How to Get a Life Insurance License in Washington DC

Written by: Kevelyn Rodriguez

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How to Get a Life Insurance License in Washington DC

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

The District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking (DISB) requires you to complete a five-step process to become a life insurance agent in Washington D.C. — 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 Washington DC Life Insurance License

  1. Complete a Washington DC Insurance Pre-license Course (Kaplan Education Company – $149+)
  2. Take the Washington DC Life Insurance Licensing Exam (Pearson VUE – $75)
  3. Complete a Washington DC Life Insurance License Application (National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) – $105 application fee + $5.60 transaction fee)
  4. Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check (Fieldprint – $50)
  5. Watch for Your Application Results

Life Insurance License Washington DC

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

Step 1: Complete a Washington DC Insurance Pre-license Course

Before you take the Washington DC 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 Washington DC 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 Washington DC Life Insurance Licensing Exam

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

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

The Washington DC life insurance exam outline contains a total of 80 scored questions that cover two sections: general and district-specific knowledge. The general section deals with basic life insurance product knowledge. The district-specific section covers insurance concepts and terms, rules, regulations, and practices specific to the District of Columbia.

You’ll have 120 minutes to complete the examThe Washington DC life insurance exam fee is $75, 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 Washington DC 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.

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 Washington DC Life Insurance License Application

Once you pass the life insurance exam, you can apply for your Washington DC life insurance license. The application fee is $105 plus $5.60 transaction fee, and you must apply online via the NIPR.

The DISB 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 Washington DC, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the District of Columbia Insurance Code and the District of Columbia Administrative Code.

Send any questions or supporting documents to disb@dc.gov.

Step 4: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

After you apply for the Washington DC life insurance license, you must get a fingerprint-based background check from FieldprintThe fee for fingerprinting services is $50 to cover the cost of comparing your prints against criminal history records. 

To set up a fingerprinting appointment, go to the Fieldprint website or call 877-614-4364. At your fingerprinting appointment, you’ll receive a receipt. Don’t throw it away! Keep the original receipt for your records.

Step 5: Watch for Your Application Results

After you complete the previous four steps, the DISB will review your application and background check. It reviews applications in the order it receives them, and this process usually takes one to five business days from the date you submit your application.

Once the DISB 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 tool. There’s no charge to 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 Washington DC.

Next Steps After Securing Your Washington DC Life Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your Washington DC 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 Washington DC, 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. To find these courses, visit the NAIC website and click on the “Course or Provider” section. 

If you have a non-resident license with good standing in your home state, you don’t need to take CE courses in Washington DC. To find out if you need to take Washington DC courses, go to the NAIC website and choose “District of Columbia” as the jurisdiction and “Course or Provider” as the search type.

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

In Washington DC, 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 60 days before your license expires. Your CE provider will report your successful completion of the coursework to the DISB. The renewal fee is $100 and the late fee is $200.

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

District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking Contact Information

Mailing Address

1050 First Street, NE, 801
Washington, DC 20002

Phone: 202-727-8000

Email: disb@dc.gov

Website: https://disb.dc.gov/

License Search: Washington DC Insurance License Lookup

Washington DC Life Insurance License FAQ

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

Obtaining a life insurance license in Washington DC requires these fees:
Insurance Pre-license Education Course Fee: $149+ via Kaplan Education Company
Exam Fee: $75 via Pearson VUE
Application Fee: $105 + $5.60 transaction fee via the NIPR
Fingerprint-Based Background Check Fee: $50 via Fieldprint

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

This process typically takes one to five business days. You’ll receive an email once the DISB reviews your application.

Can I get a temporary life insurance agent license in Washington DC?

Yes. The DISB may issue a temporary insurance producer license for a period not to exceed 180 days without requiring an exam if it determines the temporary license shall be necessary for the servicing of an insurance business. Potential recipients of such a temporary license can include:
The surviving spouse or court-appointed personal representative of a licensed insurance producer who dies or acquires a mental or physical disability.
A member or employee of a business entity licensed as an insurance producer upon the death or disability of an individual designated in the business entity application or the license.
The designee of a licensed insurance producer entering active service in the armed forces of the United States.
Any other individual who the DISB determines will best serve the public interest with a temporary license

Can I get an emergency life insurance agent license in Washington DC?

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

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

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 Washington DC?

With a Washington DC 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 Washington DC?

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

What are the limitations of a Washington DC 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 Washington DC 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 Washington DC?

Yes. To cancel your license, email an attached letter with your name, license number, and signature to disb@dc.gov.

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

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

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