How to get a Massachusetts life & health license
Requirements, exam, fees and the order to do things in — from the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and the exam handbook.
Step by step
- Study for the exam — Massachusetts doesn't require a pre-licensing course for this license, but most first-time candidates take an exam-prep course.
- Schedule and pass the state exam with Pearson VUE ($37). Read the candidate handbook.
- Get fingerprinted if required — Not required for producers.
- Apply for the license through NIPR or the Massachusetts Division of Insurance ($225).
- Get appointed by an insurance company (agents) and keep up with continuing education — 60 hrs before first renewal, then 45 per 3-year cycle, incl. 3 ethics hours per renewal (license term: 3 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 Massachusetts (optional here, but it lifts pass rates). Some links may be affiliate links.
Massachusetts Life & Health requirements
| Life | Accident & Health | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-licensing education | None required | None required |
| Exam vendor | Pearson VUE | Pearson VUE |
| Exam fee | $37 | $37 |
| Questions / time | 55 (50 scored + 5 pretest) general portion + state portion | — |
| License application fee | $225 | $225 |
| Fingerprints | Not required for producers verify | Not required for producers verify |
| Continuing education | 60 hrs before first renewal, then 45 per 3-year cycle, incl. 3 ethics hours · 3 years | 60 hrs before first renewal, then 45 per 3-year cycle, incl. 3 ethics hours · 3 years |
Life: Pearson VUE replaced Prometric July 22 2026 (handbook June 2026); in-person testing only. No pre-licensing requirement (third-party; unverified on mass.gov, which blocked fetch).
Accident & Health: Separate A&H exam.
Minimum age 18. Sources: Pearson VUE Massachusetts DOI Candidate Handbook (June 2026) · Pearson VUE – Massachusetts Insurance · NIPR – Massachusetts resident individual requirements · Mass.gov – CE information for producers. 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 Massachusetts licenses
Property & Casualty license · Adjuster license · All Massachusetts insurance licenses
Questions
How long does it take to get a life and health insurance license in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has no required pre-licensing hours, so many candidates sit the exam within 1–3 weeks of studying. After you pass, license approval usually takes a few days to a few weeks after fingerprints clear.
How much does a Massachusetts Life & Health license cost?
State fees (exam + application) come to about $524, plus fingerprints and a course if you take one.
Who runs the Massachusetts insurance exam?
Pearson VUE. Book the exam on the vendor's site after reading the candidate handbook.