How old do I have to be to apply for an insurance producer license?
Pursuant to Article 21 of the Insurance Law, you will need to be 18 years of age or older to apply for an insurance license.
How do I renew my Insurance Producer license?
Licenses are eligible for renewal if it is within 180 days of the expiration date of the licenses. Most licenses can be renewed online. Learn more in our Agents and Brokers section.
What is the status of my Insurance Producer application?
You can search for licensing information by name via our Producer Licensee Search.
If you find no licensing information there, the license has not yet been issued. To inquire about status send us an email at [email protected].
How do I obtain a hard copy of my Insurance producer license?
The Department does not mail paper licenses. As soon as a license is issued (in PDF format) the licensee should save and print the license.
Use the Producer/Licensee Search application to determine if a license has been issued and to view the license number.
Once a license is printed, there is a statutory $15.00 duplicate license fee for any future license print requests.
Follow these instructions to request/print a license.
How do I reinstate an expired license?
If you are a resident and your license has been expired more than two years, you must retake the exam and submit a paper application with the passing score report and fee.
If you are a nonresident and your license has been expired more than two years, you must be currently qualified in your home state and submit a paper application with fee.
If your license expired within the last two years, you may apply to relicense via this website.
I do not remember the Continuing Education courses I previously took. Can you tell me?
No. It is the responsibility of the Producer to maintain course completion documents. For any further information, contact the Continuing Education Provider.
How do I apply for an individual or individual with a trade name license?
Individuals and individuals with trade names applying for a life agent, life broker, property/casualty agent and/or property/casualty broker license can apply..
Residents must be qualified by examination; non-residents may use the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) at www.nipr.com.
For more information about producer licensing visit our Agents and Brokers section.
How do I obtain my license number?
Use the Producer/Licensee Search application to determine if a license has been issued and to view the license number.
You may search by name or license number; instructions are posted.
What does it mean if my agent license is in inactive status?
If there are no current company appointments on file for an agent, the agent's license is considered to be inactive. An agent is required to have at least one company appointment on file in order to sell insurance. The appointment must be filed within 15 days of either the date an agency contract is executed with the insurance company or the date the first insurance application is submitted.
If the agent's license is in an inactive status at the time of renewal, a renewal application may be completed. However, if the agent is still in an inactive status at the next renewal, the agent will not be eligible to renew unless an appointment is filed on behalf of the agent.
Do I have to take the pre-licensing course? Am I exempt?
Sections 2103, 2104 and 2108 of the NYS Insurance Law require an individual who is seeking an agent, broker or public adjuster license to complete a pre-licensing course approved by the Superintendent of Insurance.
Applicants applying for a broker or public adjuster license under Sections 2104 or 2108 of the NYS Insurance Law are exempt from the pre-licensing course if they are able to complete a Statement of Employer form based on work experience.
An agent or broker applicant is exempt from the pre-licensing course if either of the following designations are held: Charter Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Charter Life Underwriter (CLU) Chartered Life Underwriter Associate (CLUA), Charter Financial Consultant (ChFC), Masters of Science, Financial Services (MSFS).
When is Agent/Broker Continuing Education (CE) Required?
After your license has been renewed the first time, continuing education (CE) will always be required upon subsequent renewal or re-licensing applications. Credits must be accumulated during the renewal period, which begins with the effective date of the license. CE must be completed before processing the renewal or relicensing application.
In the case of relicensing, you may use credits accumulated in the previous renewal period, plus any completed up to the date that the re-licensing application is completed.
How many Continuing Education credits are required for Insurance Producers?
As a licensee you must complete 15 credits of Continuing Education (CE) during each two year licensing period.
All courses must be completed through a Provider Organization approved by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Courses are offered in either the classroom/speech/seminar method of instruction (indicated by and NYCR approval number) or the self-study (textbook or internet) method of instruction (indicated by an NYCS approval number).
You are allowed to take any course that is approved for your specific class of license.
Can an individual renew a license after the renewal date?
No. An expired license can not be renewed. Once a license is expired, one will need to submit a re-licensing application. If the license has expired for less than two years, one may submit an on-line re-licensing application. If the license has expired for more than two years a paper application is required.
A separate renewal application must be completed for each license held.
What is a Temporary Insurance Producer license?
When a licensee dies, a temporary license can be issued to a spouse, next of kin or executor of estate.
An application for a temporary license is required along with a copy of the death certificate. If applicant is NOT the spouse, we will need letters of testamentary included with proof of executor of estate.
Entities can add a new sublicensee rather than apply for a temporary license if they have a qualified individual to be named as a sublicensee. If NOT a temporary license for an entity can be issued in the entity name.
Temporary licenses are issued in intervals of 90 days and can be issued for a period NO GREATER than 15 months from the date of death.
No LIFE Insurance business can be done with a temporary license.
Who is authorized to sell Long Term Care insurance in New York?
A New York licensed producer who has the accident/health line of authority on their agent license issued under Section 2103(a) of the Insurance Law (prefix of LA), or on their broker license issued under Section 2104 (b)(1)(A) of the Insurance Law (prefix of LB) or is licensed a broker under Section 2104(B) of the Insurance Law (prefix of BR) is authorized to sell long term care insurance in New York.
To sell partnership, contact the New York State Department of Health.