General Requirements
Wisconsin Major Lines Licensed Insurance Agents are required to complete 24 credits of continuing education every 2 years prior to their license expiration date. Of the 24 Credits required, 3 credits must be done in the category of Ethics Training. The remaining requirements are “non-license type specific”: Agents can take courses in any topic as long as they are approved by the Wisconsin Department of Insurance.
Major Lines licenses include:
- Life, Accident and Sickness
- Property and Casualty
- Personal Lines
Producers licensed in multiple major lines (Property and Life, for example) are only required to meet the same requirements as Producers with single lines of licensing. In other words: you only have to take 24 credit hours of CE if you hold multiple lines of licensing.
Agents must complete their CE Requirements prior to their license expiration date to be eligible to renew their license. It is highly recommended that agents complete their CE Requirements at least 48 hours in advance of their license expiration date to ensure that their renewal application is made available. Upon completion of all CE Requirements, licenses can be renewed online through NIPR.com, or Sircon.com. The renewal fee is $35 total, regardless of the number of major-lines licenses being renewed. Wisconsin also charges an additional $1 per credit hour “filing fee” that must be collected by the CE provider and remitted when credits are filed.
Licenses are eligible for renewal when:
- all CE Requirements have been completed
- when the licensee is within 90 days of their license expiration date
Special Training Requirements
There are special training requirements for Wisconsin insurance agents who sell certain products. These courses count towards your CE Requirements.
Long Term Care
Wisconsin insurance agents may not sell, solicit or negotiate a Long-Term Care policy unless the individual has completed an initial 8 Hour Long Term Care Training Course which includes 2 hours of Wisconsin-specific Medicaid and long-term care training. Agents must also complete ongoing training consisting of 2 hours each 12 months of each compliance period (4 hours total).
Annuity Training
Any Wisconsin life insurance agent who sells, solicits or negotiates an annuity product must complete a one-time, 4 Hour Annuity Best Interest Training Course and the insurer-specific annuity product training prior to selling. The training is required for both resident and nonresident agents and it applies to both individual and group annuity sales.
Flood Insurance
Wisconsin insurance agents who sell Flood Insurance must complete a 1 – time, 3 hour Flood Training Course.
CE Exemptions and Reductions
There are limited exemptions or reductions from completing CE Requirements.
- Agents holding only a Limited Lines License are exempt from CE Requirements.
- Non-Resident Agents are exempt as long as they have met the CE and Renewal Requirements of their home State where they hold their License.
Continuing Education Waivers may be granted to those individuals who have extreme circumstances such as medical incapacity, military duty, or another emergency situation. All continuing education waiver request must be submitted and approved 90 days prior to the license expiration date. The exemption form can be submitted to OCI via paper or electronic form:
Paper – Continuing Education Waiver Request
- Print and fill out the Continuing Education Waiver Form CE Waiver and include the required supporting documentation. Electronic – Continuing Education Waiver Request
- Select CE Waiver Form to fill out online and submit to OCI electronically. Wisconsin OCI will provide written notice of approval or denial within 30 days of receipt of the exemption request.
Course Repeat Restrictions
Agents will not receive credit for the same course taken within the same renewal period.
Carryover Credits
Any credits earned in excess of the 24 credit requirements cannot be carried over to future renewal periods.
Late Renewal and Reinstatements
There are no grace periods or late renewals. Wisconsin insurance agents who fail to meet their renewal requirements prior to their license expiration date will have their license expired. Agents have up to 1 year to reinstate their license by completing all outstanding CE Requirements and paying a reinstatement penalty of $35 ($70 total). Agents who do not reinstate within 1 year from their license expiration date must relicense.
Agents requesting a reinstatement should do so by submitting an initial license application through NIPR.
Wisconsin Insurance Agent Continuing Education & Renewal Requirements Summary
| Renewal Term | Every 2 Years |
| Renewal Date | Last Day of Birth Month – Every 2 Years |
| CE Requirements | 24 Credits Total (3 in Ethics) |
| Course Requirements | Non-License Type Specific (Courses May Be Taken in Any Approved Subject Matter) |
| Special Training | Flood – 1 Time Prior to Selling. Annuities – 1 Time Annuity Best Interest Training Course. Long Term Care – 8 Hour Initial, 4 Hours Every Renewal Period Following |
| Exemptions | Non-resident agents. Limited Lines only agents. |
| Renewal Fee | $35 + $1 per credit hour filing fee = ($69 total renewal fees) |
| Renewal Site | NIPR.com or Sircon |
| Missed Renewal | License Expired After Expiration Date |
| Late Renewal, Reinstatement, Fees | Reinstatement for up to 1 year + $35. After 1 Year – Relicense |
| Carryover Credits | Credits Earned in Excess of Requirements Are Not Carried Forward |
| Course Repeat Restrictions | No Credits for Courses Repeated Within the Same Renewal Period |
Wisconsin Department of Insurance Contact Information
Website: https://oci.wi.gov/pages/homepage.aspx
Phone: 608-266-3585
Email: ociagentlicensing@wisconsin.gov
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
125 South Webster St.
Madison, WI 53703-3474
