Initial Insurance Producer Licensing Process

In order to protect consumers, there are certain convictions and circumstances that can lead to the denial of an application for licensure.

Our Pre-Licensing Program can help prospective insurance agents with criminal records. It is an optional step in the licensing process that will provide guidance on how your specific circumstances may affect your formal license application without first having to go through the cost and time spent during the pre-licensing education, examination, and application process.

Visit the Visit the Preliminary Insurance License Eligibility Review page for more information and to submit a Pre-Licensing Review Request.

You must first complete 24 hours of pre-licensing education credits.  A listing of approved courses can be obtained by visiting Sircon and following these steps:

• Click on “look-up education courses/credits”
• Select “approved courses inquiry”
• Choose Pennsylvania as your state and then click the “submit” button
• Change the education type to “pre-licensing education”
• Select your preferred instruction method or leave it blank and then click the “submit” button
• By clicking on the provider’s name you will be given contact information and a link to available course offerings for that particular provider.

After you have successfully finished your pre-licensing education course the course provider will issue you a certificate of completion. 

After you have completed the pre-licensing education requirements, register for the appropriate insurance examination. Visit the PID PSI site or call 1-888-818-5822 to schedule your exam.

Once your examination has been scheduled, you must bring a copy of your pre-licensing education certificate of completion and a valid form of identification with you to the testing center.

If you are taking the test remotely via computer, you will be required to show a copy of your certification of completion and valid identification to the exam proctor.

Examples of acceptable identification are a U.S. government-issued document such as a passport, state-issued driver’s license or identification card.  The document must have a current photo, include your signature, and the name on the identification must be the same as the name used to register for the examination.   It is also strongly recommended that you bring a credit card with you (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) since you will be able to apply for your license at the testing center through Sircon or NIPR once you pass your examination. 

Some candidates may be exempt from the pre-licensing education and examination requirement, depending on the type of professional designation held and/or the line of authority desired. The following classes of applicants are  exempt from pre-licensing and written examination requirements:

• A business entity
• A candidate who possesses the Professional Designation CLU-Chartered Life Underwriter applying for Life or Accident and Health Line
• A candidate who has the Professional Designation CPCU-Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter applying for Property, Casualty or Accident and Health Line of Authority
• A candidate who has the Professional Designation CIC-Certified Insurance Counselor applying for Life, Accident and Health or Property and Casualty Line of Authority
• A person who is licensed in another state as a resident Insurance Producer for the same lines of authority for which the person desires to be licensed in Pennsylvania
• A person who has a line of authority limited to Limited Line Credit Insurance
• A person who has a line of authority limited to a Limited Line
• An individual whose line of authority will be restricted to domestic mutual fire insurance and will be with a company writing only coverage other than insurance upon automobiles as authorized by Section 202(B)(1) through (3) of the Act of May 17, 1921, known as the Insurance Company Law of 1921
• An individual whose line of authority as an Insurance Producer will be restricted Fraternal pursuant to Section 609 of the Act of December 14, 1992, known as the Fraternal Benefit Societies Code
• An individual adding a line of authority to an existing producer license

Once you have passed your examination, you are now eligible to apply for your producer license. You can submit a license application online through Sircon or NIPR  immediately after passing the exam. The initial licensing application fees are:

• Individual Insurance Producer - Pennsylvania Resident - $55
• Individual Insurance Producer - Non-Pennsylvania Resident - $110
• Business Entity Insurance Producer - Pennsylvania Resident - $55
• Business Entity Insurance Producer - Non-Pennsylvania Resident - $110

Business Entity Licensing Information
     There are different requirements below for being licensed as a resident or a non-resident business entity:  

• All resident business entities must obtain name approval from the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and then register with the Pennsylvania Department of State.  Visit the Get Name Approval section on the Update Your License page for more information. 
• For Non-Resident Business Entities, the business entity name will be reviewed upon application submission.  Registration with the Pennsylvania Department of State may be required.  Instructions will be sent upon issuance of the license. 

Fingerprinting is required for all applicants of a new resident producer license and must be done at an IdentoGO enrollment center. The Insurance Department uses this information to receive national criminal history background information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

• Register online via the IdentoGO website or by telephone at 844-321-2101
• Be sure to use the service code for the Insurance Department: 1KGBGJ.
• Following registration, you will be provided with a registration number. You MUST take this with you when you go to the IdentoGO site for fingerprinting.
• Payment for the fingerprinting fee is made at the IdentoGO center after the applicant’s fingerprints have been submitted.   Credit card, debit card, certified check, or money order are the only payment methods accepted. No cash transactions or personal checks will be accepted.

Important - Do not register for a fingerprinting appointment and submit fingerprints until after you have passed any examination requirements and applied for licensure.  Any fingerprint results received without a corresponding license application will not be accepted, and individuals will be required to resubmit their fingerprints and repay the fingerprinting fee.

Fingerprinting Exemption
Fingerprinting is not required for the following applicants:

• Non-resident insurance producer and limited line producer applicants applying under reciprocity provisions of Act 147 of 2002
• Resident producer applicants adding a line of authority to their existing resident producer license
• Motor vehicle physical damage appraiser applicants
• Surplus lines applicants
• Viatical settlement broker applicants

You may view the status of your license application using the Producer Application Status Lookup Tool.

Once your license has been issued, you may print your license.  Please be advised that the Department no longer mails licenses.  Visit the Print Your Existing Pennsylvania Insurance License.