How do you become an insurance agent?

You complete any prelicensing education your state requires for your line of authority, pass the state licensing exam, submit fingerprints for a background check, and file your application through NIPR or the state portal; states typically take 7 to 10 days to review it. The license alone does not give you authority to represent an insurer, so an appointment with a company is generally needed before you can sell. Most states then require continuing education to renew.

Alabama removed its prelicensing education requirement on January 1, 2024, so the path starts with the state exam. Register with the University of Alabama at least 7 days before your test date, score 70% or higher, then complete a fingerprint background check through Fieldprint and apply online through NIPR for the $80 producer fee. Submit proof of U.S. citizenship within 10 days of applying, or the application is rejected and the fee is not refunded.

To become an insurance producer in Alaska, you must be at least 18 years old, be a resident actually living in the state, and pass the licensing exam for your line. Alaska's licensing criteria do not include a prelicensing education requirement, so you can study on your own and schedule the Pearson VUE exam, which costs $89. After passing with a scaled score of 70, you apply through NIPR, paying a $75 application fee and submitting a fingerprint card with a $48.25 fee.

In Arizona, you become an insurance agent by passing the state licensing exam and applying for a producer license. You must be 18 or older; the state does not require pre-licensing education or prior experience. You schedule the exam with PSI, the state's examination administrator, then apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) and submit electronic fingerprints. The producer license fee is $120.

To become an insurance agent in Arkansas, you must be at least 18 years old, complete 20 hours of prelicensing education for each line of authority, and submit the resident licensing application through NIPR before scheduling the exam. After your application and criminal background check clear, PSI sends an Authorization to Test, which usually takes 2 to 5 days. Pass the exam with a score of 70% or higher, then print your license from NIPR 24 hours after passing.

There are 4 main steps to becoming a licensed insurance agent in California.

Step 1: Complete Required Education
Complete the 12-Hour California Ethics Course.

Step 2: Pass the California Insurance Exam

• Exams are administered by PSI
• Each license type has its own exam
• Passing score is 60% or higher

Step 3: Get Fingerprinted

• Fingerprints are required for a background check
• Must be completed through an approved fingerprint vendor

Step 4: Apply for Your California Insurance License

• Apply online through the California Department of Insurance
• Submit proof of education, exam results, and fingerprints
• Pay the state licensing fee

In Colorado, you must be at least 18 years old and a state resident. You complete prelicensing training for your line of authority, such as Life or Property and Casualty, pass the Pearson licensing exam ($41 covers up to two exams in one session), and apply online at sircon.com or nipr.com. The resident license fee is $44 per line of authority as of April 2026.

To become an insurance agent in Connecticut, complete 20 hours of pre-licensing education for each single line of authority you want to sell, such as Life or Property. Then pass the Pearson VUE licensing exam with a score of at least 70%, wait 1-2 business days for the results to upload, and apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR); most applications are processed within 7-10 business days. Connecticut does not require fingerprinting or a background check for the producer license.

To become an insurance agent in Delaware, you pass the Pearson VUE exam for your line of authority ($90) and then apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with a $125 fee. Resident producers must also submit a state criminal background report from the Delaware State Police. No prelicensing education course is required.

To become an insurance agent in DC, you must be at least 18 and pass a Pearson VUE licensing exam in the line you want, with a scaled score of 70. Then complete fingerprinting and a background check through Fieldprint ($31.50) and apply online at nipr.com; the biennial license fee is $100. You need an insurer appointment only if you act as the insurer's agent.

To become a Florida insurance agent, complete a state-approved prelicensing course for the line you want (30 hours for life, 60 hours for life and health, 200 hours for general lines), submit an online application through MyProfile with the $50 application fee and $5 license ID fee, get fingerprinted through IdentoGO by Idemia ($52.50 plus local county sales tax), and pass the Pearson VUE state exam ($44). You must be at least 18, a Florida resident, and a US citizen or legal alien with work authorization. The license becomes active once an insurer appoints you.

In Georgia, you must be at least 18 years old and complete an 8-hour prelicensing course for each line of authority, or a 16-hour combined course for Property and Casualty. Next, pass the Pearson VUE licensing exam with a score of 70% or higher, then apply at sircon.com/georgia with the $120 fee. The application also requires a completed, notarized Citizenship Affidavit and electronic fingerprints for a background check.

To become an insurance agent in Idaho, pass the licensing exam for each line of authority you want to sell, submit fingerprints for a background check, and apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). Idaho requires no pre-licensing education. Each exam costs $65 through Pearson VUE, the application fee is $80, and fingerprinting costs $65 electronically or $61.25 by hard card.

To become an insurance agent in Illinois, complete 20 hours of pre-licensing education per line of authority, with 7.5 of those hours in a classroom setting. Motor Vehicle is the exception, at 12.5 hours with 5 classroom hours. Then pass the Pearson VUE General and State exams for your line; a score of 70 passes and each exam costs $92. Wait 5 days after passing, then apply online at www.nipr.com and pay the $215 resident producer fee. Your license expires on the last day of your birth month.

In Indiana, becoming an insurance agent takes three steps: complete pre-licensing education (20 to 40 hours depending on the line), pass the state exam through Pearson VUE, and apply online through Sircon or NIPR with a $40 fee. You must be at least 18, be a U.S. citizen or legal alien with work authorization, and maintain your principal residence or place of business in Indiana.

To become an insurance agent in Iowa, you must be at least 18 years old, pass the Pearson VUE licensing exam for your line of authority, and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with a $50 fee. Iowa does not require pre-licensing education. Resident applicants must also complete fingerprinting and a criminal history check, which costs $37.35 at an Iowa Fieldprint site, and you must apply within 90 days of passing the exam.

To become a licensed insurance producer in Kansas, you must be at least 18, pass the licensing exam for each line of authority, and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). Kansas requires no prelicensing education. Exams cost $57 for a single or limited line and $64 for a combination exam through Pearson VUE. The application fee is $30 plus a $60 fingerprint background check fee, and you must upload a Kansas Department of Revenue Certificate of Tax Clearance and an ID copy to the NIPR Attachment Warehouse.

You complete a prelicensing course (40 hours for combined life and health or property and casualty, or 20 hours per line of authority), submit an electronic application through NIPR, and request a criminal background report from the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts. The resident agent fee is $40 plus $40 per line of authority, and the exam fee is $50 per line. Once the Department processes your application, you schedule your exams through a Kentucky eServices account and must score 70% to pass.

To become an insurance agent (producer) in Louisiana, you must be at least 18, reside in or maintain a principal place of business in the state, pass the licensing exam for your lines of authority, and be fingerprinted. No prelicensing education is required. You schedule the exam with PSI, submit the $75 application online through NIPR, and then complete fingerprinting through IdentoGo after the application is filed.

In Maine, a resident becomes a licensed producer in a set sequence. You must present a certificate showing 16 credit hours of prelicensing education, or at least 6 months of relevant full-time experience, then pass the Pearson VUE licensing exam with a scaled score of 70 and apply through NIPR. The resident producer application and license fee is $25, and the license is emailed 24 to 48 hours after approval.

In Maryland, you pass the licensing exam for the line you want, apply for a producer license, and then get appointed by an insurer. Maryland has not required a prelicensing course or minimum experience since October 1, 2024. Take the exam with Prometric, submit the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) application with the $54 fee, and receive written appointment documentation from an insurer before selling on its behalf.

To become a licensed producer, make an exam reservation with Pearson at least 48 hours in advance, take the exam in person at a Pearson test center, then apply for licensure through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with the required documentation and fees. Each producer exam costs $37 as of June 2026. The Massachusetts Division of Insurance reviews every application and issues the license on approval, so passing the exam alone does not guarantee a license.

You must be at least 18 years old, complete pre-licensing education from a Michigan-approved provider (20 hours for a single line such as Life, 40 hours for combined Life and Health or Property and Casualty), and pass the licensing exam at a PSI testing center, since remote exams were discontinued as of June 10, 2025. Then file an Electronic Resident Licensing application through NIPR; the fee is $10.00 plus a $5.00 transaction fee, and the application is valid 180 days. The exam fee is $41 per attempt.

In Minnesota, you must be at least 18, complete 20 hours of state-approved prelicensing education per line of authority, and pass the licensing exam with 70% correct through PSI. You must also submit fingerprints for a criminal history check, which costs $66.75 for electronic fingerprinting at a PSI test center. You then submit the producer application online through Sircon or NIPR, paying $50 plus $50 per line of authority.

To become a resident insurance producer in Mississippi, you must be at least 18, complete the required prelicensing education (20 hours per line of authority), pass the Pearson VUE licensing exam, and apply online at www.sircon.com/mississippi or www.nipr.com with the $100 license fee. The exam fee is $50 per attempt, paid at the time of reservation.

To become a Missouri insurance agent, you must be at least 18 and pass the Pearson VUE exam for each line you want to sell, such as Life, Property, or Casualty. Missouri requires no pre-licensing education. Exam fees are $32 for single-line exams and $40 for combined exams, and you must score 70 to pass. Then apply online 24-48 hours after passing, with a $100 fee; your exam score is valid for one year.

In Montana, you must be at least 18 years old, pass the licensing exam for your line with a score of 75% or better, submit fingerprints for a background check, and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). Pearson VUE administers the exams, and Montana does not require prelicensing education for insurance producers. The resident Insurance Producer application carries no state fee, and the fingerprint payment is $30.00 payable to Montana Criminal Records.

To become a resident insurance agent in Nebraska, you register for and pass the licensing exam given by PSI, then apply for the license at NIPR.com. Nebraska requires no pre-licensing education, and there is no limit on exam attempts and no waiting period between attempts. PSI uploads exam results to the state within 2-3 business days, and you must apply within one year of passing. The resident producer application fee is $50.

You must be at least 18 years old and pass the licensing exam for each line of authority you want, such as Life, Property and Casualty, or Personal Lines, administered by PSI. New Hampshire requires no prelicensing course. After passing, you apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with the uniform application and the $210 producer license fee, and the department processes correctly completed electronic applications within 24 hours.

Complete 20 hours of state-approved prelicensing education per line of authority (40 for combined Life & Health), pass the PSI licensing exam with a minimum score of 70%, complete Live Scan fingerprinting, and apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry. The standard electronic application for major lines costs $170 in state fees, and you must be at least 18 years old.

To become an insurance producer in New Mexico, you must be at least 18 and pass the licensing exam for each line of authority with a score of 70% or higher; the exam costs $75 per attempt, and no prelicensing course is required. Next, complete the national background check through IdentoGO for $67 and apply online through NIPR with the $30 state application fee. All application materials and fees must reach the Office of Superintendent of Insurance within one year after you pass the exam.

To become a New York insurance agent, you must be at least 18 years old, complete a Department-approved prelicensing course (90 hours for property/casualty, 40 hours for life, accident and health), and pass the PSI licensing exam with 70% or more. You then apply online through NY LINX within 2 years of passing the exam; the resident fee is $80. To sell, an agent must also be appointed by an insurance company, with the appointment notice filed within 15 days.

In North Carolina, you apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), pay the fees ($50 registration plus $44 application processing per producer line of authority, plus a $38 fingerprint fee for license types that require it), then pass the state exam administered by Pearson VUE, which costs $45 per attempt and requires a passing scaled score of 70. You must be at least 18. Applicants submitting on or after October 1, 2025 are not required to complete prelicensing education before taking the exam.

To become an insurance agent in North Dakota, you must be at least 18, pass the PSI exam for each line you want to sell, and clear a criminal background check that includes hard-copy fingerprint cards. North Dakota does not require prelicensing courses or classroom instruction, so you can prepare by self-study. After passing, submit the $100 application through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) at www.nipr.com. You must then be appointed by an insurance company before you can act as its agent.

In Ohio, you must be at least 18, complete 20 hours of pre-licensing education for each line of authority from an approved provider, pass the PSI exam with a score of at least 70%, submit fingerprints for an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and FBI background check, and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). The application fee is $10 per line of authority.

To become an insurance agent in Oklahoma, pass the licensing exam for your line and then apply online. The state does not require prelicensing education, so you can prepare by self-study or a prep course. Schedule the exam with PSI at 833-333-4754, wait 3 business days after passing for your results to transmit, then submit the application through the NIPR system. The resident producer fee is $60, and the Oklahoma Insurance Department processes producer applications in 5-7 business days.

In Oregon, you must be at least 18 years old, complete 20 hours of prelicense training per line of authority, and pass the licensing exam administered by PSI. You then provide fingerprints for a background check ($61.25) and apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) at www.nipr.com. Oregon issues all lines of authority on one license.

In Pennsylvania, you become a resident insurance producer by passing the licensing exam for your line of authority and then applying for the license. As of April 29, 2025, no pre-licensing education is required. You must be at least 18, hold a primary residence or business location in Pennsylvania, and pass the exam with a score of at least 70%. After passing, apply online through Sircon or NIPR (the resident individual fee is $55) and complete fingerprinting at an IdentoGO enrollment center.

In Rhode Island, you must be at least 18 years old and pass the licensing exam for your line at a Pearson VUE test center ($80 per exam, passing score 70). No prelicensing course hours are required. After passing, wait 3-5 days for results to post, then apply electronically through NIPR; the resident producer license fee is $120. Residents also provide a certified background check from the Rhode Island Attorney General, and all producers must carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance.

In South Carolina, you pass the Pearson VUE licensing exam for your line of authority, apply for the $25 resident producer license through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), and submit fingerprints after applying. No prelicensing course is required, and you must be at least 18 years old. The exam costs $59. After licensing, you complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years to renew.

South Dakota does not require pre-licensing education for a resident producer license. To become an insurance agent, you must be at least 18 years old, pass the written licensing exam for each line of authority you wish to sell (exams are scheduled through Pearson VUE), and submit the resident producer application online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with the $25 fee plus a service fee.

Tennessee requires licensing, not prior work experience, to work as an insurance agent. You must be at least 18, complete 20 hours of pre-licensing education per line of authority (holders of designations such as CLU or CPCU are exempt from the coursework), pass the Pearson VUE exam for each line, complete fingerprinting, and apply online through NIPR with a $50 filing fee. An insurer must appoint you before you act as its agent.

To become an insurance agent in Texas, pass the state licensing exam through Pearson VUE, complete IdentoGO fingerprinting, then apply through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) within one year of passing, paying the $50 application fee. You must be at least 18 years old. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) processes most applications within one business day.

In Utah, you must be at least 18, hold a Social Security Number, and pass the exam for the line you want to sell. The state requires no pre-licensing education course. You register with Prometric (prometric.com/utah/insurance or 888-226-8740), pass the exam, then apply and pay fees online through SIRCON or NIPR and be fingerprinted at a Prometric test center in Utah.

To become an insurance producer in Vermont, you must be at least 18, be deemed competent, trustworthy and financially responsible, pass a written exam, and submit an application and fees. Vermont requires no prelicensing education hours. After passing a Prometric exam for your line of authority, residents wait 48 hours and apply through NIPR; the state fees total $60, a $30 application fee plus a $30 license fee. An insurer must then appoint you within 15 days of executing an agency contract or submitting the first insurance application, whichever is sooner.

To become a resident insurance agent in Virginia, be at least 18 years old, pass the Prometric exam for your line (Life & Annuities, Health, Property & Casualty, Personal Lines, or Title), get fingerprinted at a Fieldprint location, and apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) for a $15 fee per line of authority. Title candidates must first complete 16 hours of title instruction, and Property & Casualty and Personal Lines licenses cannot be held together.

To become an insurance producer in Washington, be at least 18 and pass the licensing exam for each line of authority you want, scoring at least 70%. Pre-licensing education has not been required since July 23, 2023. After passing, apply online with the state or through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) and pay the $55 full-lines fee, then submit your fingerprints, which cost $52 as of October 1, 2026. The state cannot issue your license until it receives your background check results.

In West Virginia, you complete 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education for each line of authority, such as Life or Property and Casualty, then pass the Pearson VUE exam for that line ($84). After passing, you get fingerprinted through Identogo using the WVOIC service code 228NS5, then apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) and pay the $50 producer license fee. You must be a West Virginia resident who satisfies the Commissioner's eligibility standards, and an insurance company appointment is no longer required on the application.

Complete 20 hours of prelicensing education per line of authority with a Wisconsin-approved provider, then get fingerprinted through Fieldprint ($34.75, code FPWIOCIINSURANCE). Next, pass the PSI exam for each line, with a $75 fee and a 70% passing score. Wait 48-72 hours after passing for scores to record with the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), then apply online through NIPR; applications are typically processed within 24 to 48 hours.

Wyoming residents 18 or older become insurance agents by passing the Wyoming Insurance Licensing Exam for the desired lines of authority, applying online through Sircon, and paying the $100 resident fee. The state does not mandate prelicensing education hours. After applying, you must submit fingerprints using the packet the department mails you; the background check adds 2-3 weeks of processing.