License Requirements

How to Get a New York Insurance License

Updated: April 11, 2023

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On this page, you'll find a comprehensive guide for getting your insurance agent license and the state requirements. We'll walk you through the process, and we'll be here to answer any questions you have along the way.

The New York Department of Financial Services (DFS) requires each person selling insurance in the state to hold an insurance license. You will choose which line of authority you want to be licensed in: health insurance, life insurance, property and casualty insurance, or any combination of those lines.

Once you know which license you need, you're ready to begin. In New York, there are 4 steps to getting your insurance license.

1. Complete a Prelicensing Course

The first step is to complete a prelicensing education course. A.D. Banker offers prelicensing courses that will prepare you to successfully pass the state exam on your first attempt. We offer online courses that can be supplemented with webinars or learning tools like flashcards and study manuals.

Get Started on your Prelicensing Training Course

New York requires potential agents to complete a certain number of hours of prelicensing education for each line of authority before attempting the state exam. The specific education requirements are as follows:

20 hours* – Life Agent
20 hours* – Accident and Health Agent
40 hours* – Life/Accident and Health Agent
40 hours* – Personal Lines Agent
90 hours* – Property and Casualty Agent
40 hours* – Public Adjuster

*If applying for a Broker license, you may submit a Statement of Employer form to the Department in lieu of completing a prelicensing course.

After completing your course content, you will need to pass a Certification Exam. This demonstrates completion of the prelicensing requirement. The Certification Exam is not monitored.

After passing the Certification Exam with a 70% or greater, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. Keep this certificate – you will submit it to the New York Department of Financial Services along with your license application. This certificate is good for a lifetime.

2. Pass a Licensing Exam

After you finish your prelicensing course, you are now ready to take the state licensing exam. You must score 70% or higher to pass your state licensing exam. There is an additional fee if you retake the exam, so it is important to pass the test on the first try.

3. Apply for License

After passing the exam, you are ready to apply for your license. Applications must be received within 2 years from the date of passing the exam. The status of your submitted license can be checked at any time with the New York Department of Financial Services. Once the application is approved, you will receive a link to print or download your license.

4. Plan for Continuing Education

Continuing education (CE) is required for all resident insurance agents to renew their license each licensing period. The hourly requirement depends on how many lines of authority you have. Agents and adjusters licensed in a single line of insurance are generally 15 hours of education every 2 years, including 3 hours of ethics training. Those with combined licenses, such as Life and Health or Property and Casualty, must complete 30 total hours every 2 years. If you wish to sell annuities or long-term care insurance, there are additional requirements. You can find more information about license renewals on the Continuing Education Requirements page.

Nonresident license holders are currently required to adhere to their home state's continuing education requirements.

It's important to stay on top of changes to New York insurance statutes and continuing education requirements, which can be found on the DFS website.

New York Licensing Exam FAQ

Am I exempt from the exam?

There are cases in which you may be exempt from taking the state exam. Keep in mind, you may still be required to complete the prelicensing education requirement even if you qualify for an exam exemption. The state exam requirement may be waived in the following scenarios:

You are applying to be a travel accident or baggage agent
You are applying for a broker license and you are a currently licensed agent
You are applying for a consultant license and you are a currently licensed agent in the same line of authority
You are applying for a consultant license and have passed an exam given by the American College, the American College of Property and Liability Underwriters, the Society of Actuaries, the Casual Actuarial Society, or the American Academy of Actuaries
You are applying for a life settlement broker license and have been licensed as an agent or broker for at least one year

Am I exempt from prelicensing?

Certain individuals may qualify for an exemption from prelicensing requirements. The requirements may be waived in the following scenarios:

You are applying for a personal lines or property and casualty agent/broker license and have a CPCU designation.
You are applying for a life agent or Life Settlement broker license and you hold a CLU or CLUA designation.
You are applying for a life broker license and you hold a ChFC, CLU, or MSFS designation
You are applying for a insurance broker license and have been regularly employed by a New York licensed insurance company for at least 1 year during the 3 years preceding your application. Your duties must be reasonably related to underwriting or adjusting losses for the type of license for which you are applying. This requires you to submit a Statement of Employer form to the Department.
You are applying for a life settlement broker license and have been employed by a life settlement provider, life insurance company, or an insurance producer for at least 1 year during the 3 years preceding your application. Your duties must have been relating to the use of life insurance and annuity contracts, administration of estate conservation and distribution, and settlement of life insurance and annuity contracts. This requires you to submit a Statement of Employer form to the Department.
You are applying for a Life Consultant license and hold a CLU, FAS, or ASA designation.
You are applying for a public adjuster license and you have been employed in the insurance business for at least 1 year in sales, underwriting, or other relevant experience.
You are applying for a title agent license and you are a licensed attorney in New York.

Where can I take the state exam?

Remote exams are available to ensure accessibility and safety. These exams require you to have a computer or laptop that is compatible with the PSI Bridge remote testing platform. If you do not have a compatible computer, you must schedule an in-person exam.

Exams may also be taken in-person at a PSI testing site or at one of the examination centers in New York. Exams taken at a PSI location may include an additional provider fee.

How do I schedule my state exam?

Every insurance licensing exam is accompanied by an exam fee that must be paid at the time of reservation by a credit or debit card, voucher, or electronic check. You can schedule your state exam through PSI.

How should I prepare for my remote state exam?

Before scheduling your remote licensing exam, test the compatibility of your computer, webcam, and microphone. PSI Bridge requires a Google Chrome Browser. Exams must be scheduled at least two days in advance, and you are allowed to cancel or reschedule your exam up to 48 hours before your reservation time.

Next, download PSI Bridge. Please note that the download can take up to 30 minutes, so we recommend you do this before the day of your test to prevent any last-minute technical problems.

Login to the testing platform 30 minutes before your exam reservation time. A state or government ID is required to be presented to verify your identity. For remote exams, a military ID is not accepted as a valid form of identification.

Your remote test requires you to be alone in a private room for the duration of the exam. The surface you have your computer on must be clear of all objects. You cannot have a phone, headphones, or a wristwatch on while you are taking the exam. Food and drink are also prohibited.

All exams are monitored by a third-party to ensure all testing requirements are followed. The monitors are able to answer questions that do not pertain to the content of the exam via live chat.

If you experience any technical issues while downloading PSI Bridge or during your exam, you can call PSI's Technical Support at (844) 267-1017.

How should I prepare for my in-person state exam?

Report to the testing center 30 minutes before your exam time for the check-in process. You will be required to present a valid government ID. If you arrive late, you will not be admitted to the test center and will forfeit the exam fee.

No personal items are allowed to be taken into the testing center. All personal items, including bags and wallets, will have to remain in your vehicle or be checked into provided storage space. Cell phones, calculators, electronic devices, and wrist watches are not allowed into the testing center. Food and drink are also prohibited. You must stay in the testing center for the duration of the exam. No breaks are allowed.

If you have any questions about the exam process, testing locations, or security measures, please contact PSI or the New York Department of Financial Services.

New York Department of Financial Services	Testing Provider (PSI)
(518) 474-6630	(855) 579-4637

What is the format of the state exam?

All licensing exams are taken on a computer and are multiple choice. The exam 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 New York. A good prelicensing training course will feature practice exams that simulate the format of the state exams, so you should know exactly what to expect on the actual state licensing exam.

Get Started on your Prelicensing Training Course

How long is the state exam?

Depending on which line of insurance you are testing on, the amount of time and number of questions on the exam vary. Exams will last 1 to 2.5 hours and can have 50 to 150 questions.

Life Insurance Agent/Broker exam (Series 17-51) is 2 hours with 100 questions
Accident and Health Insurance Agent/Broker exam (Series 17-52) is 2 hours with 100 questions
Life, Accident and Health Insurance Agent/Broker exam (Series 17-55) is 2 hours and 30 minutes with 150 questions
Life, Accident and Health Insurance Laws and Regulations exam (Series 17-73) is 1 hour with 50 questions
Property and Casualty Insurance Agent/Broker exam (Series 17-56) is 2 hours and 30 minutes with 150 questions
Property and Casualty Insurance Laws and Regulations exam (Series 17-74) is 1 hour with 50 questions
Personal Lines Insurance Agent/Broker exam (Series 17-54) is 2 hours with 100 questions
Public Adjuster exam (Series 17-62) is 1 hour with 60 questions
Independent General Adjuster exam (Series 17-70) is 2 hours with 100 questions

What score do I need to pass my state exam?

For all insurance exams, you need a score of 70% or higher to pass. Immediately after your exam, you will receive a pass or fail notification.

What happens if I fail my state exam?

You will receive a diagnostic report indicating your strengths and weaknesses on the exam. You can send up a copy of your score report to curriculum@adbanker.com for our team to review and respond with personalized feedback.

You are not able to schedule a new exam on the same day you took the exam. This is due to processing and reporting results. You can schedule a new exam the day after your exam attempt. If you would like more detailed information, or if you have any questions about the exam process, please visit PSI's website.