How hard is it to get a life and health insurance license?

Every state requires passing an exam on insurance fundamentals and state insurance law, and most states also require prelicensing education, commonly 20 hours per line of authority. Passing scores are typically 70%, though some states such as California set the producer passing score at 60%. Pass rates fluctuate considerably by state, and exam prep providers generally recommend 35 to 40 hours of study for the life and health exam, so preparation time drives most of the difficulty.

The main hurdle is the state exam. Alabama requires no prelicensing course, so difficulty comes down to the combined Life & Health exam: 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, with 105 correct answers (70%) needed to pass. NAIC pass-rate data shows that nationally, about 64.8% of candidates pass the combined life-and-health exam. Unanswered questions count as incorrect, and failing twice triggers a 90-day wait before a retake.

The main hurdle is the licensing exam, which requires a scaled score of 70 to pass. The Life and Health exams each have a general portion with 50 scored questions plus 10 unscored pretest questions, and an Alaska state portion covering state law. Failing candidates must retake the entire exam, parts 1 and 2. At a physical test center you can take a Life and a Health exam in one session for a single $89 fee.

Arizona requires no pre-licensing education for a life and health insurance license, so the main hurdle is the exam itself. You must pass the licensing exam with a score of 70% or higher, submit fingerprints, and pay the $120 application fee. The combined Life, Accident and Health or Sickness exam (Series 13-33) costs $59, and Arizona permits up to 4 exam attempts in a 12-month period.

You must complete 20 hours of prelicensing education for the Life line and 20 hours for Accident & Health, then score at least 70% on each PSI exam. National pass-rate data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows about 63% of first-time candidates pass the life exam and 60% pass the health exam. You get up to 3 attempts within a 90-day permit window; a third failure means waiting 4 weeks and repeating the application process.

The passing score is 60%, and the combined life and health exam has 150 questions in 195 minutes, so the exam itself is the main hurdle. California no longer requires line-specific prelicensing education hours, only a 12-hour ethics and California Insurance Code course, so preparation time is largely up to you. If you fail, you can reschedule immediately, but you may not take the same exam type more than 10 times in any 12-month period. Industry guides report first-time pass rates in the mid-50 to high-60 percent range.

Getting a life and health license in Colorado requires 50 hours of prelicensing education per line and a passing Pearson VUE exam, which many candidates do not clear on the first attempt. The Division publishes no numeric passing score; raw scores convert to a 0 to 100 scaled score, and only failing candidates receive a number. Once you pass, most applications are processed in under five business days.

The Life and Accident & Health exams require a 70% passing score, and Connecticut requires 40 hours of pre-licensing education for the combined lines (20 hours per single line). There is no limit on exam attempts, though a 24-hour waiting period applies between schedulings. With focused study, many candidates complete licensing within a few weeks.

Delaware requires no prelicensing education, but the exams are substantial. The Pearson VUE Life Producer exam has 90 scored questions (50 general, 40 state) and the Accident and Health Producer exam has 92 (50 general, 42 state), each costing $90. Scores are scaled from 0 to 100, and the passing score is 70 on some exams and 80 on others.

In DC the barrier is mainly the exams, because no pre-licensing course is required. The Life and Health exams each require a scaled passing score of 70 and a $75 fee, and most people spend several weeks preparing. Candidates who fail receive a numeric score and diagnostic information and can rebook after 24 hours, and you must apply for the license within 1 year of passing.

The main hurdles are the 60-hour prelicensing course and the state exam. The 2-15 exam has 165 total questions, 150 of them scored, in 2 hours and 45 minutes, and requires a 70% passing score (105 correct scored answers). Florida allows 5 attempts at the same exam in a rolling 12-month period, and a passing score is valid for one year. Pearson VUE publishes a free candidate handbook and content outline to help you prepare.

The main measure of difficulty is the exam: you must answer 70% of the questions correctly to pass. The prelicensing courses are 8 hours for Life and 8 hours for Accident and Sickness, and you must pass the exam within one year of completing the training. If you fail, Georgia allows unlimited retakes after a 14-day wait following the first two attempts and a 60-day wait after the third and later attempts.

The licensing step is lighter in Idaho than in many states, because Idaho does not require pre-licensing education. The main challenge is passing the exams: you must pass the ID Life Producer exam and the ID Accident and Health or Sickness exam ($65 each) to carry both lines. After that, you submit fingerprints and apply online for the $80 producer license. Most people who study consistently finish the process within a few weeks.

The main hurdles are the education and exam requirements: 20 hours of pre-licensing education per line (Life and Accident & Health each require their own 20 hours, with 7.5 hours in a classroom or webinar) and two Pearson VUE exams per line, each requiring a score of 70 to pass. National pass rates of 62.9% for Life and 60.4% for Health suggest most prepared candidates pass. Pre-licensing coursework must be completed before you can sit for the exams.

In Indiana, the main hurdles are the 40 hours of pre-licensing education and the licensing exam, both of which are achievable through self-study. The Life & Health exam has 150 questions in 180 minutes, and you must score 70% to pass. After passing, you apply online through Sircon or NIPR, and the state typically processes applications in 7-10 business days.

Iowa has no prelicensing education requirement, so the main hurdle is passing the two 2-hour Pearson VUE exams: Life, with 77 scoreable questions, and Accident & Health, with 80 scoreable questions. The Iowa Insurance Division sets the passing score and does not publish a number. A failed exam can be retaken after waiting 24 hours, with a new $44 fee each attempt.

Kansas does not require any pre-licensing education, so the difficulty rests on the licensing exam itself. You must pass the combined Life and Accident & Health Producer exam, a 150-minute Pearson VUE exam that costs $64 as of July 2026, with a 70% passing score set by the Kansas Department of Insurance. If you fail, you may retake the exam after waiting at least seven calendar days, and there is no limit on attempts.

The process is defined by clear, passable steps: complete 20 hours of prelicensing education per line of authority, then pass the licensing exam with a score of at least 70%. Exams are computerized and graded on completion, and you may test an unlimited number of times within a 120-day window, paying a $50 fee for each retake. The Kentucky Department of Insurance processes online applications within 3 business days once all other requirements are complete.

The main challenge is the licensing exam, since Louisiana requires no prelicensing education for life and health. The combined Life, Health and Accident or Sickness exam (Series 103) has 150 questions in 160 minutes, and you must score at least 70% to pass. If you fail, there is no limit on retakes within the one-year score validity period, though each exam fee is paid again.

Maine requires a scaled score of 70 to pass, set by the Maine Bureau of Insurance on a 0-100 scale. The combined Life, Accident & Health exam has 136 scoreable questions in 3 hours 30 minutes. Candidates who fail receive a numeric score showing how close they came to passing and must wait one day before scheduling a retest.

The main hurdle is the exam, not coursework: Maryland requires a 70% score to pass, and effective October 1, 2024 the state no longer requires a prelicensing course or prior experience. The combined Life and Accident and Health or Sickness exam has 130 scored questions (plus 10 unscored) in a 2.5-hour sitting, and the exam fee is $65. If you fail, you must wait 4 days before retaking, with no limit on retakes.

The main hurdle is the state exam, which Pearson administers. You must pass the Life Producer exam and the Accident and Health or Sickness Producer exam, each with 80 scored questions (50 general knowledge plus 30 Massachusetts-specific) plus unscored pretest questions, and earn the scaled score of 70 set by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance. Each exam costs $37.

Getting a Michigan life and health license requires 40 hours of pre-licensing education and a passing exam score. The combined Life, Accident & Health exam has 150 items in 2.5 hours with a 75% cut score. The coursework can be completed in a classroom or as self-study through a Michigan-approved provider, and you must pass the exam within 12 months of the course completion date.

Minnesota requires a 70% score to pass each producer exam, with 2 hours allowed for the Life or Health exam and 3 hours for the combined Life/Accident & Health exam. First-attempt pass rates run about 60% nationally per NAIC data (Life 62.9%, Health 60.4%). You must complete 20 hours of prelicensing education per line before testing; if you test before finishing, your results are forfeited even if you pass.

The requirements are modest: the passing score is 65% on the Life-only, Accident & Health-only, and combined Life, Accident & Health exams. The combined exam has 125 questions in 150 minutes, while the single-line exams are shorter. Life-only applicants need no prelicensing course as of July 1, 2024, while Accident & Health requires 20 hours, and each exam attempt costs $50.

Missouri requires no pre-licensing education, so the main hurdle is the exam itself. The combined Life, Accident and Health exam (code 54) costs $40, lasts 3 hours, and requires a scaled score of 70 to pass, and many candidates need more than one attempt. You must also be at least 18, pay a $100 application fee, and apply within one year of passing.

The main hurdle is the licensing exams, not coursework, because Montana requires no prelicensing education for a life and health producer license. You must score 75% or better on the Life exam and on the Accident & Health (Disability) exam, each costing $65 through Pearson VUE. Nationally, first-time pass rates on many state insurance exams fall around 60%, so preparation matters even without a course mandate.

Nebraska requires no pre-licensing education, so the exam administered by PSI is the main hurdle. The Life exam and the Accident & Health or Sickness exam each cost $43 and require a 70% passing score; a combined Life and Health exam costs $47. Exams are open eligibility with unlimited attempts and no waiting period between attempts, so retaking after a failed attempt is straightforward.

In Nevada the exam is the main hurdle, because the state requires no prelicensing education hours for producer applicants. You must reach a scaled score of 70 on the Pearson VUE exam. The Life exam has 80 scored questions and the Health exam has 88, plus a small number of unscored pretest questions. Most people complete the licensing process within a few weeks.

New Hampshire makes the path shorter than in many states: no prelicensing course is required, and the state does not specify an official study manual. The main hurdle is the licensing exam administered by PSI. For both lines, the combined Life, Accident and Health exam (series 12-63) costs $72 and covers insurance fundamentals plus New Hampshire law and regulation. Most candidates complete the licensing process within a few weeks. A candidate who does not pass can retest as soon as the next business day, depending on space.

The New Jersey life and health path requires 40 hours of prelicensing education (20 per line) and passing two PSI multiple-choice exams, each requiring a minimum score of 70%. A substantial share of first-time candidates do not pass nationwide, so retakes are common. After passing, you complete fingerprinting and the NIPR application, and NIPR advises waiting at least 48 hours after scores post before applying.

The main hurdle is the exam: you must score at least 70% to pass, and after four failed attempts on the same exam you must wait six months before retaking it. New Mexico does not require prelicensing education and specifies no official study manual, so you can prepare on your own schedule before scheduling with PSI, the state's exam vendor. The exam fee is $75 per attempt, and once you pass, all application materials and fees must be received within one year.

The requirements are attainable for most applicants with focused study, but the exam sets a real bar: you must answer at least 70% of the questions correctly, and the combined life, accident and health exam has 150 questions in a 2.5-hour session. New York requires 40 hours of prelicensing coursework for the combined license. Candidates who fail can retest as soon as the Friday after the failed attempt.

North Carolina removed the main hurdle when it repealed the prelicensing education requirement effective October 1, 2025, so no coursework is required before the exam. Each of the Life and Accident and Health exams has 55 scored questions plus 5 pretest questions, with 1 hour 15 minutes allotted, and the passing score is 70. If you fail, you can schedule a retake after 24 hours and pay the $45 exam fee again.

North Dakota requires no prelicensing education for a life and health license, so the exams are the main hurdle. Each exam requires a 70% passing score with 150 minutes allowed, and first-time pass rates for insurance exams vary considerably. You may retest an unlimited number of times, and a passing score stays valid for one year.

The process is defined rather than difficult. Ohio requires 20 hours of pre-licensing education for the Life line and 20 hours for Accident & Health, a minimum passing score of 70%, and a fingerprint background check. The combined Life, Accident & Health exam has 150 questions and a 2.5-hour time limit. First-time pass rates for Ohio life and health exams typically run in the mid-60% range, and there is no limit on retakes while your course certificate is valid.

The main hurdle is the exam: you must score 70% to pass the life or accident and health exam. Oklahoma requires no pre-licensing education, exams are open eligibility with unlimited retakes, and the department processes producer applications in 5-7 business days, so most candidates complete the process within weeks. The name, date of birth, and Social Security Number on the exam registration must match your government ID exactly, or corrections can take weeks.

The main hurdles are the coursework and the exam: Oregon requires 20 hours of prelicense education per line, and you must score at least 70% to pass. A majority of first-time test takers pass, and if you fail you may retest as soon as the second day after, with unlimited attempts within the one-year eligibility period. Fingerprint processing may also take up to 4 weeks.

Getting a life and health license in Pennsylvania is exam-based rather than education-heavy: no pre-licensing course is required since Act 142 of 2024 took effect on April 29, 2025, but you must pass the licensing exam with a score of at least 70%. You can take the combined Life, Accident and Health exam (16-03) for $55, or each single-line exam for $45, and there is no limit on retakes, though each attempt costs the full fee.

Rhode Island requires no prelicensing education hours, so the main hurdle is the exams. You must pass the Life Producer and Accident & Health Producer exams through Pearson VUE, each with 80 scoreable questions and a passing scaled score of 70 out of 100. Each exam costs $80, and after a failed attempt you must wait 24 hours before booking a retake.

The exam is the main hurdle, and many candidates fail it on the first try. In 2020 data reported by the South Carolina Department of Insurance, first-time pass rates were 50.04% for Life, 54.52% for Accident and Health, and 58.00% for the combined Life, Accident and Health exam. The passing score is a scaled 70 on a 0-100 scale, not a percentage of correct answers. South Carolina requires no prelicensing education, so preparation is self-directed, and you may attempt an exam up to 6 times in a one-year period.

In South Dakota the path is shorter than in most states because no pre-licensing education is required. You must be at least 18 years old, pass the written exam for the life and accident and health or sickness lines of authority, and pay a $25 application fee plus a service fee. The Division of Insurance has contracted with Pearson VUE to administer exams since January 1, 2018.

The main work is the coursework and the exams. Tennessee requires 20 hours of pre-licensing education for each of the two lines, plus a separate Pearson VUE exam for Life and for Accident and Health, each with a 70% minimum passing score. If you fail an exam, you must pass it within 6 months of your first attempt or repeat the pre-licensing education. Most candidates who complete a preparation course pass on the first attempt.

The main hurdle is the licensing exam. The General Lines Life, Accident, and Health exam has 130 scoreable questions (100 on general insurance and 30 on Texas law) in 150 minutes, and you must earn a scaled score of 70 to pass. Texas does not require prelicensing education, though most candidates still take a prep course, and there is no limit on exam retakes. TDI typically reviews a complete application within one business day.

Utah requires no pre-licensing education, so the difficulty comes down to the exam itself. The combined life and health exam has 150 multiple-choice questions in 2.5 hours, while each single-line exam has 100 questions in 2 hours, and results appear on screen immediately after finishing. You must apply for the license within 90 days of passing, or the exam must be retaken. The Department lists study-material vendors on its exam page but does not review or approve any of them, so a prep course is optional.

The main hurdle in Vermont is the exam itself, since the state requires no prelicensing education hours and no fingerprints. The combined Series 14-29 exam for Life, Accident and Health has 150 scored questions plus 5 unscored items and a 2.5-hour time limit, and it spans life policies, annuities, health plans, HMOs, and federal tax rules. Prometric offers free practice exams in LIPA, HIPA, and PIPA formats, and exam scores stay valid for 2 years after you pass.

Virginia does not require prelicensing education, so the main hurdle is the exam itself. The combined Life, Annuities and Health exam has a 2.5-hour time limit. If you fail, you may re-register after 24 hours; after a third failure, Virginia law requires a 30-calendar-day wait before retaking. Many candidates take a study course by choice even though the state does not require one.

The path is fairly short. Pre-licensing education has not been required in Washington since July 23, 2023, so you mainly need to pass the licensing exam with a score of at least 70%, apply online, and get fingerprinted. The full-lines producer license fee is $55, and most people go from starting exam prep to licensure within 2-4 weeks.

The requirements are fixed and repeatable: 20 hours of prelicensing education per line (8 hours of principles, Wisconsin law, and ethics, plus 12 hours of line-specific content), a passing score of at least 70% on each PSI exam, and a fingerprint background check. There is no limit on retakes; a candidate who fails can call PSI the next day and retest as soon as the following day, depending on seat availability. Note that the state states prelicensing education is not a preparatory course for passing the exam.

Wyoming makes it comparatively easy: the state requires no prelicensing education hours, so the exam is the main hurdle. You schedule the Wyoming Insurance Licensing Exam through Pearson VUE, and the resident application fee is $100 plus $39 for fingerprinting. Most candidates pass combined life and health exams on the first attempt, though a sizable share do not, so preparation matters.