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How to Keep Your Insurance License Active in California 2025

Posted on 10.14.21

It’s critical to keep your California insurance license active. After all, you’ve spent a considerable amount of time and money to study for and pass the license exam. Even if you are not currently employed in the insurance industry, it’s best to preserve that investment and keep your ability to sell insurance active. Plus, it’s simple. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know for 2025.

As a leading provider of California insurance CE courses, BetterCE is here to guide agents through these 2025 updates to ensure compliance and success

Keeping your California insurance license active requires only two steps every two years: completing the required continuing education and submitting the renewal application.

First Step: Complete Your Continuing Education Requirements

Your Continuing Education (CE) must be done every two years prior to your expiration date to be eligible to renew your California insurance license. This applies to all major lines licenses: life, property, casualty, accident and health, and personal lines. Of those 24 credits required, 21 must be done in topics approved for at least one of your license types. The 3 remaining credits must be approved for ethics training.

California CE requirements are “License Type-Specific”. CE must be completed in topics approved for your particular line of licensing. So, if you are licensed in life insurance, 21 of the credits you take need to be approved for the topic of life insurance. If you hold more than 1 line of licenses (life and property, for example) you only need to complete 24 credits total, but 21 credits of the courses you take must be approved for at least one of the lines of license you hold (the other 3 need to be in ethics).

What’s New in 2025? | California Insurance CE

Starting in 2025, there are significant new training requirements for California life insurance agents. You can read about these changes in our article Comprehensive Guide to California Life Insurance Agent Training Changes in 2025, but a summary is provided below.

These apply to both resident and non-resident agents who offer certain products in California.

4-Hour Life Insurance Training: This applies to agents who obtained their licenses after January 1, 2024, and are involved in selling non-term life insurance policies that include cash value. The training focuses on understanding product features, following compliance rules, and practicing ethical sales. Agents licensed before January 1, 2024, do not have to take this course unless they begin selling these products.
2-Hour Variable Life Insurance Training: Agents who sell variable life insurance products need to complete a 2-hour training course before every license renewal starting in 2025. This course covers the unique aspects of variable life products, including regulatory and investment-related topics.
Updated Annuity Training: A revised 8-hour course introduces “Best Interest” standards, which require agents to prioritize the needs of their clients when making recommendations. Agents licensed before 2025 must complete this by July 1, 2025. Agents licensed after 2025 must complete it before selling annuities. Additionally, a 4-hour renewal course is required for annuity agents renewing their licenses after completing the updated 8-hour training.

Specialized Training CE Requirements for Certain Products in CA

There are special training requirements that need to be done if you sell certain products. Property and casualty agents who sell flood insurance need to complete a one-time, three-hour course on the National Flood Insurance Program. Agents who sell homeowners insurance must take a one-time homeowners insurance valuation course prior to estimating replacement value or explaining levels of coverage. Agents who sell long-term care products have a similar requirement: they must complete an initial eight-hour training course.

Flood Insurance: A one-time, 3-hour course.
Homeowners Insurance: A course on valuation is required before discussing coverage options.
Long-Term Care Products: If you have been licensed for less than four years, you need 8 hours annually. If you have been licensed for four years or more, you need 8 hours every two years.

Exemptions — Experience and Age

If you’re age 70 or older and have been licensed for 30 consecutive years or more without any disciplinary action, you’re exempt from CE requirements The only caveat is that if you’re selling annuities or long-term care products, you still need to meet those training requirements.

Carry Over Credits

Finally, if you collect more CE credits than you need for your renewal, any excess credits can be carried over to the next renewal period. Any excess credits for ethics or special training courses will carry over as general credits only.

Second Step: Submit Your Renewal Application Prior to Expiration

All this needs to happen prior to your renewal date, which is the last day of the month of your original license date. Renewing your California insurance license is easy. The renewal application can be filed any time you are within 90 days of your license expiration date.

There are two online renewal options: the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) or Sircon. You can also file a paper application through the California Department of Insurance.

The renewal fee is $188 per line of authority held. In addition, NIPR and SIRCON both charge a processing fee of $5.60.

You can start the renewal process up to 90 days before your expiration date. While it might be tempting to wait until the last minute to complete your CE, doing so is risky. Delays can lead to penalties, late fees, or even a lapse in your license.

Now is the Time to Start Your California Insurance Continuing Education

Since you have two years to accumulate your 24 hours of continuing education there’s no real reason to hurry. Right? Wrong!

Don’t wait until the last minute to get started and run the risk of penalties and late fees – or even worse – starting the licensing process from scratch.

The good news is that we’ve got you covered with all the courses you need in the format that best fits your available time and your preferred learning style. You can find the full listing at California Insurance Continuing Education Course Catalog.

We offer complete compliance packages to make course selection super easy. You can select all the courses you need with one click. We also offer individual courses so that you can pick and choose the type of training that best meets your learning needs.

Traditional Online Text-Based Courses

The training is self-paced and delivered to your computer, tablet, and smartphone. The quizzes and exams are scored instantly, and you can take them as many times as necessary to pass. Plus, you can return to the training whenever it is convenient. The course progress bar tells you exactly where you left off.

Webinar CE Courses

If exams aren’t your thing, we also offer webinars that are totally exam-free. You can find the current listing of approved webinars on our California Webinar Catalog.

Plus, you also have the option of blending your learning through a combination of webinars and online courses.

If you’re not sure which format fits, we’ve provided a comprehensive review of the differences between webinar courses and traditional online text-based courses.

Same Day Completion Reporting

Note that your continuing education course credits will be reported directly to the California Insurance Department on the same day you complete the training. So, if you’re in a rush to complete your continuing education, we’ve got you covered.

How to Keep Your California Insurance License Active Summary

That may seem like a lot to sift through, but we’re certain that everything you need to keep your license active is easily accessible through our website. If not, simply call our office and we’ll happily assist you. Here’s a quick summary to get you started on the path to renewal.

Determine your license expiration date.
Determine your continuing education requirements.
Select and enroll in courses or webinars well in advance of your expiration date.
Complete your courses – we submit your credits to the Department of Insurance the same day as you complete them.
Renew your license. We’ll direct you through the entire process.

If you’re near your renewal date, there’s no time to be lost. Sign up now for the most trusted and convenient solution for keeping your California insurance license active with the new 2025 requirements.

We’re Here to Help you for California Insurance License

At BetterCE we provide more than the most convenient and affordable solution for insurance continuing education. Our agent support services are provided by experienced insurance licensing professionals who have helped thousands of agents easily navigate the insurance license renewal process.

Have a question or need assistance? Phone 1-888-501-7330 for our customer care team. We also respond to email as well as via our Contact Form. On our contact page, you can also sign up for convenient licensure renewal reminders.

BULLETIN; NEW REQUIREMENT FOR CALIFORNIA INSURANCE AGENTS – LICENSE NUMBER REQUIRED IN EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS

Note: This article is updated with 2025 changes.

Differences Between Webinar Courses and Traditional Online Text-Based Courses?

Posted on 09.23.21

There are two primary methods of satisfying your continuing education requirement: online text-based courses and webinar courses. Each has its own distinct advantages, and at least one will fit your available time and learning approach to a tee.

What Is an Online Text-Based Course?

With an online text-based course, you’re presented with course materials like a textbook, but much more interactive. The training is self-paced and delivered to your computer, tablet, and smartphone. You can select the courses you need, enroll, and start courses at any time.

You’ll review the course materials and complete chapter quizzes along with a final exam for each course. During the course, you can return to the training whenever it is convenient for your schedule. The course progress bar tells you exactly where you left off.

The course quizzes and exams are scored instantly. Plus, you can take them as many times as necessary to pass. In many states, text-based courses require students to have a monitor (technically, called a “disinterested 3rd Party“) present when taking final exams. The monitor is required to attest that the student didn’t cheat on the exam.

Upon passing each class, a certificate is generated and available for printing or downloading. BetterCE reports credits earned to the state department of insurance on the same day that each course is completed.

The main advantages of online text-based courses are:

Enroll and start courses at any time.
Available at any time — day or night.
Complete at your own pace.

What Is a Webinar Course?

Webinar courses are like traditional classroom courses. They are instructor-led and delivered live in real-time using video conferencing.

You’ll need to be present on the webinar throughout the class to earn continuing education credits. Attendance is confirmed by requiring students to check in at random times throughout the webinar.

Students are not seen in video conferences, but they can interact and ask questions. Like online text-based courses, webinars can be taken on any computer, smartphone, or tablet with an Internet connection.

Certificates of course completion are generated shortly after course completion. Credits are reported to the department of insurance on the same day as completion.

Since webinars are live video conferences, they are offered at set times. They must be scheduled and attended on the dates and times offered.

The main advantages of insurance CE webinars are:

No required reading materials.
No quizzes or final exams.
No final exam monitor requirements.

Benefits of Both Types of Continuing Education

While each type of course has its own distinct advantages, they both bring continuing education to you, wherever you are, via the Internet. Both are state-approved for continuing education credits and are reported the same day they are earned. Plus, they both offer the highest levels of licensing and compliance support available.

Note, too, that you have the option of combining your learning through webinar courses and online courses.

We offer online text-based courses in 28 states. We offer webinars in 18 states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin.

Now Is the Time to Start Your Continuing Education

The good news is that we’ve got you covered with all the courses you need in the format that best fits your available time and your preferred learning style, whether that’s online text-based courses or webinars.

We offer complete compliance packages to make course selection super easy. We also offer individual courses so that you can pick and choose the type of training that best meets your learning needs.

Start today with Better CE. Select all the courses you need with one click on our Course Catalog Page!

At BetterCE, we provide more than the most convenient and affordable solution for insurance continuing education. Our agent support services are provided by experienced insurance licensing professionals who have helped thousands of agents easily navigate the insurance license renewal process.

Have a question or need assistance? Phone 1-888-501-7330 for our customer care team. We also respond to email as well as via our Contact Form. You can also sign up for convenient license renewal reminders on our contact page.

How to Keep Your Insurance License Active in Georgia

Posted on 09.06.21

As a licensed insurance agent, you dedicated significant time and money earning your Georgia insurance license. You spent 20-40 hours taking the required classes alone, not even including the additional hours learning and studying the material to prepare for the exam. All that effort was followed by having to pay the fee for the exam, passing the exam, and then having to pay for and undergo a fingerprint background check. Lastly, you had to complete the license application and pay the required fees.

Given all that, there’s no way you should risk having your license lapse or terminated. Even if you are not actively working as an agent, the cost and simplicity of keeping your license active are miniscule compared to what was required to become licensed.

Keeping your Georgia insurance license active is easy. It requires 2 steps every 2 years.

Step 1: Complete Your CE Requirements

Step 2: Submit Your Renewal Application Prior to Expiration Date

STEP 1: Complete Your CE Requirements

Your Continuing Education (“CE”) must be done every 2 years prior to your expiration date to be eligible to renew your Georgia insurance license. Your license expiration date is the last day of your birthday month, every 2 years, and the expiration year is determined by the date you were originally licensed. This information is listed on your license.

If you don’t have your license handy, you can access everything you need to manage your license from the BetterCE Georgia Course Catalog page. You can also sign up for our Compliance Reminder service and we will verify your expiration date and send you email reminders as it approaches.

Know Your Georgia CE Requirements

All major lines licensed agents (Property, Casualty, Life, Health, Personal Lines, or any combination) in Georgia must complete 24 credit hours of approved continuing education every two years before they can renew their license. The one caveat to that stipulation is that if you have more than 20 years of service, you need only complete 20 credit hours of continuing education.

Of those required hours, at least 3 hours credit hours must be approved for the subject of Ethics. The rest of the courses do not need to be in any specific subjects. They only need to be approved by the Georgia Department of Insurance.

Keep in mind that these requirements are the same regardless of how many lines of authority you have. For example, if you are licensed in Life, Property, and Personal Lines insurance, you only need to do 24 credit hours to meet the requirements for all lines.

There are two more special categories: those licensed for Credit Insurance only or as a Limited Subagent. Their continuing education requirement is 10 hours with no requirement for ethics training.

There are also some special training requirements. Property and Casualty Agents who also sell flood insurance need to complete a one-time three-hour course on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Likewise, Life and Health Agents who sell an annuity product need to complete a one-time four-hour annuity suitability course.

Finally, to sell long-term care partnership policies Life and Health Agents need to complete an initial eight-hour long-term care training course. This then needs to be supplemented every two years with a four-hour long-term care training course.

All that can seem pretty complicated. Here’s an overview of Georgia insurance agents continuing education requirements.

Resident Agents — 24 hours of continuing education, 3 hours in ethics.
Resident Agents with 20+ years of service — 20 hours of continuing education, three hours in ethics.
Credit Insurance Only — 10 hours with no ethics requirement.
Limited Subagent Only — 10 hours with no ethics requirement.
Long-Term Care Specialty — 4 hours.

One further note, an agent can carry over excess continuing education credits from one renewal period to another. That carryover can’t exceed half of the total needed credits for the next renewal. It also cannot cover the ethics training requirement.

STEP 2: Submit Your Renewal Application

Renewing your Georgia insurance license is easy, but is a frequently forgotten step by many agents. In Georgia, you can submit your renewal application at any time you are within 90 days of your expiration date – even if you haven’t completed your CE yet. But keep in mind, your application will not be processed until your CE is completed.

Agents are required to submit their renewal application electronically using either one of 2 service providers, NIPR or Sircon. The renewal fee for Georgia major lines licensed agents is $100, plus a $5 processing fee charged by the service providers. For agents holding a variable annuity license, the renewal fee is $200.

Now is the Time to Start Your Continuing Education

As we noted at the start, you’ve got two years to accumulate your 24 hours of continuing education. Don’t wait until the last minute to get started and run the risk of penalties and late fees – or even worse – starting the licensing process from scratch.

The good news is that we’ve got you covered with all the courses you need in the format that best fits your available time and your preferred learning style.

Start today with Better CE. You can find the full listing at Georgia Insurance Continuing Education Course Catalog.

We offer complete compliance packages to make course selection super easy. Agents can select all the courses they need with one click. We also offer individual courses so that you can pick and choose the type of training that best meets your learning needs.

If exams aren’t your thing, we also offer insurance CE webinars that do not require exams. You can find the current listing of approved courses, as well as all the resources you need to manage your license on our Georgia Webinar Catalog. Plus, you also have the option of blending your learning through a combination of webinars and online courses.

Your continuing education course credits will be reported directly to the Georgia Office of the Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner on the same day you complete the training. So, if you’re in a rush to complete your continuing education, we’ve got you covered.

How to Keep Your Georgia Insurance License Active — Summary

Determine your license expiration date. You can access this easily on our Georgia Course Catalog page by using the License Status button.

Determine your continuing education requirements. Detailed instructions and resources are available on the Georgia Course Catalog page or simply call our office.
Select and enroll in courses or webinars in advance of your expiration date.
Complete your courses – we submit your credits to the Department of Insurance the same day as you complete them.
Renew your license. We’ll direct you through the entire process.

If you’re near your renewal date, there’s no time to be lost.

Sign up now for the most trusted and convenient solution for keeping your Georgia insurance license active.

Better CE Can Help

At BetterCE we provide more than the most convenient and affordable solution for insurance continuing education. Our agent support services are provided by experienced insurance licensing professionals who have helped thousands of agents easily navigate the insurance license renewal process.

Have a question or need assistance? Phone 1-888-501-7330 for our customer care team. We also respond to email as well as via our Contact Form. On our contact page you can also sign up for convenient license renewal reminders.