If you would like to sell insurance as an insurance producer in California, you must pass a licensing exam. To prepare for the licensing exam, you must take a state-approved insurance course. View Courses
In California, 12 hours of Ethics & Code must also be completed for the following lines of insurance:
20 hours - Life Only Agent
20 hours - Accident & Health Agent
40 hours - Life, Accident and Health Agent
40 hours - Property/Casualty Broker-Agent
20 hours - Personal Lines Broker-Agent
20 hours - Limited Line Automobile Agent
Upon the completion of the prelicensing course, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion to submit to the California Department of Insurance with the license application (certificate is valid for 3 years).
2. Get Fingerprinted
Fingerprint impressions are required for all unlicensed applicants. This requirement can be met either before the exam or at the exam site on the day of the exam. For complete details and requirements visit the California Department of Insurance website.
3. Pass a Licensing Exam
Making Exam Reservations
An exam fee must be paid at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, voucher, or electronic check. You can make a reservation through the following methods:
Fax completed California Registration Form to (702) 932-2666 and call PSI after 4 business days.
Mail completed California Registration Form and appropriate exam fee to PSI Services LLC * ATTN: Examination Registration CA INS * 3210 E Tropicana * Las Vegas, NV * 89121. After 2 weeks, call PSI to schedule the exam at (800) 733-9267.
Exam Locations
18 PSI locations with a convenience charge (in addition to exam fee) when going to a PSI site (free parking)
1 California Department of Insurance location (Los Angeles) with no convenience charge
You may also test at any of PSI’s other exam sites, outside of California
What to Bring
One valid form of government-issued identification (driver’s license, California identification card, passport, passport card, military ID) that has your signature and photograph. The identification provided must match the name given during registration.
If you cannot provide the required identification, you must call (800) 733-9267 at least three weeks prior to your scheduled appointment to arrange a way to meet this security requirement.
Exam Procedures
Report to the test center 30 minutes before the exam to sign in and verify identification.
No talking or any other form of communication among candidates is permitted in the exam area.
Children, cell phones, calculators, pagers, cameras, programmable electronic devices and recording devices of any kind are NOT allowed.
No smoking, eating, or drinking will be allowed at the exam site.
Dictionaries, books, papers, or study and reference materials are NOT permitted.
You may not exit the building during the exam.
Copying or communicating exam content is a violation of PSI security policy and Section 1681.5 of the CIC. Either may result in the disqualification of exam results and lead to legal action and prosecution.
PSI exam sites have additional procedures:
You will have your picture taken prior to admittance into the exam.
You may not wear a jacket, coat, or any type of hooded clothing into the exam room. Sweaters that do not have pockets are allowed.
You may not bring a purse or backpack into the exam room.
You will be asked to put these items in your vehicle. PSI only provides accordion-type folders for any items. These folders are left in the lobby and PSI is not responsible for the security of those items.
You may not wear a wristwatch into the exam room and you will be asked to empty your pockets.
Exam Format
Each major line exam is given in a multiple-choice format.
The exam consists of two parts:
The general section deals with basic insurance product knowledge
The state section deals with insurance laws, rules, and regulations, and practices that are unique to California
Each exam contains “pretest” questions that are mixed in with the scored questions and are not identified. Pretest questions may not be covered in your educational materials and do not affect your final score!
The passing score required on each exam is 60%.
When you complete the exam, you will receive a score report marked “pass or fail”.
If you pass, you will immediately receive a successful notification and performance summary on a California Department of Insurance exam results letter.
If you do not pass, you will immediately receive an unsuccessful California Department of Insurance exam results letter along with a diagnostic report indicating your strengths and weaknesses by exam portion. Candidates who do not pass can schedule the exam again with no waiting period.
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