How to get an Insurance License in California

Licensing Information

Licensing Steps

Studying for Exam

Scheduling the Exam

Parts of the Exam

Renewal Information

How to Renew

Continue Education

Expired License

Nonresident License

Q: What type of insurance license is needed to offer Medicare plans in California?

To sell Medicare in California, you will need an Accident and Health License (Producer)

Application Procedures-Individual Residents

License Information

Follow the steps noted below to schedule your license examination and complete an application online:

1) Prelicensing Education

Complete the 20-hours of Accident and Health or Sickness prelicensing education requirements by selecting and registering for a Accident and Health or Sickness prelicensing education course using the California Department of Insurance’s Education and Provider Course search. You must also complete the 12 hours of ethics education to satisfy the 32 hour prelicensing education requirements. We recommend ExamFx.

  • Select an education provider and register for a course that is online or in a classroom. You can register on-line or call the education provider directly.
  • Print and study the Accident and Health or Sickness Educational Objectives document(s) from the California website and cross reference with the materials provided by the education provider.

Exemptions from general insurance prelicensing classroom courses:

  • Applicants for a Life license, Accident and Health or Sickness license, Personal lines Broker-Agent license, Limited Lines Automobile Insurance agent license, property broker-agent license and casualty broker-agent license, who are currently licensed as non-residents in California shall be required to complete only 12 hours of study on ethics and California Insurance Code. (Sections 1749 (g) and (h)), or;
  • An applicant holding any of the following designations: a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellowship (LUTCF), Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS), Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI), Health Insurance Associate (HIA), Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC) or Registered Health Underwriter (RHU) is exempt from the 20 hours of prelicensing education.

2) Schedule and take license examination

Once the pre-licensing coursework requirements have been completed, schedule an appointment to take the Accident and Health or Sickness license examination. PSI now provides license applicants who are required to take a license examination with the option to take a remote online proctored license examination (remote testing) for all insurance licensing examinations.

3) Fingerprinting

Fingerprint technicians will be available at CDI’s license examination site located in Los Angeles or at PSI’s 20 test centers that are located throughout California. The Live Scan Service Request form, BCIA 8016  and License Applicant Instruction Form 442-39A, is given to the applicants when they are seated to take the license examination

4) License Application

After passing the license examination, go to sircon.com to submit an electronic license application. If documents are required please attach those documents to the electronic license application or these documents can be submitted to the National Insurance Producer Registry’s Attachments Warehouse or they can be submitted by via U.S. Mail – Applicants may mail documents to the following address:

California Dept. of Insurance
Attn: Online Line Application
320 Capitol Mall
Sacramento, CA 95814

License applicants can check the status of a license application by going to the California Department of Insurance Check License Application Status Services (CLASS).

Click here for Candidate Information Bulletin