Getting your Arizona insurance license is the first step to becoming an insurance agent in Arizona. Whether you’re interested in selling property and casualty insurance, life insurance, health insurance, or any combination of those lines of authority, this article has the information you need to get started.
The Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions has a 6-step process on how to become an insurance agent in Arizona. We’ll walk you through step-by-step; from the license application to insurance test prep, to the Arizona insurance exam, and beyond.
This guide has everything you need to know to get your AZ insurance license quickly and easily.
Recommended: Interested in getting started? We recommend using Kaplan’s online study packages, which come with a 93% pass rate.
How to Get Your Arizona Insurance License
Getting your insurance license in Arizona is easy! Just follow our step-by-step guide. Be sure to bookmark this page so that you can visit it again throughout this process.
Step 1. Which Insurance Licenses Do You Need?
The first step to getting your insurance license is choosing which licenses you need. The most common licenses new insurance agents get are the property & casualty license (P&C), life and health insurance license (L&H).
The types of insurance products and policies you’ll be selling will determine which licenses you need. Here are some examples of the types of policies you can market with each license:
- Property and Casualty Insurance License – Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Business Insurance, etc…
- Life and Health Insurance License – Life Insurance, Annuities, Medicare, Health Insurance, etc…
Most insurance agents and producers choose to get both P&C and L&H licenses, but if you plan on specializing in only one category then you don’t need every license.
Insurance adjusters require a separate license. You can find more information on becoming an insurance adjuster here: Arizona Insurance Adjuster License.
Note
If you plan on specializing as a life insurance agent, then you may also need to hold a certain FINRA securities license.
Step 2. Arizona Insurance Pre-Exam Education
After you’ve determined which licenses you need, it’s time to begin studying for the Arizona insurance exams.
Arizona does not require you to take a certain amount of pre-license credits before testing. This means that studying for your exam is 100% up to you.
Most folks choose to take an insurance pre-license course online. These courses are created specifically to give you the skills you need to pass the test. Others purchase books or other self-study tools to prepare themselves.
It’s wise to take a week or so to dedicate to your study of this exam. If you don’t feel as though you’re a strong test taker, take a little longer, but don’t let it drag out for long. We want you to pass your test the first time you take it, and we know that you can do it.
Recommended Course
Over 81% of our readers use Kaplan’s online courses — which come with a 93% pass rate — when preparing for their insurance license exam(s). For comprehensive study packages, StateRequirement recommends:
Step 3. Arizona Insurance License Exam
The next step after completing all of your pre-license coursework or self-study is to take the insurance exam. You will take one exam for each line of insurance you wish to carry. Life, Accident, & Health (LA&H) and Property & Casualty (P&C) lines are combined lines in Arizona, so you will take two exams if you wish to attain all of these lines of authority: Property, Casualty, Life, Accident, Health.
This is a proctored test, which means that you will be in a controlled environment with a person watching over you. For people who haven’t tested in a situation like this should be aware of this fact, and work on taming their nerves prior to sitting for the exam.
The fee for each attempt of the exams is $49 per combined line. Single line exams are $38 per attempt. When you show up you must have a photo ID any other documents that the testing facility has asked you to bring.
Both the Life, Accident, & Health exam and the Property & Casualty exam consist of one hundred fifty (150) questions, and you have two and a half hours (2.5 hours) to complete each exam. Here is a copy of the exam content outline for the Life, Accident, & Health exam. Here is a copy of the exam content outline for the Property & Casualty exam.
A total score of 70% is required to pass each exam. You have a limit of four (4) attempts at each exam per year. To explain the results of this exam, we will quote Prometric Arizona Insurance Licensing Information Bulletin:
Your Exam Results
At the end of your exam, your score will be shown on the screen and you will receive a printed score report. The report shows your overall score and grade, including the numerical percentage of questions answered correctly and whether you passed or failed. The report also displays the correct percentage in each major section of the exam, as defined by the exam content outline. These section scores are shown to guide you, or your employer and/or trainer, about areas requiring additional preparation for retesting if you do not pass the exam. Even after you pass, you may want to focus on these areas as you begin to provide insurance products and services to the public.
Check out our Insurance Exam Guide. It’s extremely in-depth, and will hopefully help you pass the first time.
Looking for a guide to passing the insurance exam in Arizona? Check out our Arizona Insurance License Exam article.
Insurance license tests are intentionally difficult, but not impossible by any means. You should study to the point of comfortability with the information before you attempt the test. Failing the exam isn’t the end of the world, but keep in mind that you will need to pay the fee each time you attempt the test.
Tip
StateRequirement recommends that you study for one exam at a time, then after passing, starting on your next line. The exams are difficult enough on their own without confusing information from one line to another. Check out our review of the Kaplan Insurance Course.
You may register to take your exams and find more information on the Prometric Arizona Insurance Test Page.
Step 4. Fingerprinting And Background Check
The State of Arizona requires that all insurance license applicants provide fingerprints prior to licensing. Giving your fingerprints will initiate a background check. If you have any prior misdemeanors or felonies, this may affect the outcome of your licensing efforts. Call the Arizona Department of Insurance at (602) 364-4457 or email the License Department for more information.
Effective as of November 19, 2022, all fingerprints must be submitted electronically through the state-approved Electronic Fingerprinting Application Services vendor, Fieldprint.
You will need to create an account and follow the steps on the website. You will need to enter the fingerprint code INS-055.A for all insurance applications.
Fieldprint will be verifying the applicants proof of legal status at the fingerprint appointment, therefore the L-152 will not be required. When you are finished with the fingerprinting appointment, you will receive a registration id. Do not lose your fingerprint registration id, as you will to enter it in in a later step!
Step 5. Arizona License Application
Once you have completed your exams and fingerprinting, you are now ready to apply for your license. If you have more than one line of authority that you have passed the exam for, be sure to apply for all of those lines.
The fee for an online application is $120, and NIPR will charge a $5.60 transaction fee for a total of $125.60. If you apply for your additional lines of authority, only the $5.60 transaction fee will be charged on later additions.
Fill out and submit your online application along with the fingerprint registration id from Fieldprint on the NIPR website.
Step 6. Application Review
Once you have submitted your application and have filled all the other requirements, your license application will be reviewed by the state. Your background check will also be reviewed.
If everything is to acceptable standards your license should be issued quickly. If there are any items from your background check that need to be reviewed, it may slow down the process of issuance. If this is the case, the state may contact you to provide context to the issues that they have run into.
Once the review has been completed, you should receive an email from NIPR regarding the status of your license. These emails have been known to not be received, so you should also do a license search on your name about a week to two weeks (1-2 weeks) after submitting your application.
To check and see if your license has been issued, you may look yourself up in the Arizona Department of Insurance License Lookup Tool. Use this format to look up your license: LastName, FirstName.
Congratulations!
You’ve done the work, put in the time and effort, and now hold the key to your own success! We’re proud of you. Take five (5) minutes and celebrate.
After Getting Your Arizona Insurance License
Once you’ve passed your exams and completed the licensing application, you are now a licensed insurance agent in Arizona. A common question we hear is, “I have my insurance license, now what?” Here are a few things you can do or need to know:
- Get a job in the insurance field. Check out StateRequirement’s Insurance Jobs board
- If you’re going to sell advanced life insurance products, you’ll need to have the proper securities licenses. Series 6, Series 7, and Series 63 are the most common among insurance agents, but you’ll need to begin with the SIE (Securities Industry Essentials) exam. Find out which licenses you need with our Securities Licensing Guide
- Every four years, you’ll need to renew your insurance license. Check out our guides on Arizona Insurance License Renewal and Arizona Insurance Continuing Education for more details
- Learn how to market yourself as an insurance agent: Have a look at our Insurance Agent Marketing article
- Interested in learning how successful life insurance agents operate? Check out our How Do Life Insurance Companies Make Money article
Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions Contact Information
Mailing Address:
100 North 15th Avenue, Suite 261
Phoenix, Arizona 85007-2630
Phone: (602) 364-4457
Email: insurancelicensing@difi.az.gov
Website: https://difi.az.gov/producers
License Search: Arizona Insurance License Search and Lookup
Arizona Insurance License FAQ
How long is the insurance license period in Arizona?
Learn how to get an insurance license renewal here: Arizona Insurance License Renewal.
How long does it take to get an insurance license in Arizona?
2-8 weeks. The bulk of the time is spent studying for your Arizona insurance exam. Some people study for as little as one week and feel comfortable taking the exam. We recommend you take whatever amount of time you need to feel comfortable with the material. Check out our guide: How to Pass the Insurance Exam.
How much does the Arizona insurance license cost?
The total cost of getting licensed as an insurance producer in Amazon is typically about $375. This amount includes your insurance course, application, and exam — though it’s important to note that you’ll need to add $56 for each subsequent exam attempt if you don’t pass the first time.
How do I get a life insurance license in Arizona?
To secure a life insurance license in Arizona, you’ll need to complete a pre-licensing education course, pass the state exam, apply to the Arizona Department of Insurance, and pay the appropriate fee. Alternatively, you can follow our more detailed steps above.
How do I get a property and casualty license in Arizona?
To obtain the right to sell property and casualty insurance, you’ll first need to take a state-approved pre-licensing course, before passing the state exam, paying the designated fee, and applying with the insurance licensing section of the Arizona Department of Insurance. For more information on each of these steps, see our Arizona Insurance License article.
Do I need business insurance in Arizona?
In Arizona, not all businesses are legally required to have insurance. However, specific insurances like workers’ compensation are commonly required since they are mandatory under Arizona law for any businesses with employees. On top of this, it’s also smart to guard yourself from liabilities with Arizona business insurance to protect your assets and operate safely.