If you’re thinking about becoming an insurance agent in Colorado, the first step you’ll need to take in order to kickstart your career is to obtain a Colorado insurance license.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of how to become an insurance agent in Colorado, as well as what to do once you get licensed.
Pro tip: Doing a pre-licensing education course dramatically increases your chance of passing your exam on your first attempt, which can end up saving you both time and money in the long run.
Colorado Insurance License
In order to get your Colorado insurance license, you’ll need to complete the following five steps:
- Figure Out Which Insurance License You’ll Need
- Complete a Pre-Licensing Education Course
- Pass the Relevant Colorado Insurance License Exam(s)
- Complete a Fingerprint and Background Check
- Submit Your Insurance License Application
Below we have explored each step in more detail.
Step 1: Decide Which Insurance Licenses You Need
The first step will be deciding what type of insurance policies you’ll want to sell — at least at the start of your career.
This is because the type of insurance policies you’re hoping to sell will dictate the type of license you’ll need. For example, you’d need a Property & Casualty (P&C) license to be able to sell auto, home, or business insurance.
Here’s a list of all the different types of insurance agent licenses that are available in the state of Colorado:
- Accident and Health
- Casualty
- Credit
- Crop Hail
- Life
- Personal Lines
- Portable Electronics
- Property
While there are a large number of different licenses to choose from, the vast majority of insurance agents will either obtain a Property and Casualty (P&C) or Health and Life license.
In fact, many agents actually opt to go for both of these licenses as it allows them to offer clients a much wider range of the most common insurance products.
However, if you already know you want to specialize in one particular type of policy, you’ll of course only have to focus on the specific license that’s relevant to this insurance type.
It’s worth noting at this point that if you’re looking to work as a public insurance adjuster, you’ll need to obtain a public adjuster license — which you can find more information about in our Colorado Adjuster License overview.
Step 2: Complete a Colorado Pre-Licensing Education Course
The next step you’ll need to take towards becoming a licensed insurance agent in Colorado is completing a pre-licensing education course.
This is a legal requirement in the state, with the Colorado Division of Insurance requiring candidates to complete a total of 50 hours of study before being eligible to sit for a licensing exam.
Keep in mind that 16 of these hours will need to be completed in a classroom setting with an instructor, while the remaining 34 hours can be completed through self-study.
Due to the sheer number of pre-licensing education courses available, it’s normal to feel a little overwhelmed when deciding which one is right for you. To avoid this, we typically recommend making a decision based on the following factors:
- The course’s flexibility (e.g., does it allow flexible learning, does it require completing within a short time-window, etc.)
- The course’s price: This one is obvious; our only tip here is to not go too low, as from our experience you tend to get what you pay for when it comes to these
- The course’s reputation: How reliable is each provider? The last thing you want is insufficient and/or incomplete resources before your exam
Recommended
Doing a pre-licensing education course dramatically increases your chance of passing your exam on your first attempt, which can end up saving you both time and money in the long run. For pre-licensing education, StateRequirement recommends:
If you want more information before getting started, you can also have a look at our in-depth overview of the five best pre-license education courses in 2024.
Step 3: Pass the Relevant Colorado Insurance License Exam(s)
After completing your pre-licensing education course, you will need to take (and pass) the relevant Colorado insurance license exam(s).
We say “relevant” because this will depend on the line you wish to specialize in; for example, if you’re planning to become an accident and health insurance agent, you will need to pass the Accident and Health exam — which is two hours long and has 80 scored questions (plus 11 pretest questions).
It should be noted that all insurance licensing examinations in Colorado are administered by Pearson VUE, and that all candidates are required to take the exam within one year of completing their pre-licensing education.
Candidates have the option to take their certification exam either at a Pearson VUE test center or online via OnVUE.
The fee for taking up to two examinations during one session at a Pearson VUE test center is $41.
Having said that, for exams taken online via OnVUE, the fee is $31 per examination, with no discounts for multiple examinations.
For more information, you can have a look at our Colorado Insurance License Exam guide.
Step 4: Complete a Fingerprinting And Background Check
Before you can apply for an insurance license in Colorado, you will be required to submit your fingerprints for both a state and a national criminal history record check; this is done through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The state of Colorado requires that fingerprints be transmitted through a CBI-approved vendor.
This means that you will have the following options for getting and submitting your fingerprints:
- IdentoGO: You will need to schedule your appointment through the IdentGO website and then visit the designated IdentoGo center in Colorado to submit your fingerprints; please note that walk-ins are not accepted
- Colorado Fingerprinting: Similar to IdentGO, you will be able to register and schedule your fingerprinting appointment online through the Colorado Fingerprinting website
Furthermore, if visiting a physical location is not feasible, you will have the option of submitting a fingerprint card via electronic transfer. This method requires pre-registration, which must be completed through either IdentGO or Colorado Fingerprinting, depending on your preference.
Note: Any misdemeanors or felonies may affect the outcome of your licensing efforts. If you’re worried about this, you can contact the Colorado Division of Insurance by phone or email for more guidance on this topic.
Step 5: Submit Your Insurance License Application
With your exams and fingerprinting out of the way, you’ll be ready to actually apply for your license.
This can be done online either at Sircon or through the NIPR website.
Keep in mind that in addition to passing the necessary exams, you will be required to meet the following requirements in order to qualify for a Colorado insurance license:
- You must be a resident of Colorado
- You must be at least 18 years of age
- You need to demonstrate that you are trustworthy, competent, financially responsible, and have maintained a good personal and business reputation
Note: You will need to pay $47 for each new Individual Producer license application, or $144 for a Surplus Lines license application.
Step 6: Application Review
And that’s it! After satisfying all the other requirements and submitting a license application to the Colorado Division of Insurance all that’s left to do is wait.
If everything on your application has been filled out correctly, your license should be issued within two to five weeks — which is the amount of time it typically takes for a license application and background check to be reviewed.
It’s important to be aware that the issuance of your insurance license can take a bit longer than this if there are any items from your background check that need to be looked over. However, the state will likely get in touch with you to give some context if they run into any issues.
In any case, the state will send you an email regarding the status of your license once this review has been completed, so keep an eye out for that!
Pro tip: Doing a pre-licensing education course dramatically increases your chance of passing your exam on your first attempt, which can end up saving you both time and money in the long run.
After Getting Your Colorado Insurance License
Once you’ve passed all your exams and your licensing application has been approved, you’ll be a qualified insurance agent in Colorado.
At this point, there are four main steps that we recommend new insurance agents to take:
- Obtain Any Relevant Securities Licenses: If you’re planning on selling advanced life insurance products, you’ll need to pass the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam and obtain the relevant securities licenses (e.g., Series 6, 7, and 63).
- Choose a Means of Selling: You’ll have to decide whether you’d prefer working as a captive agent employed by one company, or running your own business as an independent agent.
- Develop Your Marketing Approach: To succeed as an insurance agent, you’ll need to adopt a marketing approach that’s effective for you. Finding and sticking to a niche, as well organizing all client appointments for the start of your week, are two great ways to do this.
- Keep Your License Valid: To keep your Colorado insurance license active, you will be required to complete 24 continuing education credits every two years. This must include 18 credits specific to your licensed line of authority, 3 credits in Ethics, and 3 credits in a category of your choice.
Note: You may transfer up to 12 credits that exceed the mandatory 24 credits to the subsequent cycle, but only if these credits are earned within the last 120 days of the current licensing period.
For a more in-depth look at each one of these steps, check out our Steps After Getting Your Insurance License guide.
Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Contact Information
Mailing Address:
Division of Insurance
1560 Broadway, Suite 850
Denver, Colorado 80202
Physical Address:
Division of Insurance
1560 Broadway, Suite 850
Denver, Colorado 80202
Phone: (303) 894-7499
Fax: (303) 894-7693
Email: dora_dpo_website@state.co.us
Website: https://doi.colorado.gov/
License Search: Colorado Insurance License Search and Lookup
Colorado Insurance License FAQ
Will I need to renew my insurance license in Colorado?
Yes, you will need to renew your Colorado insurance license every two years. The renewal period begins 90 days prior to your license expiration date and ends on the license expiration date itself. You can renew your license online at the Colorado Department of Insurance website, assuming you have completed all mandatory continuing education requirements.
How long does it take to get an insurance license in Colorado?
The time it takes to obtain an insurance license in Colorado can vary, but it typically ranges from two to five weeks after your application is submitted, assuming all steps are completed promptly. This will depend on how quickly the Colorado Department of Issuance and other regulatory agencies review the supporting documents filed with your application. Keep in mind that if you are applying as an insurance company, your application must be signed by the appropriate company official.
How much does the Colorado insurance license cost?
The cost of obtaining a Colorado insurance license varies by type. It’s $47 per line of authority for an Individual Producer license and $144 for a Surplus Lines license. These costs cover the licensing fees but do not include the exam fee or expenses related to mandatory continuing education courses, both of which are necessary for obtaining and maintaining your license.
Is the Colorado insurance license exam hard?
The difficulty of the Colorado insurance license exam largely depends on your preparation. That said, remember that you will have completed a pre-licensing training course, which is designed to closely simulate the format and content of the actual state licensing exam. For more information on the Colorado licensing exam, check out our comprehensive Colorado Insurance License article.
How do I get my insurance license in Colorado?
To obtain an insurance license in Colorado, you need to decide on the type of insurance you want to sell, complete an approved pre-licensing education course, and pass the relevant licensing exam. You will then need to submit to a background check and apply for your license via either Sircon or NIPR.