License Requirements

How to Renew a North Carolina Insurance License

Updated: June 7, 2023

A.D. Banker Provider #: S11173

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On this page, you’ll find a comprehensive guide to renewing your North Carolina insurance license. At A.D. Banker & Company, we’re here to walk you through the process and make completing your continuing education requirements as easy and painless as possible.

We offer several different study methods to cater to your needs and help you grow as an insurance professional. Whether you’re interested in learning the latest topics in insurance CE webinars, or having unlimited access to our online CE courses, we strive to provide options that fit around your busy schedule. Each of our courses are designed to not only be straightforward and simple, but also valuable to your career.

To begin the renewal process, you will need to complete 3 steps listed below.

1. Review the State Requirements

The first step to renewing your insurance license is to review North Carolina’s CE requirements. Depending on which lines of insurance you’re licensed in, the continuing education hours you’re required to complete will vary. All hours must be completed and reported prior to your license renewal date to avoid a lapse in your license.

General Requirements

How many total hours of CE do I need to complete?

Producers and Adjusters are required to complete 24 total hours every 2 years.

What courses can I take to satisfy my total hour requirement?

21 of your total hours can be taken for any line of authority. The remaining 3 hours must be approved as Ethics.

Can I take any continuing education course?

Yes, you can take courses in any line of authority.

When is the renewal date for my insurance license?

The renewal date occurs every 2 years on the last day of your birth month. Licensees born in odd-numbered years renew in odd-numbered years, and licensees born in even-numbered years renew in even numbered years.

Do extra hours completed in a previous CE period carry over?

The state of North Carolina allows excess continuing education hours to be carried over into the next renewal period. Excess ethics or flood credits will carry over to the next biennial compliance period as general credits, so ethics and flood credits must be taken every renewal period.

Can I repeat Continuing Education courses for credit?

No, you may not repeat courses for credit in the same renewal period.

Am I exempt from Continuing Education?

The following individuals are exempt from completing CE requirements:

Nonresidents (if licensee meets home state CE requirements)
Only a licensed insurance producer who is unable to comply with CE requirements due to military service or long-term medical disability may request a waiver for continuing education requirements. A long-term medical disability shall be certified on an annual basis by the producer’s attending physician. The Commissioner shall grant an exemption from CE requirements for up to 1 year if the producer submits any of the following:
- Deployment orders from the United States Department of Defense
- A notarized statement from a licensed physician stating the producer is unable to do the work they are licensed to do
A producer who was granted an exemption from CE requirements prior to October 1, 2020 continues to be exempt from CE as long as the producer certifies to the Commissioner that they:
- Are age 65 or older
- Has been licensed continuously for at least 25 years
- Either: (a) hold a CLU, CPCU, ChFC, FLMI, or IIA designation, or (b) certifies to the Commissioner annually that the producer is an inactive agent who neither solicits applications for insurance nor takes part in the day-to-day operation of an insurance agency.

If you believe you qualify for an exemption, contact Prometric at (866) 241-3121.

Life & Health Producer Product-specific Requirements

Prior to selling, soliciting or negotiating the following products, you’re required to complete initial certification training. These training hours can be applied towards the total hours needed to renew your license.

What are the requirements to sell annuities?

Annuity Best Interest

1 hr - Resident and non-resident producers licensed and certified to sell annuity products in North Carolina prior to January 1, 2023 must complete an updated Annuity Best Interest course no later than June 30, 2023. A.D. Banker & Company online courses and live webinars are available in both the 1 and 4-hour formats.

4 hrs - Resident and non-resident producers licensed on or after January 1, 2023, must complete a one-time, 4-Hour Annuity Best Interest Certification Training course before selling, soliciting, or negotiating annuities.

Reciprocity: NAIC Annuity Best Interest completed in any other state reciprocates with the North Carolina requirement.

What are the requirements to sell Long-Term Care Partnership products?

Producers must complete 8 hours of Long-Term Care Partnership (LTCP) Certification Training prior to selling, soliciting, or negotiating LTCP products/policies. After the initial requirement has been met, producers are required to complete 4 hours every 2 years.

Property & Casualty Producers Product-specific Requirements

What are the requirements to sell flood insurance?

All Adjusters, Property/Casualty producers and Personal Lines producers must complete 3-hours of NFIP Flood Insurance Certification Training their first compliance period and then every otehr compliance period thereafter (every 4 years).

2. Register for and Complete Courses

Once you have determined the renewal requirements for your license, you are ready to choose and register for insurance continuing education courses. You may complete your hours through webinars, online courses, or any combination of the two. These options allow you to decide how to best fit your continuing education into your existing schedule.

Each course is listed with an associated credit type. You must select courses that have the appropriate credit types for fulfilling the renewal requirements for your license.

Webinars: Completion is based on attendance and participation. You must be present for the full duration of the course, and you must be active throughout to receive credit. There is no certification exam required.

Online courses: Completion is self-paced. You must review the course material and pass the Certification Exam at the end to receive credit. Certification exams do not require a monitor.

A.D. Banker will report your completed hours to the North Carolina Department of Insurance within 1 business day.

3. File a Renewal Application

In North Carolina, insurance producer licenses with the following lines of authority are perpetual and do not require you to submit a renewal request. Producers must complete the Continuing Education requirement to maintain their license.

Life
Accident & Health or Sickness
Property
Casualty
Personal Lines
Variable Life & Variable Annuity Products
Medicare Supplement/Long-Term Care

For all other licenses, once you have satisfied the renewal requirements for your license, you will need to file a renewal application. The online application will guide you through the renewal process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find my license number?

To find your license number and other additional details relating to your license, use North Carolina’s Check a License service.

How do I print my license?

Your license can be printed online through the North Carolina Department of Insurance’s License Manager Service.

How do I view my Continuing Education (CE) transcript?

Your continuing education transcript can be accessed by making an inquiry through Sircon. Your transcript will show the number of hours you’ve completed.

What do I need to have with me when I’m renewing my license?

When you are ready to renew your license online, you should gather the following items to ensure the smoothest process possible:

The renewal email reminder you received, which will contain:
- Your license number; and
- The 6-digit renewal ID number
A credit card or debit card
Your email address

If you did not receive a renewal notice, you can still complete your online renewal using the last 4 digits of your social security number, your license number, and your date of birth.

How will I know when my license is renewed?

Once you have successfully completed the renewal process, your renewed license can be immediately obtained using the North Carolina’s Print or Download Your License service. Your licensing record will be updated on the North Carolina Department of Insurance's website.

What if my license renewal is late?

Licensees who fail to meet the minimum continuing education hours or the ethics and flood requirements, their license will expire. If your license expires, you have 4 months from the compliance date to meet the requirements and you will have to pay a $75 reinstatement fee.

If the requirements are not met within 4 months, your license will become inactive. Once the license is inactive, you are required to retake prelicensing education and pass the state exam for the license(s) you hold.

For additional information on late renewals, consult the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

A.D. Banker & Company provides licensing information as a courtesy to our students. While reasonable attempts have been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, licensees are ultimately responsible for ensuring that they are in compliance with the requirements set forth by their state licensing entity. A.D. Banker & Company offers no guarantee of the accuracy of this information and will not be held liable in case of noncompliance with the license requirements.