How to get a California life & health license
Requirements, exam, fees and the order to do things in — from the California Department of Insurance and the exam handbook.
Step by step
- Complete pre-licensing education — 12 hours from a California-approved provider.
- Schedule and pass the state exam with PSI ($55). Read the candidate handbook.
- Get fingerprinted if required — Required: Live Scan via Capital Live Scan, total $74 ($17 FBI + $32 DOJ + $25 vendor).
- Apply for the license through NIPR or the California Department of Insurance ($188).
- Get appointed by an insurance company (agents) and keep up with continuing education — 24 hours per renewal (license term: 2 years).
Pre-licensing & exam prep courses
- Kaplan Financial Education — state-approved pre-licensing and exam prep, the long-running market leader
- ExamFX — pre-licensing and exam prep with a pass guarantee
- AceableAgent — mobile-first pre-licensing courses
- XCEL Solutions — low-cost online pre-licensing and exam prep
Pick a course approved in California. Some links may be affiliate links.
California Life & Health requirements
| Life-Only Agent | Accident & Health or Sickness Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-licensing education | 12 hours | 12 hours |
| Exam vendor | PSI | PSI |
| Exam fee | $55 | $55 |
| Questions / time | 75 · 105 min | 75 · 105 min |
| License application fee | $188 | $188 |
| Fingerprints | Required: Live Scan via Capital Live Scan, total $74 ($17 FBI + $32 DOJ + $25 vendor) | Required: Live Scan via Capital Live Scan, total $74 ($17 FBI + $32 DOJ + $25 vendor) |
| Continuing education | 24 hours · 2 years | 24 hours · 2 years |
Life-Only Agent: Only the 12-hour Ethics & CA Insurance Code course is now required (must be done before license issue, not before exam); the former 20-h per-line pre-licensing course is no longer listed in the March 2026 bulletin. Exam fee $55 at CDI test site; $98 at PSI sites (includes $43 PSI convenience fee). Pass 60%. Change from the long-standing 20h/line + 12h ethics (52h total) rule — re-verify on insurance.ca.gov before relying.
Accident & Health or Sickness Agent: Separate line in CA. Combined Life/A&H exam: 150 Q, 195 min. Exam fee $55 at CDI test site; $98 at PSI sites (includes $43 PSI convenience fee). Pass 60%. Change from the long-standing 20h/line + 12h ethics (52h total) rule — re-verify on insurance.ca.gov before relying.
Minimum age 18. Sources: PSI/CDI Candidate Information Bulletin (rev. Mar 2026) · CDI Exam times and number of questions · CDI Licensing Fees · PSI CA DOI test listing (fees). Checked 2026-10. Values marked verify haven't been confirmed against an official source yet.
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Life & Health license rules across the US
Other California licenses
Property & Casualty license · Adjuster license · All California insurance licenses
Questions
How long does it take to get a life and health insurance license in California?
The 12 hours of pre-licensing take most people 1–3 weeks. After you pass, license approval usually takes a few days to a few weeks after fingerprints clear.
How much does a California Life & Health license cost?
State fees (exam + application) come to about $486, plus fingerprints and a course if you take one.
Who runs the California insurance exam?
PSI. Book the exam on the vendor's site after reading the candidate handbook.