How to Get a Life Insurance License

Becoming a life insurance agent enables you to sell life insurance policies and related products, such as annuities. You might consider licensure if you’d like to expand your services to target a new client base or want to apply a more holistic approach in shaping clients’ financial plans. Ultimately, though, the process for how to get a life insurance license varies, depending on which state you do business in.

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How to Get a Life Insurance License

To get a life insurance license, you’ll need to meet the eligibility requirements for your state. That includes general requirements, pre-licensure coursework, if applicable, and examination requirements. Here’s a closer look at how licensing works.

General Requirements

States may specify certain broad requirements for anyone seeking a life insurance license. Typically, you must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Have no criminal record
• Not owe any federal or state taxes
• Pass a background check

Some states may restrict licensure for individuals who have outstanding court-ordered domestic support obligations. Also, note that a background check may include a fingerprint requirement.

Pre-Licensure Coursework

Pre-licensure coursework is designed to help you prepare for the life insurance exam. The number of coursework hours you’re required to complete, and the topics you’re expected to learn, depend on your state’s regulatory requirements.

For example, the California Department of Insurance requires licensure candidates to complete 12 hours of ethics instruction prior to taking the state insurance exam. Previously, candidates were required to complete 20 hours of pre-licensing education, in addition to the 12 ethics hours. However, Gavin Newsom signed a bill in October 2025 repealing that requirement. ¹

In New York, on the other hand, 20 hours of pre-licensure coursework are required for life insurance applicants. If you’re seeking licensure to sell life, accident and health insurance, the requirement increases to 40 hours. Any pre-licensure coursework you complete must be approved by the Superintendent of Insurance. ²

A few states have no pre-licensure coursework requirement at all. For example, you can get a life insurance license in Texas ³ and North Carolina ⁴ by passing an exam and paying the required fees. In Washington, D.C., ⁵ there are several ways to get exempted from pre-licensure education requirements.

Keep in mind that even in states where you’re not required to complete coursework before licensure, you may still be required to do so afterward. Life insurance agents, like other financial professionals, may be subject to continuing education (CE) requirements to maintain their licensure.

Life Insurance Exam

Once you complete pre-licensure coursework (if required) you can take the life insurance exam. This is a proctored exam that tests your knowledge of life insurance products. States can set the exam questions and topics, which may include:

• General knowledge questions about life insurance
• Life insurance policies
• Policy riders and options in life insurance coverage
• Life insurance tax issues
• Annuities and annuity tax issues

The exact format may vary but exams typically include multiple-choice questions that are designed to test your knowledge of life insurance regulations in your state. A passing grade on the exam in most states is 70%. In terms of how many people actually pass the exam on the first try, the pass rate ranges from 24% to 72%. Those figures come from the NAIC’s 2024 life insurance exam pass rate data. ⁶

You’ll need to register with the examining authority in your state to schedule a test date. Pearson Professional Assessments, formerly Pearson VUE, administers life insurance exams in many states, in coordination with the agencies. Registration requires a fee and you’ll also need to provide proof of identity. The amount you pay may be less than $50 or more than $150, depending on which state you’re in.

Apply for a Life Insurance License

If you pass the life insurance exam you can take the last step and apply for a license. You’ll need to fill out the required paperwork and pay licensing fees. This is separate from the exam fee. In Florida, for example, it’ll cost you $44 to take the exam and another $50 to apply for a license. You’ll also pay $49.50 for fingerprinting as part of a required background check. ⁷

Your state’s department of insurance or department of financial services should be able to offer more specific information about the fees and registration process, as well as continuing education requirements. The testing facility should be able to tell you how long your results remain valid if you’re not planning to apply for licensure right away.

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How to Find Life Insurance Licensure Requirements by State

To get a life insurance license, you’ll need to follow the requirements for your state. The National Insurance Product Registry (NIPR), an affiliate of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), offers a search tool to help you find the requirements for licensure in the state or states you do business in. To use this tool, you’ll need to know a few key details.

• Interest: Interest refers to your application status. Specifically, you’ll need to note whether you’re applying as a first-time candidate, seeking a new license to accompany one you already hold, requesting reinstatement for an expired license or adding a line of authority to an existing license.
• State of license: This is simply the state you’re seeking licensure in.
• Resident type: You may apply for a life insurance license in the state where you’re a resident, or another state if you do business there.
• Producer or adjuster: A producer is someone who sells insurance products. You can seek licensure as a producer or “other” if you want to sell life insurance to clients as an agent or advisor. You will only select adjuster if you want to be able to file insurance claims.
• Application type: You can apply for a life insurance license as an individual or a business entity.

Once you enter all the required information, you’ll be able to view the guidelines for licensure in your state.

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Life Insurance Exam Prep

It’s advisable to allow yourself enough time to thoroughly prepare for the life insurance exam so you can pass on the first try. Retakes are allowed, but that can mean delays in getting licensed.

Life insurance exam prep courses can help you study for the topics that are most likely to appear on your exam. Several companies offer life insurance exam prep, including Kaplan and Pearson, which publishes practice tests to help you prepare. Your state’s licensing agency may publish a list of approved exam prep providers if you’re unsure which company to use.

Keep in mind that any exam prep courses you invest in should cover both national and state regulations for life insurance products. As you compare options, consider how coursework is accessed, whether it’s self-paced or instructor-led, how long you’ll have access to the materials and the cost. If you know any life insurance agents or advisors in your network who’ve obtained licensure in your network, you may consider asking them for exam prep recommendations.

Bottom Line

Exploring how to get a life insurance license is something you may consider if you’d like to develop new service offerings or pivot your practice. The process is generally the same in every state, though where you do business will dictate pre-licensure and exam requirements. Once you have your life insurance license, be aware of continuing education requirements and how often you must earn CE credits.

Tips for Expanding Your Advisory Practice

• As you look to expand your business, consider investing in marketing and lead generation. SmartAsset AMP (Advisor Marketing Platform) is a holistic marketing service financial advisors can use for client lead generation and automated marketing. Sign up for a free demo to explore how SmartAsset AMP can help you expand your practice’s marketing operation. Get started today.
• Many advisors grow their practices by focusing on a particular type of client, such as business owners, physicians, retirees or federal employees. Specializing can make it easier to tailor messaging, develop expertise in common financial challenges and build credibility within a defined community.
• Just getting started with life insurance sales? You might consider buying life insurance leads to connect with prospects who are ready to purchase a policy. If you’re looking into lead generation services for life insurance, consider how referrals are vetted, the number of referrals you can expect each month and the cost of acquiring them.

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