General Information
Cybersecurity
All entities and persons regulated or licensed by the Department of Financial Services are required to file various cybersecurity notices to the Superintendent. Visit the Cybersecurity Resource Center and Producers Cybersecurity FAQs to learn more.
Note: Cybersecurity notices are filed via the DFS Portal. If you do not have a DFS Portal account, you will need to create one. Your NY LINX username and password will not work to access the DFS Portal, and your DFS Portal account will not work to access NY LINX.
Pre-licensing Education Requirements and Course Providers
New York Insurance Law requires an individual who is seeking an agent, broker or public adjuster license to complete a pre-licensing course approved by the Department.
- Learn more about pre-licensing requirements, exemptions, and search for an approved course provider.
Licensing Exam Vendor
PSI Services provides all examination services to candidates seeking to obtain an insurance license in New York. PSI testing centers are located in various cities across New York State. For more information, or to register for an exam, visit PSI Exams Online.
Producer/Licensee Search
Use the Producer/Licensee Search application to determine if a license has been issued and to view the license number.
Insurance Company Search
Our Insurance Company Search represents the most current information maintained by the Department. Because companies are continuously being admitted to and withdrawing from New York, and because licensed companies add and delete lines of insurance business from their licenses or change their names, there may be a brief time gap between applying such changes and presenting the new licensing status information in our Directory. The fact that a company appears in our Directory does not necessarily mean that the company currently writes business. Companies may have decided to stop writing, but maintain their licenses, while others may have been placed into rehabilitation by the courts. A company in rehabilitation still maintains a New York license.
Fingerprinting for DFS
DFS uses IdentoGO Centers for live scan fingerprinting services. learn more on our Fingerprinting for DFS page.
Report Suspected Insurance Fraud
- Insurers must report suspected fraud electronically via the FCMS
- Unlicensed/out-of-state insurers may use the hard copy Industry Reporting Form (PDF)
Consent to Engage in Business
The Omnibus Crime Bill disqualifies anyone convicted of a criminal felony involving dishonesty or a breach of trust or anyone who has been convicted of an offense under this section from employment in the insurance industry. This ban may be removed if approval is given by the Superintendent for the individual to remain or become employed in the insurance industry. This request can be made by completing the Application for Written Consent to Engage in the Business of Insurance.
Satellite Offices
Insurance Law requires that each place of business established by an individual, corporation, partnership or limited liability company established by a licensee must be supervised by one or more persons licensed to do the kinds of business being transacted in that office. Written notice shall be given to the Superintendent of any Satellite office and the licensed designated person(s)responsible for each satellite office via the Satellite Office Form within 15 days following the establishment of a new location, change in address of an existing location or replacement of a designated person.
Pre-Licensing and Continuing Education
Apply for a License
Be sure to select the proper class of license for which you intend to conduct business. If the class of license you are looking for is not available, email [email protected] or call (518) 474-6630.
Pre-licensing Education Requirements and Course Providers
New York Insurance Law requires an individual who is seeking an agent, broker or public adjuster license to complete a pre-licensing course approved by the Department.
Learn more about pre-licensing requirements, exemptions, and approved course providers.
- Individuals or Trade Name Applications (TBA)
- Original License Application for Entities
- Non-Resident Licensing Application
NO REFUNDS will be issued for licenses applied for in error.
Manage a License
The Department does not mail paper licenses. Print a license as soon as it is issued.
Continuing Education Requirements
15 credits of continuing education (CE) are required to renew or to relicense certain insurance licenses. CE is required once a license has been in effect for more than 2 years and for every subsequent renewal or relicensing.
Learn more about continuing education requirements.
Letters of Certification/Clearance
Letter of Certification
The Letter of Certification is available via NY LINX. Online Certification is not available to Service Contract Registrants, Life Settlement Providers, or Life Settlement Intermediaries.
To be able to generate a Letter of Certification:
- The home state must be New York. Letters of Certification are eligible to residents only.
- The license must have a valid status.
Letter of Clearance
The Letter of Clearance is also available via NY LINX. To be able to generate a Letter of Clearance:
- The home state must be New York. Letters of Clearance are eligible to residents only.
Instructions
- Log in to NY LINX.
- Select Letter of Clearance or Letter of Certification in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
- Follow prompts to update addresses and submit request
- Once approved, you will receive the Letter of Clearance or Letter of Certification via email.
To get started, visit NY LINX:
Browsers and Blockers
- Use a supported browser: The latest version plus one previous of Edge, FF, Chrome and Safari, are supported.
- Disable “pop-up blockers” in your browser before using portal applications.
- Application may be unavailable from 7:30am to 7:45am daily during scheduled maintenance.
- Application may not be compatible with cell phones, tablets or other mobile devices.
Excess Lines: Premium Tax Statements
As of January 1, 2026, excess line brokers may file "ZERO" premium tax statements online if they meet ALL of the following criteria:
- No surplus lines business was written in New York for year 2025;
- No transactions were reported to Excess Line Association of New York (ELANY) for any endorsements/cancellations; and
- No premium taxes or credits are due for prior years.
Important: The above filing option is for ZERO filers only. NON-ZERO Filers may only start filing premium tax statements at the end of February 2026, after ELANY's members' report of 2025 is uploaded to the DFS Portal.
Filings via DFS Portal are due annually on March 15th. If March 15th falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the due date is the next business day.
DFS Portal
To access the DFS Portal, you must have a DFS Portal account. To log in or create a DFS Portal account visit the DFS Portal:
Browsers and Blockers
- Use a supported browser. The latest version, plus the most recent versions of Firefox, Chrome, and Safari are supported.
- Disable any pop-up blocker settings in your browser before using DFS Portal applications.
- Portal applications may not be compatible with cell phones, tablets, or other mobile devices.
- Applications may be unavailable daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. for scheduled maintenance.
Request Access to the Excess Line – Premium Tax Submission Application
Sign in with your DFS Portal user ID/email address and follow the steps below:
- Use the “Request Apps” tab and request access to the “Excess Line – Premium Tax Submission” application
- Select either “I am the licensee” or “I am authorized to make this filing on behalf of the licensee”
- Enter either “Broker’s License Number/Individual Name” or “Entity Name”
- Select “Submit Request”
You will receive a message stating that the request has been received and an email notification will be sent when the request is approved. Once access has been granted, you will see a link to the “Excess Line Premium Tax Submission” application in the “My Apps” tab.
How to File a premium tax statement
To file a premium tax statement, follow the steps below:
- Log into the DFS Portal, select the "My Apps" tab
- Select "Excess Line – Premium Tax Submission"
- Select "View/Edit Draft Statement" next to the corresponding tax year
- Start your online tax filing
Supplemental Premium Tax Statements
Excess line brokers must file supplemental premium tax statements via the DFS Portal. A supplemental premium tax statement can only be filed after the original premium tax statement has been submitted and there is a need for an amendment such as:
- To correct error(s) on the original premium tax statement
- To report additional transactions
- To claim a credit and/or a refund
Note: If you need to submit a supplemental statement before March 15, please contact [email protected].
Questions regarding excess line premium tax submissions can also be sent to [email protected].
Contact Us
If you need assistance, call (800) 342-3736 (M-F, 8:30am to 4:30pm) or email [email protected].