How to get a Pennsylvania life insurance license

What is a Pennsylvania life insurance license?

Pennsylvania licenses producers by line of authority, and Life is defined in state law as insurance coverage on human lives, including the benefits of endowment and annuities. The department lists Life Insurance and Annuities as one license and a separate Accident and Health license, plus a combined option. If you only plan to sell life insurance, Life Insurance and Annuities is the line to take.

To apply as a resident you must be at least 18 and have your principal place of residence or business in Pennsylvania. We could not confirm citizenship or Social Security number rules on a fetched state page, so ask the department if either could be an issue for you. If you have a criminal record or a past regulatory action, read the licensing law (Act 147 of 2002) and ask the department how it applies before you spend money on an exam.

Do you need a pre-licensing course in Pennsylvania?

Not anymore. Act 142 of 2024 removed the 24-hour pre-examination education requirement, and the act says it takes effect 180 days after it was signed on October 31, 2024. That puts the change at April 29, 2025. A prep course is still a study choice, and many people buy one, but it is no longer a state step.

How do you get a Pennsylvania life insurance license?

1. Schedule and pay for the PSI Life Insurance exam, series 16-01, on the PSI Pennsylvania site or by calling PSI at 1-888-818-5822. Bring a government photo ID whose signature matches your registration name.
2. Take and pass the exam. The state regulation says test scores are valid for one year from the passing date, and applications with older results are rejected.
3. Apply for your license at the kiosk at the PSI test site, or from your own computer, through Sircon or NIPR. The department says you can apply immediately after passing, and you must submit within one year of passing.
4. Register with IdentoGO and get your fingerprints taken. The department warns applicants not to register for a fingerprint appointment until after they have passed any exam requirement and applied for licensure.
5. Wait for the department to review the file and issue the license. Passing the exam does not guarantee a license, which depends on review of all the application materials.

What does the exam cover, and what does it cost?

PSI lists the Life Insurance exam at 120 minutes with a $45 fee, and the candidate bulletin says you need a minimum score of 70 percent. It adds that a small number, 5 to 10, of unscored experimental questions may be included on top of the scored items. The exam content is specific to Pennsylvania law and general principles of insurance. PSI's scheduling site lists Spanish and Chinese versions of the Life exam in addition to English. We did not verify the number of scored questions, and the content outline is a separate PDF linked from the bulletin, so read it before you register.

Exam fees are not refundable or transferable. PSI says you need two business days' notice to reschedule without penalty and that you must arrive at least 30 minutes before your appointment. Pennsylvania does not set a retake limit on the pages we reviewed, and each new reservation carries a new fee.

The exam and the resident license fee add up to $100 before fingerprinting and any prep course. The department says you pay the fingerprint fee at the IdentoGO center by card, certified check or money order, and the page does not state the amount. The fee schedule lists the $15 appointment fee but does not say who pays it, and in practice the insurer files the appointment.

Who is exempt from the exam or fingerprints?

Pennsylvania offers a few paths. The 2002 licensing statute exempts holders of certain designations, including the CLU, CPCU and CIC, from the exam itself, so ask the department whether that still applies to you. Someone who moves to Pennsylvania with a letter of clearance from the prior state applies within 90 days to waive the exam, according to the department. Fingerprints are not required for nonresidents applying under reciprocity, and not for a resident adding a line to an existing license. Temporary licenses exist, but only for narrow cases such as a deceased or disabled licensee's spouse or representative, and for no more than 180 days. They are not a way for a new applicant to start early.

What does continuing education look like in Pennsylvania?

The department requires a minimum of 24 credit hours of continuing education (CE) every two-year license cycle. Act 142 says at least 3 of the 24 hours must be on ethics, and a new licensee must meet the ethics hours by the end of the first license period. You can carry forward up to 24 excess hours to the next period. Licenses renew on the last day of your birth month, and the department notifies you about 90 days before expiry.

The costs of slipping are specific. Failing to complete CE is treated as a voluntary termination of the license under the department's regulation. The department reports a $55 renewal and a $165 lapsed renewal. If you renew within 60 days of expiration, reinstatement is retroactive, between 60 days and one year it takes effect going forward, and after a year you must reapply. Our continuing education guide compares the rules in several states.

Can you sell in Pennsylvania if you live in another state?

Yes, with a nonresident license. The department lists $110 for the initial nonresident license and $110 to renew it, and nonresidents applying under reciprocity skip fingerprinting. Your Texas or Georgia license, for example, can be the home license behind that application, and our general license guide explains how a second state works.

A license is not an appointment. The candidate bulletin says you may not engage in the business of insurance until the department has issued a license, and the licensee may then secure appointments with specific insurers. Insurers report appointments to the department. Our carrier contracting guide explains the step. The bulletin also notes that variable life and variable annuity have no state exam and require FINRA registration, which our agent versus financial advisor guide explains.

How Checkmate fits

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