Not licensed yet?
Getting licensed is the easy part
Typical timeline
2–6 weeks
Course, exam, application
Pre-licensing hours
20–40
Most states; New York is 40
Your course cost
$30
List price $299
Step by step
The six steps to a life insurance license
01Confirm you are eligible
$0 · Same day
You must be at least 18. Most states expect a high school diploma or equivalent and will review any past convictions involving fraud or dishonesty as part of the application — a conviction is disclosed, not automatically disqualifying.
02Complete pre-licensing education
$30 – $300 · 1 – 3 weeks part-time
Most states require an approved pre-licensing course before you can sit for the exam — commonly 20 to 40 hours for Life, or Life & Health combined. A few states, including Texas, do not mandate it. New York requires 40 hours for a combined Life & Health license.
03Pass the state exam
$40 – $150 · 2 – 3 hours at the test center
A proctored multiple-choice exam, usually 50 to 150 questions, with a passing score of about 70% in most states. Booked through your state's testing vendor, often one to two weeks out.
04Fingerprints and background check
$30 – $75 · A few days
Most states require fingerprinting and a background check before the license is issued. Scheduling is local and results usually post within days.
05Apply for the license
$50 – $200 · Same day – 4 weeks
Submit through NIPR or your state insurance department portal. Processing runs from same-day in some states to two to four weeks in others.
06Contract and get appointed
$0 to contract · Days per carrier
Once the license is issued we contract you and submit carrier appointments so you can write business. Non-resident licenses in additional states can be added later without another exam.
Bottom line
Verify before you pay
State rules
New York and New Jersey specifics
| State | Pre-licensing hours | Notes | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 40 hours (Life & Health combined) | Pre-licensing education is required before the exam, and the course must be state-approved. | Department of insurance |
| New Jersey | 20 hours per line (Life; Accident & Health separate) | Exam is administered by the state's testing vendor; fingerprinting is required before issue. | Department of insurance |
Pre-licensing course coupon
We sponsor your course: $299 → $30
- One coupon per person, tied to the email you submit.
- Coupon applies to the sponsored pre-licensing / exam-prep course only. State exam, fingerprinting and license application fees are paid directly to the state or its vendor and are not discounted.
- The coupon is not conditional on contracting with us, and no commission or fee is charged for issuing it.
- Coupons are valid for 60 days from issue and are not transferable or redeemable for cash.
Get your course code
Submit the form and your code appears on screen right away. Anil follows up to walk you through the exam and the application.
Important: This site describes an independent contractor business opportunity in insurance and financial services. Commission levels, override percentages and any income figures shown are illustrations of the published contract structure, not a promise, guarantee or projection of what you will earn. Actual commissions vary by carrier, product, state, contract level and personal production, and most of what you earn depends on your own sales activity. Nothing here is an offer of employment, a salary, a securities offering or individualized financial, tax or legal advice. You must hold the applicable state license and carrier appointments before selling any insurance product.
- Agents at Experior Financial Group are independent contractors, not employees. There is no salary, no W-2 and no guaranteed income; you are paid commissions on the business you personally write and overrides on the business your team writes.
- Commission and override percentages on this site reflect the published USA contract grid. Carrier and product grid factors vary (roughly 90% of chart on average), so real payouts differ from the illustration.
- Calculator results are arithmetic on the numbers you type in. They are illustrations, not projections, quotes or guarantees of income.
- No fee is charged for the Expert Financial Analysis, for using this site, or for being interviewed. Standard agency technology/platform fees and your own state licensing and exam costs are disclosed to you before you contract.
- Recruiting is optional. The personal producer track grows to the top personal contract level with no team and no recruiting requirement.
- You must be at least 18, complete your state's pre-licensing requirement where applicable, pass the state exam and clear a background check before you can be appointed and sell.