New Hampshire Insurance License: Requirements, Exams, and Fees

New Hampshire issues an insurance license to residents who are at least 18 years old, pass the licensing exam for their line of authority, and apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with a $210 fee, per the department's fee schedule^[1]. The state has not required a prelicensing course since July 11, 2008, and it requires no fingerprints, so the exam is the only gate between you and a producer license. This guide covers the lines of authority, the PSI exams, the NIPR application, and the renewal and continuing education rules that follow.

Who must hold a producer or adjuster license in New Hampshire

Anyone who sells, solicits, or negotiates insurance, provides insurance advice for a fee, or otherwise receives compensation for representing insurance to the public must hold a license under New Hampshire statutes. The New Hampshire Insurance Department operates a single producer licensing system, so one producer license lets you act as an agent, a broker, or a consultant, and there is no separate broker license. The department licenses producers, claims adjusters, and public adjusters, and an agency that sells, solicits, or negotiates insurance must also hold a business entity license naming a Designated Responsible Licensed Producer (DRLP) licensed for the same lines.

The line between clerical help and licensed conduct follows national standards. The department's guide to activities that require a license^[2] lists unlicensed tasks such as dispensing brochures, scheduling appointments for a producer, and physically delivering policies. Explaining coverage, analyzing exposures, advising a buyer, or indicating that coverage will be bound requires a license.

The work pays around the national median. Insurance sales agents earned a median annual wage of $62,280 in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics^[3]; the lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,330 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $138,140. The Bureau projects employment to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 43,100 openings per year, and 63% of agents work in agencies and brokerages.

New Hampshire insurance license requirements

Resident producers must meet three core requirements: be at least 18 years old, pass the written exam for each line of authority sought, and apply online through NIPR, as listed in NIPR's resident licensing requirements for New Hampshire^[4]. Two requirements common in other states do not apply here. First, the department's licensing FAQ^[5] states that no prelicensing course has been required since July 11, 2008. Second, the NAIC fingerprint chart^[6] lists New Hampshire as having no provision for fingerprints in insurance licensing.

The application does ask background questions. A "Yes" answer to any of them requires supporting documentation through NIPR's Attachments Warehouse within 30 days, or the application is declined and the fees are forfeited. Non-citizens must submit Employment Authorization documentation or a Permanent Resident Card. Passing exam scores remain valid for 2 years, per NIPR's New Hampshire state information page^[7], so you can apply any time within that window after passing.

Producer lines of authority and their exams

New Hampshire issues producer licenses by line of authority, and each line has its own exam administered by PSI. The following table, drawn from the PSI candidate information bulletin^[8], lists the producer lines and their exam series and fees.

A few selection rules apply. NIPR's resident licensing page^[4] blocks applications for the Property, Casualty, or Personal Lines lines from producers who already hold the combined Property and Casualty line, so choose between the combined and separate lines up front. Adding a line later costs a $50 amendment fee, and residents must pass the appropriate exam for the new line first.

Life insurance license in New Hampshire

Pass the Life exam, PSI series 12-61, to earn the line of authority that lets you sell life insurance products. The exam covers insurance fundamentals, life policy types and provisions, annuities, and New Hampshire insurance law. Candidates who also want health authority can take the combined Life, Accident and Health exam, series 12-63, which produces one final score; the complete exam must be passed to qualify, as the PSI candidate bulletin^[8] explains.

Life licensees who sell annuities have a training step after licensing. Under N.H. Admin. Code Ins 305.06^[9], a producer who sells annuity products must complete a one-time 4-credit training course from a department-approved provider, and insurers must verify completion before allowing the producer to sell annuities. Producers who completed a course approved before January 1, 2024 must complete either a new 4-credit course or an additional one-time 1-credit course on sales practices, replacement, and disclosure, under the rule amended effective February 16, 2024.

Health insurance license in New Hampshire

New Hampshire licenses health coverage under the Accident and Health line, so a health insurance license here means passing the Accident and Health exam, PSI series 12-62. This line permits selling, soliciting, and negotiating health and disability coverage. The combined Life, Accident and Health exam, series 12-63, covers both lines in one sitting for candidates who want to sell life products too, and its combined results produce a single score with no option to pass one side and fail the other, per the PSI candidate bulletin^[8].

Property and casualty license in New Hampshire

Pass the Property and Casualty exam, PSI series 12-64, to earn the line that covers homeowners, auto, and commercial coverage. New Hampshire also issues separate Property (series 12-84) and Casualty (series 12-85) lines for producers who need only one side, but most candidates take the combined exam.

Every property and casualty producer must complete flood insurance training after licensing. N.H. Admin. Code Ins 1304.03^[10] requires each producer issued the property and casualty line on or after January 1, 2008 to complete a basic flood insurance course approved by the department within one calendar year of the line's effective date, even if the producer never places flood insurance. Only courses with the "FEMA" prefix on the department's approved continuing education list qualify. Bulletin INS 24-006-AB^[11], issued February 6, 2024, warns that resident producers who fail to comply face penalties up to $2,500 and risk non-renewal of the license.

Surplus lines authority sits on top of this line. The department's surplus lines page^[12] states that resident individuals must hold the property and casualty line of authority to hold surplus lines authority, that no exam is required, and that monthly surplus lines policy filings and annual tax reports go through the NAIC OPTins system.

Personal lines license in New Hampshire

Pass the Personal Lines exam, PSI series 12-86, to sell home, auto, and other personal coverage to individuals and households. The line covers the same consumer products as the property and casualty line but excludes commercial coverage, which makes it a common choice for producers who work only with families and individuals. Remember the selection rule from NIPR: a producer who holds the combined Property and Casualty line cannot also apply for Personal Lines.

Title, credit, and variable lines of authority

Title insurance requires the Title exam, PSI series 12-72, though attorneys are exempt from the exam, per NIPR's resident licensing requirements^[4]. Credit insurance requires the Credit exam, series 12-87. Variable Life and Variable Annuity products carry no state exam of their own, but the applicant must pass the FINRA Series 63 or 66 or be a New Hampshire Registered Representative, supply a FINRA CRD number on the application, and hold the Life line, as the PSI candidate bulletin^[8] specifies. Travel and Motor Vehicle Road Service lines require no exam.

Insurance adjuster license in New Hampshire

New Hampshire licenses claims adjusters separately from producers, and residents must pass the adjuster exam before applying. The Property and Casualty adjuster exam is PSI series 12-75 ($72), and the Workers' Compensation adjuster exam is series 12-76 ($59). The department's fee schedule^[1] sets the adjuster initial license fee and biennial renewal at $75 each. New Hampshire does not license business entities as adjusters, only individuals.

Resident adjuster licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month and renew for two-year terms, per NIPR's New Hampshire renewal requirements^[13]. The PSI candidate bulletin still lists an older October 1 cycle, but the department's current renewal system uses the birth month. Resident adjusters complete 24 continuing education credits every two years including at least 3 adjuster ethics credits, and workers' compensation adjusters must also complete at least 10 workers' compensation credits, according to the department's continuing education FAQ^[14].

Non-resident adjusters need a license in their home state, a designated home state license, or 6 months of verifiable adjusting experience, and applicants from states that do not license adjusters may take the New Hampshire exam or designate New Hampshire as their home state, per the department's adjuster licensing page^[15]. Temporary and catastrophe adjuster licenses are issued upon a declaration of a State of Emergency under RSA 402-B:11 to applicants licensed in another state or with 6 months of experience. Under RSA 402-B:9, adjusters must exhibit their license to each person they deal with when investigating or adjusting a claim.

Public adjuster license in New Hampshire

Public adjuster is a separate license type under RSA 402-D^[16], with its own exam and fee. Applicants pass the PSI Public Adjuster exam, series 12-73 ($59), and apply electronically at nipr.com by selecting "Producer" and then "Other," or by paper form. The license costs $100 initially and $100 per biennial renewal, per the department's fee schedule^[1]. Public adjusters complete 15 continuing education credits every two years, including 3 ethics credits, and the license renews by October 2 in alternating years; failure to renew on time requires a new application and twice the renewal fee. New Hampshire does not license public adjusting firms.

Taking the New Hampshire insurance exam

Who administers the exam and where you take it

PSI Services LLC administers New Hampshire's insurance licensing exams for producers, adjusters, and public adjusters, under a contract that took effect July 1, 2025; the previous vendor, Prometric, stopped scheduling New Hampshire exams after June 23, 2025, per the department's producer licensing page^[17]. You register online at PSI's New Hampshire insurance portal, test-takers.psiexams.com/nhins, or by phone at (855) 340-3713, per the PSI candidate bulletin^[8]. In-person testing is available at PSI test centers in Concord, Keene, Nashua, Newington, and Portsmouth, and PSI also lists a center in Manchester. As of July 6, 2026, the department has suspended remote proctoring for the Life (12-61) and Life, Accident and Health (12-63) exams pending a security review, so those exams are in-person only; other exams may still be available through PSI's remote proctoring system.

Exam fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and each fee is valid for one year from the date of payment. Cancellations must be received 2 days before the scheduled exam date to avoid forfeiting the fee. A candidate who does not pass can retest as soon as the next business day, depending on space, and each exam may include 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions, per the PSI candidate bulletin^[8].

How to prepare when no course is required

The state specifies no official study manual and mandates no course, so preparation is entirely your choice. The department's study material page^[18] states that it does not provide study materials, cannot recommend a supplier, and does not evaluate the quality of any course, and taking a course does not guarantee passing. Candidates who want structure can use self-paced online programs such as RealEstateU's insurance licensing courses, or the week-long in-person review class that Big I New Hampshire^[19], the state's independent agent association, runs every 6 to 8 weeks.

How to apply for your license through NIPR

Residents apply online at nipr.com after passing the exam, using the NAIC Uniform Application, and NIPR's resident licensing requirements^[4] note that NIPR verifies exam results before allowing submission. The steps are:

1. Confirm your passing results are on file with the state, with your last name, Social Security number, and date of birth matching your application.
2. Complete the NAIC Uniform Application online and pay the $210 producer fee by credit card or electronic check, per the department's fee schedule^[1].
3. Answer the background questions, and submit documentation through NIPR's Attachments Warehouse within 30 days for any "Yes" answer.
4. Wait for processing. The department's FAQ^[5] states that applications processed through NIPR and SBS online are processed within 24 hours of receipt, except applications with affirmative responses, which are pended for documentation and review.

The fee schedule, set under RSA 400-A:29 and effective January 1, 2022^[1], is non-refundable. The following table shows the fees for each license type, drawn from the department's fee schedule and NIPR's renewal requirements^[13].

One payment warning: the department's producer page^[17] states that a returned check triggers a penalty of $25 or 5% of the check amount, whichever is greater, plus $8 in state treasury fees, places the license in suspended status immediately, and cancels it after 60 days unsatisfied. The licensing unit can be reached at 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 14, Concord, NH 03301, by phone at (603) 271-2261, or for licensing at (603) 271-0203.

Timeline from exam to issued license

Most candidates finish in a few weeks, because the state imposes no course hours and processing is fast. The schedule is driven by exam availability and your own study pace. After passing, you can usually apply within 48 hours, though it can take up to a week for testing information to reach NIPR, according to Big I New Hampshire^[19].

After your license is issued

Carriers, not the state, connect you to business. An insurance company must register your appointment with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) through its authorized business partners at nipr.com within 15 days of initiating business with you, under RSA 402-J:14. Appointments do not renew; they remain active until the carrier terminates them, and a license that expires terminates all active appointments, per the department's FAQ^[5].

New Hampshire issues licenses electronically, and licensees print them from the NIPR system rather than receiving them by mail. Address changes must be filed within 30 days of a move, at no cost through NIPR's Contact Change Request or $10 through manual processing, per the department's producer page^[17].

Renewal and continuing education in New Hampshire

Producer licenses run two years. Individual licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month, with the first license usually falling short of a full two years, and business entity licenses expire May 31, per the department's producer page^[17]. The renewal window opens 90 days before expiration and closes at midnight on the expiration day, and all renewals are processed online at nipr.com. New Hampshire does not accept late renewals.

Resident producers with Life, Accident and Health, Property, Casualty, or Personal lines must complete 24 state-approved continuing education (CE) credits every two years, including at least 3 and no more than 10 ethics credits, under N.H. Admin. Code Ins 1302.03^[20]. The credits must be completed 60 days before the license expiration date, which NIPR describes as a state requirement, not a recommended timeframe^[13]. Licensees renewing for the first time after passing the exam are exempt from CE. Excess hours do not carry over between cycles, a course cannot be repeated for credit within a cycle, and providers report completions to State Based Systems within 15 days, charging students $1 per credit. After credits are reported, it can take up to 72 hours for compliant status to appear in NIPR, and the renewal application cannot be submitted until it does.

If a license lapses, reinstatement within 2 years costs $300 for producers plus CE compliance, and after 2 years the applicant starts over with a new application, the full exam, and current fees. Completing CE late costs $50 for producers and $25 for adjusters, and completing it after expiration raises the fee to double the license fee, per the department's continuing education FAQ^[14]. Non-resident producers owe no New Hampshire CE as long as they are in good standing in their resident state. Portions of recognized designation programs, including LUTCF, CLU, ChFC, CFP, and the CPCU diploma curriculum, count toward the 24 credits under Ins 1302.03^[20].

Moving to New Hampshire or licensing as a non-resident

A producer who moves to New Hampshire has 90 days under RSA 402-J:9 to provide documentation, and the prior resident state license must be terminated, because one person cannot hold two resident licenses. New residents who held an active license in another state within the past 90 days and were not already licensed as non-residents in New Hampshire apply by paper application with the $210 fee and take no exam, except property and casualty adjuster applicants, who must pass the Adjuster Property and Casualty Laws and Regulations exam, series 12-83. If the previous state license was inactive or cancelled more than 90 days before, the applicant must pass the appropriate Laws and Regulations exam; if it lapsed more than two years, the full New Hampshire exam is required, per the department's FAQ^[5].

Non-resident producers licensed in their home state apply directly online through NIPR's non-resident licensing process^[21], pay the same $210 fee, and take no exam for lines they already hold at home. Non-resident adjusters pay $75, and NIPR's non-resident adjuster requirements^[22] bar applicants from selecting New Hampshire as the Designated Home State for a New Hampshire non-resident license. Non-resident applicants must not have a residence address in New Hampshire.

Car insurance for unlicensed drivers

Driver licensing and producer licensing are separate questions, and search traffic blends them often enough to answer here. New Hampshire law does not prohibit an unlicensed vehicle owner from buying car insurance; whether coverage is issued depends on each insurer's own rules.

Next steps

Pick your line of authority first, because it determines your exam, then register through PSI's New Hampshire portal, test-takers.psiexams.com/nhins, and schedule a date. Study with materials of your own choosing, since no course is required, and apply at nipr.com with the NAIC Uniform Application within two years of passing. If you earn the property and casualty line, calendar the one-year flood training deadline right away, and set a reminder for your birth-month expiration so the 60-day continuing education deadline does not pass unnoticed.