Life Insurance Licenses: How Long Do They Last?

In Florida, insurance licenses are perpetual and never expire. However, license holders must take continuing education classes every two years to keep their license current. The two-year period starts the year the initial insurance license was issued on the last day of the holder's birth month.

How often do I need to renew my Florida insurance license?

In Florida, insurance licenses are perpetual and never expire. However, to keep your license current, you must take continuing education classes every two years. This two-year period starts the year the initial insurance license was issued on the last day of the holder’s birth month.

For insurance agents licensed for less than 6 years, you are required to take 24 credits of CE every two years. For those licensed for more than 6 years, you only need to take 20 credits of CE. This applies to all agents who are licensed to sell any of the “major lines” of insurance: life, health, general lines, and personal lines.

You must take at least one 4-credit-hour course approved for the topic of “Law and Ethics Update”. The Law and Ethics Update course taken must be approved specifically for at least one of your license types. The rest of your CE can be completed in any topic as long as they are approved by the Florida Department of Financial Services.

It is recommended to complete all continuing education credits 30 days prior to the expiration date of the license. This will give the CE provider time to report the successful completion to the department of insurance.

How much does it cost to renew my Florida insurance license?

In Florida, insurance licenses are perpetual and never expire. However, license holders must take continuing education classes every two years to keep their license current. The two-year period starts the year the initial insurance license was issued on the last day of the holder’s birth month.

There is no fee or paperwork required to renew your license after you complete your required CE hours. You will only need to pay for the CE provider cost.

What are the continuing education requirements for Florida in renewing my insurance license?

Florida insurance licenses are perpetual and do not require renewal. However, insurance agents must complete continuing education requirements every two years to keep their licenses active. The two-year period starts the year the initial insurance license was issued and ends on the last day of the licensee's birth month. For example, if you were born in June and became licensed in August 2023, your license renewal deadline would be June 30, 2026.

The amount of continuing education (CE) required depends on how long you have been actively licensed. Agents licensed for less than six years must complete 24 hours of CE, while those licensed for more than six years must complete 20 hours. This applies to all agents licensed to sell any of the "major lines" of insurance: life, health, general lines, and personal lines.

Regardless of how long you have been licensed, you must take at least one four-hour course approved for the topic of "Law and Ethics Update". This course must be approved specifically for at least one of your license types. The rest of your CE hours can be completed in any topic, as long as the courses are approved by the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Florida does not grant any exemptions from CE requirements. However, agents with certain special training or designations, such as a degree in risk management or a CPCU or CLU designation, can receive a reduction in the number of hours required. These agents need only complete four CE credits every two years, including the four-hour Law and Ethics Update course.

It is important to complete your CE requirements on time. If you don't, you will receive a Preliminary Notice of Non-Compliance and a Settlement Stipulation in your MyProfile account approximately 45 days after your license expiration date. These notices are not sent by mail or email, so it is important to check your MyProfile account regularly.

How do I document the completion of my continuing education courses?

To document the completion of your continuing education courses, you must first ensure that you have completed the required number of continuing education hours. For most states, this is 24 hours of continuing education for every two-year license term. However, this may vary depending on your state and license type, so be sure to check the requirements for your specific state. It is recommended that you complete your continuing education hours at least 60 days before your license expiration date to allow sufficient time for processing.

Once you have completed the required number of hours, the next step is to verify that your credits appear in your profile on the relevant state website. For example, in Florida, you would check your My Profile Portal on the Florida Department of Financial Services Bureau of Licensing website. It is important to note that credits may take up to 30 days to appear, so be sure to allow enough time for processing before your license expiration date. If your credits do not appear after 30 days, contact your course provider to verify your information and request that they submit your credits to the appropriate state department.

After you have verified that your credits appear in your profile, you should retain any certificates of completion for your records. In some states, such as Washington, you are required to retain your certificate of completion for three years.

What is NPN for an insurance agent?

A National Producer Number (NPN) is a unique NAIC identifier assigned to individuals and business entities during the licensing application process. The NPN is used to track those individuals and business entities on a national basis.

The NPN is assigned to all individuals and most business entities on the PDB. To find your NPN, you can use one of the search options on the NIPR website.

The NPN is separate from your insurance license, which in Florida is perpetual and does not require renewal. However, insurance licenses can become inactive if the licensee fails to complete their continuing education requirements.

Frequently asked questions