Getting your Alabama life insurance license is the first step towards becoming a life insurance agent in the state.

The Alabama Department of Insurance (ALDOI) requires you to complete a six-step process to become a life insurance agent in Alabama — from taking the life insurance exam to applying for a license.

These steps will take a few weeks to complete so we recommend you bookmark this page so you can use it as a reference throughout the process.

Life Insurance License Alabama

Obtaining your Alabama life insurance license isn’t difficult. Just follow these five steps to start your journey toward becoming a life insurance agent. Once you earn this license, check out our guide on how to get your Alabama property and casualty (P&C) license as well.

Step 1: Complete an Alabama Insurance Pre-license Course

Before you take the Alabama life insurance licensing exam, it’s important to make time to acquire the knowledge you’ll need to pass this exam on your first attempt. Completing a pre-license education course will equip you with the necessary information and tools you’ll need to prepare for your exam.

In Alabama, you must take a 20-hour course on life insurance. After completing the course, you’ll need to present a valid photo ID and an original certificate of completion from the approved prelicensing education provider when you arrive to take your exam. The pre-license course certificate is only valid for 12 months.

A pre-license education course provides very specific industry knowledge that will be tested during the exam. There is very little information on the test that could be considered “common sense”. Pre-license education courses are self-paced and include study materials like practice exams and flashcards.

Beyond helping you effectively prepare for and pass the life insurance licensing exam on your first try, taking a pre-license education course also will give you a solid understanding of your duties as a life insurance agent.

Step 2: Take the Alabama Life Insurance Licensing Exam

After you complete a prep course and your own independent studying, it’s time to take the Alabama life insurance exam.

Alabama uses The University of Alabama College of Continuing Studies as its official exam provider for registering and administering licensure exams.

The Alabama life insurance exam outline contains a total of 125 scored questions that includes three sections: the general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge, the life insurance section contains life policies and provisions, and the state section covers laws, regulations, and practices specific to Alabama.

You’ll have 150 minutes to complete the exam. The Alabama life insurance exam fee is $50, which you must pay at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher. The exam is a proctored test, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.

If you happen to fail the Alabama life insurance exam, you’re prohibited from retaking the life insurance exam for 90 days. If you fail the exam four times, you’ll have a 180-day waiting period for each subsequent exam.

Step 3: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

After you take the Alabama life insurance exam, you must get a fingerprint-based background check from Gemalto. The fingerprinting fee is $48.25. Your fingerprint results only remain in the state system for 30 days. If you wait longer than this to apply for your license, you’ll need to redo your fingerprint-based background check and pay the fee again. That means you should apply for your license within 30 days of having your fingerprints taken.

For more information, call the ALDOI at (334) 241-4126.

After completing your fingerprint-based background check, you must submit your license application within one year of passing the licensing exam. If you fail to do so, you’ll need to retake the exam.

Step 4: Complete an Alabama Life Insurance License Application

Once you pass the life insurance exam and complete the background check, you can apply for your Alabama life insurance license. The application fee is $80, and the NIPR will charge a $5.60 transaction fee for a total of $85.60.

ALDOI will issue a life insurance license to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have passed the proper licensing exam. You should submit your completed license application within 12 months of passing the exam.

To apply for a life insurance license in Alabama, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the Alabama Insurance Code. 

Send any questions or supporting documents to ProducerLicensing@insurance.alabama.gov.

Step 5: Submit Your Proof of Citizenship

Alabama will verify the citizenship of all its applicants. Within ten (10) days of submitting your license application, Alabama requires that you must submit proof of citizenship (in accordance with the Alabama Citizen Protection Act). If your file is not received within ten (10) days after submission, your application will be declined.

You will use one of the sixteen different identifiers (such as your official driver’s license or other state ID) listed on ALDOI before your license is issued. You must upload a file that includes the front and the back of your identification. If you have a question about which forms of ID will work, and which will not, please contact the ALDOI at (334) 241-4126 or email the License Department.

Step 6: Watch for Your Application Results

After you complete the previous five steps, the ALDOI License Department will review your application and background check. It reviews filings in the order it receives them, and this process usually takes two days or more from the date you mail your application.

Once your application review is complete, the ALDOI License Department will email you with its decision or ask you to provide more information.

You can print your license from the NIPR website. There’s no charge to create an account or print a license. If you don’t remember your license number, you can find it by using the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) State Based Systems (SBS) Alabama Lookup tool.

Congratulations!

You’re now ready to get started as a life insurance agent in Alabama.

Next Steps After Securing Your Alabama Life Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your Alabama life insurance license, here’s what you should pursue next.

Get Your FINRA Securities Licenses

Overview

Individuals planning to market and sell market-based life insurance products also must obtain the proper securities licenses. As a securities license holder, you can offer securities as part of your services. That’ll make you a credible authority in addressing all of your clients’ financial needs.

SIE Exam

To obtain these licenses, you’ll first need to take and pass the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam. Professionals in the securities industry are required to take the SIE and a series of examinations administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). 

The SIE exam ensures every life insurance professional has a basic understanding of securities. While taking the SIE exam isn’t a requirement for all insurance professionals, those who don’t obtain at least one securities license limit their ability to work with clients. With a securities license, you can give your clients the option to invest in securities-related products as part of their life insurance plans.

Obtaining a license to sell securities also requires sponsorship from a firm, company, or organization regulated by FINRA. The sponsor will pay the testing fees required for your SIE exams and submit your personal information to FINRA’s Central Registration Depository (CRD). The Series 6 and Series 7 licenses require a FINRA exam sponsorship before you can take the exam. The exam for a Series 63 license doesn’t require any sponsoring entity. 

Once you get your securities license(s), FINRA will list you as a “registered representative.” By achieving the securities licensee designation, you’ll become a highly sought-after professional and set yourself up for a successful career in the insurance industry.

Series 6, 7, and 63 Licenses

Some of the most common securities licenses for insurance agents include the Series 6, 7, and 63 licenses because they allow licensees to sell almost every type of individual security.

The Series 6 (Investment Company and Variable Contracts Products Representative) Securities License is the primary license sought by insurance sales professionals and financial advisors, allowing them to sell grouped securities related to insurance products. 

Series 6 works together with Series 63 because they are the two partner licenses required to sell insurance policies tied to investments. The North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) oversees regulation of the Series 63 (Uniform Securities Agent State Law) license.

The Series 7 license allows you to buy and sell securities (e.g., stocks, bonds, and mutual funds) as part of an investment plan for your clients. To get a Series 7 license, you will first need to register as a new candidate with FINRA and pass the Series 7 exam. The Series 7 exam is commonly known as the General Securities Representative Qualification Exam, but is sometimes referred to as the “Series 7 Top-Off Exam.”

Get a Job in the Insurance Field

Once you earn your license, you can start applying for jobs in the insurance field. With a life insurance license, you can provide advice and recommend insurance products to clients, sell life insurance policies that pay a beneficiary upon an insured person’s death, and sell annuities that pay a set income at retirement.

When applying for an insurance-related job, potential employers will request your license number and National Producer Number (NPN).

Complete Continuing Education and Renew Your License

In Alabama, you must complete continuing education (CE) credits every two years to maintain your license in good standing. You must complete 24 hours (of which 3 should be ethics) per reporting period for producers and 12 hours (of which 2 should be ethics) per reporting period for producers who are employed by another producer or insurer to work only in the office of the employer and who are not licensed as a non-resident in any other state.

If you are licensed for less than twelve months at the time of your first renewal, you are not required to complete the educational requirements but must claim the CE exemption during renewal through NIPR.

In Alabama, you must also renew and manage your life insurance license every two years. To avoid delays in renewing your license, you must complete continuing education hours at least 75 days before your license expires. The continuing education provider will report the successful completion of the course to the NAIC SBS within 10 days of completion. The renewal fee is $70 and the late fee is $50.

Alabama Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address

Attn: Licensing Division
P.O. Box 303351
Montgomery, AL 36130-3351

Phone: (334) 241-4126

Email: ProducerLicensing@insurance.alabama.gov

Website: https://www.aldoi.gov/

License Search: Alabama Insurance License Lookup