Insurance license · by state

Insurance license requirements by state

Insurance producer licenses come from each state's insurance regulator. We publish a state only after reading its official requirements.

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Updated Nov 9, 2026 · Requirements: each state's insurance regulator or its rules

Quick answer

Each state licenses insurance producers by line of authority (life, health, property, casualty and others) through its own insurance regulator. Of the 15 states verified so far: a pre-licensing course is required in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon and Wisconsin. The official sources we read state that no pre-licensing course is needed for the main lines in Kansas, Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee and Washington. A state licensing exam is required in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. Fingerprints or a criminal background check is required in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. The table shows each state's pre-licensing education, exam and fingerprint rules.

By state

Insurance license requirements by state

Data

Insurance license requirements, verified states
State	Pre-licensing education	Licensing exam	Fingerprints and background check
California	12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code, completed before your license can be issued; one course covers both the property and casualty and the life licenses. The separate 20-hour prelicensing course was repealed for these licenses from January 1, 2026.	A license examination given by PSI; a 60 percent score passes the producer exams, and a pass is valid for one year.	Fingerprints from every unlicensed applicant, taken through the Department's live scan vendor, Capital Live Scan, after you file your application.
Colorado	Division-approved prelicensing education before the exam: 50 hours for each line (life, health, property, casualty or personal lines; 50 for combined property and casualty), including 3 hours of ethics (Regulation 1-2-5, effective October 15, 2012).	The state producer license examination, after the prelicensing course.	Fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation for a Colorado and national (FBI) criminal history check, before you submit the application.
Florida	2-15: a 60-hour approved life and health course (including variable annuities) completed within four years before you apply. 2-20: a 200-hour approved property and casualty course within four years. Certain degrees, designations and experience can substitute.	The state examination, scheduled once the Department authorizes it in your MyProfile messages; you are not qualified for a license until it receives your passing result. Some degree, designation and transfer routes are exempt.	Fingerprints, taken through the Department's vendor IdentoGO; results from other vendors or other states are not accepted.
Georgia	A state-approved prelicensing course for each line: 8 hours each for life and for accident and sickness, 16 hours for property and casualty (an 8-hour property and an 8-hour casualty course), and 8 hours for personal lines.	A passing score on the state exam for each line, given by Pearson VUE; you leave the test center with your official score.	Fingerprints submitted electronically for a criminal background check; you request fingerprinting registration only after you have applied in Sircon.
Kansas	No pre-licensing course is needed: Kansas has no pre-licensing education rule, so you can sit the exam without a course.	The licensing examination for your lines, scheduled through Pearson VUE; scores are valid for two years.	Fingerprints for a criminal history background check, with the signed Waiver Agreement and FBI Privacy Act Statement.
Kentucky	A 20-hour pre-licensing course (classroom or self-study) for each major line of authority you request, before the exam; the signed, dated certificate goes on file with the Department.	A licensing examination, scheduled through your eServices account once the Department has reviewed your application, background report and course certificate.	A Kentucky criminal background report from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC), requested online at kycourts.gov and uploaded to eServices.
Michigan	Pre-licensing education from a Michigan-approved provider before the exam: an approved 20-hour classroom course or an approved self-study course for each line; the certificate is valid for 12 months.	A Michigan licensing examination, passed within 180 days of applying or you file a new application.	Background questions on the application, plus background checks DIFS runs on every applicant; convictions must be reported.
Nevada	No pre-licensing course is needed: the Division says prelicensing education is optional, though you may take a course to prepare.	The Nevada Insurance Producer exam for each line you want, passed within one year before you apply; register through Pearson VUE.	Fingerprints for an FBI and Nevada criminal history check, taken by an approved vendor only after you apply, with the signed Fingerprint Background Waiver.
New Jersey	Pre-licensing classroom hours per line: life 20, health 20, life and health combined 40, property 20, casualty 20, property and casualty combined 40, personal lines 20; or a waiver from the Department's Insurance Education Unit.	The New Jersey producer licensing exam, given by PSI Services, which forwards your results to the Department.	Fingerprints through Live Scan, the State's electronic process, completed before you apply online; applications wait for the criminal history review.
North Carolina	No pre-licensing course is needed before the state exam for producer applications filed on or after October 1, 2025: the 20-hour requirement was repealed. Approved courses remain listed for anyone who wants one.	A state examination, given by Pearson VUE and reserved after you apply.	A complete set of fingerprints, submitted within 30 days of applying, through the link in the email NIPR sends after you apply.
Ohio	A 20-hour pre-licensing course (classroom, distance learning or self-study) from an Ohio-approved provider for each line of authority, before the exam; each completion certificate is valid for 180 days.	An examination for each line of authority, given by PSI Services; you are admitted only with the original course completion certificate.	Fingerprints for criminal records checks by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the FBI, through a National WebCheck vendor; both results go directly to the Department.
Oregon	20 hours of pre-licensing training for each line of authority, before the exam.	The state licensing exams, given by PSI at a test center or online with remote proctoring.	Fingerprints (at a PSI test center or Fieldprint) for a criminal records check by the Oregon State Police and the FBI, with a fitness determination, for every new resident applicant.
Tennessee	No pre-licensing course step outside the title line: the Department's procedure tells applicants who are not testing for title insurance to skip it. Title applicants complete at least 30 hours with an approved provider.	A written examination unless you are exempt, scheduled with Pearson VUE, which sends your scores to the Department.	A fingerprint-based background check (Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and FBI) through IdentoGO, at least 2 business days before you apply.
Washington	No pre-licensing course is needed: Washington does not require pre-licensing training before the exam, though many people take it to improve their chances.	The insurance license exam, given by PSI Services.	Electronic fingerprints for a background check, scheduled only after you submit the application; the license is issued once the results arrive.
Wisconsin	At least 20 hours of prelicensing education from an approved provider before the exam, for property, personal lines, casualty, life or accident and health; 8 of the hours (insurance principles, Wisconsin law and ethics) count once across lines. The course completion is valid for one year.	A PSI exam for each line of authority; scores are valid for six months, so you must apply within that time.	Digital fingerprints for a criminal background check through Fieldprint, after you pass the exam and as part of the application; fingerprint information is valid for 180 days.

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FAQ

Questions people ask

What are the insurance license requirements by state?

Do all states require an insurance licensing exam?

Of the 15 states verified so far, a state licensing exam is required in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington and Wisconsin. Each state page shows what its insurance regulator requires.

Method

How this page is built

Each state's requirements come from its insurance regulator or the rules it publishes, read on the dates shown on each state page. The answer and table on this page are computed from the verified states only. Not legal advice; each regulator's current instructions govern.

What this page can't tell you

Not legal advice.
Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
States not listed have not been verified yet; they are not shown as having no requirements.

Sources

California: sources listed on the state page.
Colorado: sources listed on the state page.
Florida: sources listed on the state page.
Georgia: sources listed on the state page.
Kansas: sources listed on the state page.
Kentucky: sources listed on the state page.
Michigan: sources listed on the state page.
Nevada: sources listed on the state page.
New Jersey: sources listed on the state page.
North Carolina: sources listed on the state page.
Ohio: sources listed on the state page.
Oregon: sources listed on the state page.
Tennessee: sources listed on the state page.
Washington: sources listed on the state page.
Wisconsin: sources listed on the state page.