How to get a Tennessee life & health license
Requirements, exam, fees and the order to do things in — from the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance and the exam handbook.
Step by step
- Study for the exam — Tennessee 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 ($55). Read the candidate handbook.
- Get fingerprinted if required — Required after passing exam (IdentoGO); cost not published.
- Apply for the license through NIPR or the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance ($50).
- Get appointed by an insurance company (agents) and keep up with continuing education — 24 per 2 years incl. 3 ethics 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 Tennessee (optional here, but it lifts pass rates). Some links may be affiliate links.
Tennessee Life & Health requirements
| Life | Accident & Health | |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-licensing education | None required | None required |
| Exam vendor | Pearson VUE | Pearson VUE |
| Exam fee | $55 | $55 |
| Questions / time | 77 (50+5 general, 18+4 state; unverified sum) · 105 min | 105 min |
| License application fee | $50 | $50 |
| Fingerprints | Required after passing exam (IdentoGO); cost not published verify | Required after passing exam (IdentoGO); cost not published verify |
| Continuing education | 24 per 2 years incl. 3 ethics hours · 2 years | 24 per 2 years incl. 3 ethics hours · 2 years |
Life: TN DCI 'with exams' procedure lists pre-licensing only for Title (30 hrs); older Rule 0780-01-56 listed 20 hrs/line – treat as not required. OnVUE Life+A&H combo $80.
Accident & Health: Separate A&H exam.
Minimum age 18. Sources: Pearson VUE Tennessee Insurance Candidate Handbook (#124300, 10/2025) · NIPR – Tennessee resident individual requirements · TN DCI – Producer licensing with exams. 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 Tennessee licenses
Property & Casualty license · Adjuster license · All Tennessee insurance licenses
Questions
How long does it take to get a life and health insurance license in Tennessee?
Tennessee 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 Tennessee Life & Health license cost?
State fees (exam + application) come to about $210, plus fingerprints and a course if you take one.
Who runs the Tennessee insurance exam?
Pearson VUE. Book the exam on the vendor's site after reading the candidate handbook.