How to Get a Life Insurance License in Massachusetts

Written by: Mary Gerardine

Last updated:

How to Get a Life Insurance License in Massachusetts

Getting your Massachusetts life insurance license is the first step toward becoming a life insurance agent in the state.

The Massachusetts Division of Insurance (DOI) requires you to complete a four-step process to become a life insurance agent in Massachusetts — 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.

How to Get Your Massachusetts Life Insurance License

  1. Complete a Massachusetts Insurance Pre-license Course (Kaplan Education Company – $149+)
  2. Take the Massachusetts Life Insurance Licensing Exam (Prometric – $39)
  3. Complete a Massachusetts Life Insurance License Application (National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) – $225 application fee + $5.60 transaction fee)
  4. Watch for Your Application Results

Life Insurance License Massachusetts

Obtaining your Massachusetts life insurance license isn’t difficult. Just follow these four 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 Massachusetts property and casualty (P&C) license as well.

Step 1: Complete a Massachusetts Insurance Pre-license Course

Before you take the Massachusetts 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.

While Massachusetts doesn’t have any formal pre-license education requirements, most insurance professionals opt to take a pre-license education course online. Others purchase books or self-study materials to prepare themselves for the exam.

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.

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:

4.7 out of 5 starsKaplan Education Company

Step 2: Take the Massachusetts Life Insurance Licensing Exam

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

Massachusetts uses Prometric as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams.

The Massachusetts life insurance exam outline contains a total of 100 scored questions. The exam includes eight sections — from state insurance regulations to federal tax considerations for life insurance and annuities. 

You’ll have 120 minutes to complete the examThe Massachusetts life insurance exam fee is $39, 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 Massachusetts life insurance exam, you can schedule a time to retake it as soon as 24 hours after your first attempt. There’s no limit to the number of attempts a candidate can make on the same exam.

Tip

Check out our in-depth insurance exam guide for tips to help you pass on the first attempt.

The best way to understand if you are prepared for the test is to take a Life Insurance Practice Exam.

Step 3: Complete a Massachusetts Life Insurance License Application

Once you pass the life insurance exam, you can apply for your Massachusetts life insurance license. Prometric will electronically submit your exam score report to the NIPR, enabling you to apply online at the NIPR website. The application fee is $225 plus a $5.60 NIPR transaction fee for a total of $230.60.

The Massachusetts DOI 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 Massachusetts, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the Massachusetts Insurance Code

Send any questions or supporting documents to producerupdate.mailbox@state.ma.us.

Step 4: Watch for Your Application Results

After you complete the previous three steps, the Massachusetts DOI’s Producer Licensing Department will review your application. It reviews applications in the order it receives them, and this process usually takes two business days from the date you submit your application.

Once it finishes reviewing your application, the Massachusetts DOI’s Producer Licensing 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. You also can search for and verify your license through the Massachusetts DOI’s monthly-generated master list of individuals and business entities.

Congratulations!

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

Next Steps After Securing Your Massachusetts Life Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your Massachusetts 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.

To learn more, check out our Securities Licensing guide.

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.

Tip

To help you start preparing for the SIE exam, check out our full guide on How to Pass the SIE Exam.

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.

Find life insurance job postings on our Insurance Jobs Board.

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 Massachusetts, you must take 60 hours of continuing education (CE) for your first three-year renewal period to maintain your license in good standing. Three of those required hours must focus on ethics. You also must take 45 hours of CE for subsequent three-year renewal periods.

As a life insurance producer who sells or intends to sell annuity products, you also must complete an approved, one-time program of instruction or seminar equivalent to at least four classroom hours of instruction. 

Prometric is the CE vendor for Massachusetts. To find approved courses, check out the Approved Course List from Prometric. 

If you have a non-resident license in good standing with your home state, you don’t need to take CE courses in Massachusetts. 

You can’t renew your license until you complete your CE hours and pay any outstanding fines.

In Massachusetts, you also must renew and manage your life insurance license every three years. To avoid delays in renewing your license, you must complete your required CE hours at least 60 days before your license expires. Renew your Massachusetts insurance license online through the NIPRThe renewal fee is $225.

Learn how to renew your license with our Massachusetts insurance license renewal guide.

Massachusetts Division of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Division of Insurance
1000 Washington Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118

Phone: (617) 521-7794

Email: producerupdate.mailbox@state.ma.us 

Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/division-of-insurance 

License Search: Massachusetts Insurance License Search

Massachusetts Life Insurance License FAQ

How much does it cost to get a life insurance license in Massachusetts?

Obtaining a life insurance license in Massachusetts requires these fees:
Insurance Pre-license Education Course Fee: $149+ via Kaplan Education Company
Exam Fee: $39 via Prometric
Application Fee: $225 + $5.60 transaction fee via the NIPR

How long does it take to process a life insurance license application in Massachusetts?

This process typically takes two business days from the date you submit your application. You must apply online through the NIPR.

Can I get a temporary life insurance agent license in Massachusetts?

Yes. Massachusetts provides a 180-day, temporary life insurance license. You can apply through the Massachusetts Division of Insurance on paper by downloading the Uniform Application for Individual Producer License/Registration until an online option is available through NIPR for temporary licensees. You must also include in your application an appointment/sponsor form completed by the sponsoring insurer with a fee of $75. You can find the form here.

Can I get an emergency life insurance agent license in Massachusetts?

No. An emergency license isn’t available for life insurance agents in Massachusetts.

Do I need to get my securities license on top of a life insurance license in Massachusetts?

Probably. While you can sell certain basic life insurance products with just a life insurance license, a securities license removes the limits on what you can sell and puts you in a much better career position. As a securities license holder, you can provide your clients with products tied to the securities market as part of their retirement and life insurance plans. But, you’ll need FINRA accreditation to obtain your securities license.

What can I sell with a life insurance license in Massachusetts?

With a Massachusetts life insurance license, you can sell life insurance policies that pay a designated beneficiary when the insured person dies. You also can sell annuities that pay a set income at retirement.

How much can you make with a life insurance license in Massachusetts?

According to ZipRecruiter, life insurance agents earn an average of $79,730 per year.

What are the limitations of a Massachusetts life insurance license?

Unless you have multiple licenses to sell various types of insurance products (e.g., the combined life and health insurance license), having a Massachusetts life insurance license only qualifies you to sell life insurance policies as well as retirement plans and annuities. You can’t sell other types of insurance. A securities license on top of your life insurance license removes that limitation and enables you to offer securities, including stocks and bonds.

Can I cancel my life insurance license in Massachusetts?

Yes. To cancel your license, you must submit a written letter to the Massachusetts DOI’s Producer Licensing Department. In the letter, you must specify you want to cancel your life insurance license. Submit your letter to the Producer Licensing Staff by email, phone, or fax.

How hard is it to get a life insurance license in Massachusetts?

The process is quite simple! Follow the steps above and get started today!

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