAsset="38266863.93" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0" separateAccountSecurityName="Premier Variable Annuity Contract " contractValueRedeemed="1915346.04" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0" separateAccountContractId="C000004190" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
        <contractSecurity grossPremiumReceived="1987.91" separateAccountTotalAsset="5121546.51" contractValueRedeemedSection1035="0" separateAccountSecurityName="Principal Life Ins Co Sep Acct B - Pension Builder Plus " contractValueRedeemed="663656.56" numContractsAffectedRedeemed="0" separateAccountContractId="C000004189" numContractsAffected="0" grossPremiumReceivedSection1035="0" numContractsSold="0"/>
      </contractSecurities>
      <isRule6C7Reliance>N</isRule6C7Reliance>
      <isRule11A2Reliance>N</isRule11A2Reliance>
      <isRule12D1Dash4Reliance>N</isRule12D1Dash4Reliance>
      <isRule12D1GReliance>N</isRule12D1GReliance>
    </unitInvestmentTrust>
    <attachmentsTab>
      <isLegalProceedings>false</isLegalProceedings>
      <isProvisionFinancialSupport>false</isProvisionFinancialSupport>
      <isIPAReportInternalControl>false</isIPAReportInternalControl>
      <isChangeAccPrinciples>false</isChangeAccPrinciples>
      <isInfoRequiredEO>false</isInfoRequiredEO>
      <isOtherInfoRequired>false</isOtherInfoRequired>
    </attachmentsTab>
    <signature registrantSignedName="Principal Life Insurance Co Separate Account B" signature="Chris Agbe-Davies" signedDate="2024-03-14" title="Assistant Corporate Secretary"/>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
