U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 24F-2
Annual Notice of Securities Sold
Pursuant to Rule 24f-2
1 Name and Address of Issuer:
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Variable Life Separate Account
The Principal Financial Group
Des Moines, IA 50392-0200
2 The name of each series or class of securities for which this
Form is filed (If the Form is being filed for all series and
classes of securities of the issues, check the box but do not
list series or classes):
X
3 Investment Company Act File Number: 811-05118
Securities Act File Number: 33-13481, 333-00101
4a Last day of fiscal year for which this notice if filed: December 31, 1997
4b Check this box if this Form is being filed late (i.e., more than 90 calendar
days after the end of the issuer's fiscal year). (See Instruction A.2)
N/A
Note: If the Form is being filed late, interest must be paid on the
registration fee due.
4c Check box if this is the last time the issuer will be filing this Form.
N/A
5 Calculation of registration fee:
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<S> <C> <C>
(i) Aggregate sale price of securities sold during the 33-13481 $18,152,621
fiscal year in reliance on rule 24f-2: 333-00101 36,084,215
54,236,836
(ii) Aggregate price of shares redeemed or 33-13481 20,087,086
repurchased during the fiscal year: 333-00101 10,806,683
30,893,769
(iii) Aggregate price of shares redeemed or repurchased during
any prior fiscal year ending no earlier than October 11,
1995 that were not previously used to reduce
registration fees payable to the Commission: 0
(iv) Total available redemption credits
[Add items 5(ii) and 5(iii)]: 30,893,769
(v) Net Sales - If Item 5(i) is greater than Item 5(iv)
[subtract Item 5(iv) from Item 5(i)]: 23,343,067
(vi) Redemption credits available for use in future years
-- if Item 5(i) is less than Item 5(iv) [subtract
Item 5(iv) from Item 5(i)]" N/A
(vii) Multiplier for determining registration fee (See
Instruction c.9): 0.000295
(viii) Registration fee due [Multiply Item 5(v) by Item
5(vii)] (enter "0" if no fee is due): 6,886.20
6 Prepaid Shares
If the response to Item 5(i) was determined by deducting
an amount of securities that were registered under the Securities
Act of 1933 pursuant to rule 24e-2 as in effect before [effective
date of rescisision of rule 24e-2], then report the amount of
securities (number of shares or other units) deducted here: ______.
If there is a number of shares or other units that were registered
pursuant to rule 24e-2 remaining unsold at the end of the fiscal
year for which this form is filed that are available for use by
the issuer in future fiscal years, then state the number
here: ____________.
7 Interest due-if this Form is being filed more than 90 days after
the end of the issuer's fiscal year
(see Instruction D):
+ 0
8 Total of the amount of the registration fee due plus any interest
due [line 5(viii) plus line 7]:
6,886.20
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9 Date the registration fee and any interest payment was sent
to the Commission's lockbox depository:
03/20/98
Method of Delivery:
X Wire Transfer
N/A Mail or other means
THE 24F-2 FEE IS PAID BY 33-13481.
Signature
This report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the
issuer and in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Variable Life Separate Account
By /s/ Joyce Hoffman
-----------------------------------------------
Joyce Hoffman
Vice President and Corporate Secretary
Date: 20th day of March, 1998
