General Requirements
California Major Lines Licensed Insurance Agents are required to complete 24 credits of continuing education every 2 years prior to their license expiration date. License expiration dates occur on the last day of the month of the original month of licensure, every 2 years. Of the 24 Credits required, 3 credits must be done in the category of Ethics Training. The Ethics Training course must contain a 1-Hour Anti-Fraud Awareness Video provided by the Department of Insurance. The remaining requirements are “license type specific”: Agents must take courses approved for at least one their license types.
Major Lines licenses include:
- Life, Accident and Sickness
- Property
- Casualty
- and Personal Lines
Agents who hold multiple lines of licenses (ex. Life and Property) only have to meet the requirements for at least one of their License Types held. You do not need to take courses for every License Type for which you hold a license (except for special training requirements such as Annuity, LTC, or Homeowners Valuation). In other words, if you are licensed in Multiple Lines, you only have to complete 24 credits total, and you can receive credit for courses approved in any of the License Types for which you hold a license.
Agents must complete their CE Requirements prior to their license expiration date to be eligible to renew their license. Licenses can be renewed online through NIPR.com, or Sircon.com. The renewal
fee is $188 per line of authority.
Licenses are eligible for renewal when:
- all CE Requirements have been completed
- when the licensee is within 90 days of their license expiration date
Special Training Requirements
There are numerous special training requirements for California insurance agents who sell certain products. These courses count towards your CE Requirements.
Anti-Fraud Awareness Training
Every agent must take a 1-Hour Anti-Fraud Awareness Video provided by the Department of Insurance.
Homeowners’ Insurance Valuation
Agents who sell homeowners insurance are required to take a 1 – Time homeowners’ insurance valuation training course.
Variable Annuity Training
Agents who sell Variable Annuities must complete 2-hour Variable Annuity Training Course every 2 years.
Annuity Training
Agents who sell annuity products need to complete a one-time, 8 hour annuity suitability course and a 4 hour training course every compliance period thereafter.
Long Term Care
Agents who sell Long-Term Care Insurance are required to complete an 8 Hour initial training course and then a 4-hour refresher course every compliance period.
Flood Insurance
Agents who wish to sell Flood Insurance must complete a one-time, 3 Credit Hour Training Course prior to selling.
Cash Value Life Insurance
Effective January 2025, any newly licensed agents who sell cash value life insurance policies are required to complete a one-time 4 Hour Life Insurance Policy Training Course
CE Exemptions and Reductions
California offers several limited exemptions from CE Requirements.
- Licensees consecutively licensed for 30 years or more without any disciplinary action and 70 years of age or older which were originally licensed prior to January 1, 2010.
- Any producer called to active duty in the U.S. military services
If you believe that you qualify for the CE exemption, please contact the CDI’s Licensing Hotline at (800) 967-9331 or email the California Department of Insurance at Producer Licensing Bureau.
Course Repeat Restrictions
Agents cannot repeat the same courses within the same renewal period.
Carryover Credits
Excess credits earned during the biennial renewal period will be carried forward to the next period. Any excess credits earned for Ethics Training will be carried over as general credits and will not count towards future Ethics Training requirements.
Late Renewal and Reinstatements
There is no grace period or late renewal allowed for California insurance agents who fail to complete their renewal requirements prior to their license expiration date. Licenses are considered expired immediately upon expiration date. However, agents may reapply up to one (1) year after expiration date through the Renew or Reinstate a License section on Sircon for an additional fee of $94 per line of authority and all CE Requirements are met.
In addition, all company appointment fees will have to be paid to have the appointments reinstated. After one year, agents will have to relicense.
California Insurance Agent Continuing Education & Renewal Requirements Summary
| Renewal Term | Every 2 Years |
| Renewal Date | Last Day of Original Month of Licensure – Every 2 Years |
| CE Requirements | 24 Credits Total (3 in Ethics that includes 1-Hour Anti-Fraud Awareness) |
| Course Requirements | License Type Specific (other than 3 Hours of Ethics, Courses Must Be Taken in the Line of Licensing) |
| Special Training | Flood – 1 Time Prior to Selling. Homeowners Insurance Valuation – 1 Time Prior to Estimating the Replacement Value of Structures. Annuities – 8 Hour Initial, 4 Hours Every Renewal Period Following. Long Term Care – 8 Hour Initial, 8 Hours Every Year for the First 4 Years, 8 Hours Every Renewal Period Following. Variable Annuities – Agents who sell Variable Annuities must complete 2-hour Variable Annuity Training Course every 2 years. Effective January 2025, any newly licensed agents who sell cash value life insurance policies are required to complete a one-time 4 Hour Life Insurance Policy Training Course Anti-Fraud Awareness Training – Every agent must take a 1-Hour Anti-Fraud Awareness Video provided by the Department of Insurance. |
| Exemptions | Non-resident agents. |
| Renewal Fee | $188 per line of authority |
| Renewal Site | NIPR.com or Sircon |
| Missed Renewal | License Expired After Expiration Date |
| Late Renewal, Reinstatement, Fees | 50% of Original Renewal Fee ($94) to Reinstate up to 1 Year After 1 Year – Relicense |
| Carryover Credits | Excess Credits Will Carryover to the Next Compliance Period. Ethics Counted Towards General Credits |
| Course Repeat Restrictions | No Credits for Course Repeated Within the Same Renewal Period |
California Department of Insurance Contact Information
Oakland Office
1901 Harrison Street, 6th Floor
Oakland, CA 94162
Sacramento Office
300 Capitol Mall, 17th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
Los Angeles Office
300 South Spring Street, 14th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Website: https://www.insurance.ca.gov/ | Phone: 800-967-9331 | Contact Form
