California Insurance Licensing State Requirements

On this page, you will find all of the state-specific information for Insurance Licensing in the state of California. This information pertains to resident license applicants. For additional information for resident licensing, or for non-resident license information, please refer to the California Department of Insurance website at http://www.insurance.ca.gov. Information is subject to change, and we will do our very best to make the process of completing your licensing education requirements as simple as possible.

California Department of Insurance

Producer Licensing Bureau
320 Capitol Mall  Sacramento, CA 95814
916-322-3555
800-967-9331
Website: http://www.insurance.ca.gov
Email: ProducerLicensing@insurance.ca.gov

How to Get Your California Insurance License

1. Complete an Insurance Prelicensing Course

California requires those seeking an insurance license to complete prelicensing before taking the state licensing exam. Prelicensing courses with Kaplan give you the best chance to pass—our pass rates are among the highest in the industry. 

Prelicensing Education Hour Requirements

• Ethics and California Insurance Code: 12 Hours
• Life: 20 Hours
• Accident and Health: 20 Hours
• Life / Accident & Health: 40 Hours
• Property: 20 Hours
• Casualty: 20 Hours
• Property and Casualty: 40 Hours
• Personal Lines: 20 Hours
• Adjuster: No Prelicensing Education Requirement

Note: The required 12 hours of Ethics and California Insurance Code need not be repeated by those applying for more than one license.

Online Course Requirements

• Time Tracking: California requires that your online study time be tracked. In order to successfully complete the course, you must complete the required number of hours while studying in the Course Contents Units of the online course. Your online course tracker will be displayed in the upper right-hand corner of your page so that you can verify the time spent in the course is being tracked. A maximum of eight (8) hours per day of instruction are allowed.
• Biodata/security questions: California requires the use of bio-data questions to confirm you are in fact the intended user and that it was you who completed the course. To successfully complete the course, these questions must be answered correctly when asked.
• Forced Progression: This requires the user to successfully complete each page of the online course before being allowed to proceed to the next.

Prelicensing Education Exemptions

Applicants who hold one or more of the following designations or certifications are exempt from prelicensing education requirements for the indicated line of authority:

• Life Only, Accident and Health: CLU®, LUTCF
• Fire and Casualty, and Personal Lines: CPCU®, CIC, AAI 

Note: Even if exempt from the prelicensing requirements of the above-indicated line(s) of authority, applicants must still complete the 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course. 

2. Pass Your California Licensing Exam

After completing your prelicensing course, you must pass a state licensing exam. Kaplan’s Prelicensing Content is based directly on the California licensing exams, so you will be prepared to pass the first time.

Exam Provider: PSI

For exam information and for scheduling, go to the PSI website: https://test-takers.psiexams.com/
For questions about examination scheduling, please call 877-392-6422

3. Get Fingerprinted

Vendor: Accurate Biometrics

For details about fingerprinting (including contact and scheduling information) please see the CDI website: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/0200-prod-licensing/0100-applicant-info/0300-ca-fingerprint/

4. Apply for California Insurance License

Once you have passed your state licensing exam, you are ready to apply for an insurance license.

To fill out an online license application, please select the following link and follow the instructions: License Application

You will be assigned an NPN. This unique identifier is assigned through the licensing application process and is used to track individuals and business entities on a national basis. The NPN is used by many states to replace a producer license number.

5. Plan to Complete Required Insurance Continuing Education (CE) Credits

Every insurance producer must adhere to their home state’s CE requirements. Stay on top of your CE and ahead of the competition with 365 days of unlimited course access when you enroll in a CE library with Kaplan. 

Learn how to renew a California insurance license by clicking here.

This information is based on state laws and regulations and is subject to change. Kaplan Financial Education makes every effort to make sure this information is current and accurate, however, Kaplan Financial Education is not engaged in rendering legal or professional advice and shall not be held responsible for inaccuracies contained herein.