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

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance requires you to complete a five-step process to become a life insurance agent in Tennessee — 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 Tennessee

Obtaining your Tennessee 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 Tennessee property and casualty (P&C) license as well.

Step 1: Complete a Tennessee Insurance Pre-license Course

Before you take the Tennessee 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 Tennessee, you must complete a 20-hour, pre-license 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. Your pre-license course certificate will remain 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 Tennessee Life Insurance Licensing Exam

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

Tennessee uses Pearson VUE as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams.

The Tennessee life insurance exam outline contains a total of 68 scored questions that cover two sections: general and state-specific knowledge. The general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge. The state-specific section covers insurance concepts and terms, rules, regulations, and practices specific to Tennessee.

You’ll have 120 minutes to complete the exam. The Tennessee life insurance exam fee is $49, 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 Tennessee 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 you can make on the same exam.

Step 3: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

After you take the Tennessee life insurance exam, you must get a fingerprint-based background check from IdentoGO. The fee for fingerprinting services is $42 to cover the cost of comparing your prints against criminal history records. 

To set up a fingerprinting appointment, go to the IdentoGO website. If you do not have a service code, select “Don’t Know Your Service Code” and then choose the Department of Commerce and Insurance.

At your fingerprinting appointment, you’ll receive a receipt. Don’t throw it away! Keep the original receipt for your records.

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 a Tennessee Life Insurance License Application

Once you pass the life insurance exam and complete the background check, you can apply for your Tennessee life insurance license. The application fee is $50 plus $5.60 transaction fee, and you must apply online via the NIPR.

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance 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 Tennessee, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the Tennessee Insurance Code and the Tennessee Administrative Code.

Send any questions or supporting documents to ce.agent.licensing@tn.gov.

Step 5: Watch for Your Application Results

After you complete the previous four steps, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance will review your application and background check. It reviews applications in the order it receives them, and this process usually takes 10 business days from the date you submit your application.

Once the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance finishes reviewing your application, it’ll email you with its decision or ask you to provide more information.

You can print your license from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) State Based Systems (SBS) License Manager 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 NAIC SBS License Lookup tool.

Congratulations!

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

Next Steps After Securing Your Tennessee Life Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your Tennessee 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.

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). You can request a letter of certification, which proves you have a life insurance license in Tennessee, by visiting the Sircon website. You may need to submit this letter along with your job applications.

Complete Continuing Education and Renew Your License

In Tennessee, you must complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years to maintain your license in good standing. Three of those hours must focus on ethics/consumer protection. To find these courses, visit the NAIC website and choose “Tennessee” as the jurisdiction and “Course or Provider” as the search type. 

If you have a non-resident license with good standing in your home state, you don’t need to take CE courses in Tennessee. To find out if you need to take Tennessee courses, use the NAIC SBS License Manager tool.

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

In Tennessee, you also must renew and manage your life insurance license every two years. To avoid delays in renewing your license, you must complete the required CE hours at least 90 days before your license expires. Your CE provider will report your successful completion of the coursework to the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance. The renewal fee is $60 and the late fee is $90.

Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address

Insurance Division
500 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243

Phone: (615) 741-2693

Email: ce.agent.licensing@tn.gov

Website: https://www.tn.gov/commerce/insurance-division.html

License Search: Tennessee Insurance License Lookup