Check Your California Life Insurance Prelicensing Number

To check the status of a California life insurance prelicensing number, you can use the California Department of Insurance's (CDI) Check License Application Status Service (CLASS). This online service allows you to retrieve license details, including enforcement actions, for an insurance agent, broker, adjuster, bail agent, and agency or organization by using either a license number or name. It is important to note that the Check a License service requires the use of specific web browsers, including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. The CDI also provides other online services, such as the ability to print or download your license and check the status of your application or renewal.

Pre-licensing course requirements

California requires those seeking a life insurance license to complete prelicensing education before taking the state licensing exam. The prelicensing course will prepare you to successfully pass the state exam on your first attempt.

California requires potential agents to complete 20 hours of prelicensing education for each line of authority before attempting the state exam. In addition, 12 hours of Ethics & California Insurance Code, containing 1 hour of anti-fraud training, must be completed. The specific hour requirements are as follows:

• 20 hours - Accident & Health or Sickness
• 40 hours - Life, Accident & Health or Sickness
• 40 hours - Property/Casualty
• 20 hours - Personal Lines

Online prelicensing courses are available and can be supplemented with web classes and learning tools like flashcards and study manuals. California requires that your online study time be tracked. A maximum of eight hours per day of instruction are allowed.

Upon the completion of the prelicensing course, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion to submit to the California Department of Insurance (CDI) upon request. This certificate is valid for 3 years.

Fingerprint-based background check

To obtain a California life insurance prelicensing number, you must complete a prelicensing course and pass a state licensing exam. As part of the application process, the State of California and the California Department of Insurance (CDI) require fingerprint impressions from all unlicensed applicants. This is done to conduct a background check.

The State of California requires fingerprint impressions from all unlicensed applicants. This is done to conduct a background check and ensure the applicant has no criminal record that could prevent them from holding an insurance producer's license. The fingerprints are submitted to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for processing. The DOJ maintains a listing of authorised Live Scan Fingerprinting vendors that are available to California resident license applicants.

To submit your fingerprints, you must schedule an appointment with the CDI's contracted fingerprint vendor, Accurate Biometrics, after submitting your license application. When you go to have your fingerprints taken, you must bring a completed Live Scan Form BCIA 8016 and print out the LIC 442-39A Licensing Applicant Instructions form. The total processing fee for the fingerprint impressions taken by Accurate Biometrics is $75.

To ensure your fingerprint impressions are properly recorded, you must:

• Complete the Request for Live Scan Service form BCIA 8016 and print the Licensing Applicant Instructions form LIC 442-39A.
• Take your completed Request for Live Scan Service form to the live scan vendor.
• Complete the fingerprint impressions.
• Retain a copy of the Request for Live Scan Service form BCIA 8016 for your records. The live scan service vendor will provide you with the Automated Transaction Identifier (ATI) number assigned to your fingerprint impressions. If your fingerprint impressions are rejected, this number will allow you to have them redone at no charge.

If you are a non-resident applicant, you can mail in your fingerprint card scans for processing. You must download and fill out the Live Scan Form and the CDI Applicant Instruction Form (LIC 442-39A), which includes a form for credit card payment. You must also complete the standard FBI fingerprint card, printing and filling out the applicant information part of the form. The total processing fee for non-resident applicants is $75, plus additional manual ink card fees and mailing fees.

Results of the background check

The DOJ or FBI may need to manually process the fingerprint impressions, which may delay the reporting of results. If the CDI does not have your fingerprint results, you must use the DOJ's online Applicant Background Check Status to check the status of your fingerprint results. You will need your date of birth and the 10-digit ATI number that appears at the bottom of the DOJ form requesting Live Scan fingerprint background checks. When your fingerprint impressions are processed, the DOJ's online Applicant Background Check Status service will show "Completed" and provide the date that California-level and/or FBI-level services were completed. If the response states that the fingerprint results are still in process, you should continue to check back periodically at the DOJ verification page.

State licensing exam

After completing a prelicensing course, you must pass a state licensing exam. The exam is provided by PSI, and you can schedule your exam on their website. The exam can be taken at a physical PSI examination centre or via a remote online proctored exam.

The exam will be multiple choice and taken on a computer. It will cover both a general section with basic insurance product knowledge and a state section with specific insurance laws, rules, regulations, and practices that are unique to California.

The number of questions on the exam and the time limit will depend on the line of insurance you are testing for. For example, the Life and Disability Analyst exam is 3.5 hours with 125 questions, while the Life Limited to Burial and Funeral Expense exam is 2 hours with 90 questions.

To pass the exam, you must score 60% or higher. You will receive a pass or fail notification immediately after your exam. If you fail, you will receive a diagnostic report indicating your strengths and weaknesses, and you can immediately reschedule a new exam without a waiting period.

License application process

Once you have completed the prelicensing course, passed the state licensing exam, and gotten your fingerprint-based background check, you can apply for your California life insurance license. The application fee is $188. There is no service fee if you apply via Sircon. If you apply via the NIPR, you must pay a $5.60 transaction fee.

You can submit your application to the NIPR's Attachment Warehouse or the California Department of Insurance by mail:

California Department of Insurance

Producer Licensing Bureau

320 Capitol Mall

Sacramento, CA 95814

The CDI will issue a life insurance license to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have passed the proper licensing exam. You should submit your completed license application within 12 months of passing the exam.

To apply for a life insurance license in California, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the California Insurance Code. Send any questions or supporting documents to the CDI Contact Form.

After you complete the application, the CDI will review it and your background check. This process usually takes two to three weeks from the date you send your application. You can print your license from the Sircon or NIPR websites. Sircon charges a $5.60 fee to print a license.

You can also check the status of your license application by visiting the CDI Check License Application Status Service (CLASS) page.

Continuing education credits

Continuing education (CE) is required for all California insurance agents to renew their licenses. The general requirement is 24 hours of education every 2 years, including 3 hours of ethics training. However, there are different requirements for different types of licenses. For example, limited lines automobile insurance agents need 20 hours of education with 3 hours of ethics training every 2 years.

There are also special training requirements for certain types of insurance agents. For example, agents selling Variable Annuities must complete a 2-hour training course every 2 years, while those selling Long-Term Care Insurance are required to take an 8-hour initial training course followed by a 4-hour refresher course every compliance period.

To maintain their license, California insurance agents must adhere to their home state's CE requirements. These requirements can change, so it's important to stay informed by checking the California Department of Insurance website.

Kaplan Financial Education offers Total Access CE Libraries, webinars, and online courses to help insurance professionals meet their continuing education requirements. Their Life & Health Total Access CE option provides access to 45+ courses, while their Property & Casualty Total Access CE includes 50+ courses. These courses cover relevant topics such as annuities, long-term care certification training, and tax updates.

Frequently asked questions