Pennsylvania Insurance Continuing Education

Resident Requirements

Resident producers, title agents, and public adjusters must complete a minimum of 24 hours of approved CE subjects during each two-year (biennium) reporting period. There are no subject requirements to complete biennial CE training. CE credit hours may be completed via any combination of in-classroom, self-study, or online coursework. 

Additional CE requirements exist for licensees who sell specific products, including: 

• Long-Term Care: A one-time, eight-hour training requirement must be completed and at least four hours of ongoing long-term care (LTC) training must be completed every subsequent biennial period.
• Long-Term Care Partnership: Licensees must complete the requirements for LTC products. As a part of the initial eight-hour course requirement, one hour must include Medicaid information for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 
• Annuities: A one-time, four-hour training course must be completed. 
• Flood: Producers selling flood insurance must complete a one-time, three-hour course that covers the training requirements set by FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Per state regulations, employers must also provide personnel with fraud training. 

Rules for Non-Residents

Non-residents in compliance with their state's CE requirements are exempt from completing Pennsylvania CE requirements. 

If a licensee's home state does not have CE requirements or if those requirements do not meet the standards for the same license type or line of authority in Pennsylvania, the licensee will have to complete the associated CE requirements for Pennsylvania residents. This includes requirements set for producers authorized to sell annuities, LTC, and flood products. 

The Pennsylvania Insurance Department may verify a non-resident's compliance and stand with their own state's license requirements.

Carryover of Excess CE

Licensees are encouraged to complete additional CE training, and up to 24 hours of this supplemental credit may be carried over into the next renewal period. 

Insurance License Term Renewal Requirements

Licenses expire every two years, based on the year of original licensing. The license expiration date is the last day of the licensee's birth month. A producer whose license was awarded in an even-numbered year, for example, will need to complete renewal requirements before the last day of their birth month in the next even-numbered year. 

Individuals are eligible to renew their licenses beginning 60 days prior to their license expiration date. All CE requirements must be met to process a license renewal. 

Licenses may be renewed online at the NIPR website or through the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's licensing search and renewal tool. Licenses may also be renewed by mail, but online renewals are encouraged. 

Licensees who wish to renew by mail must submit a cover letter detailing the reason online renewal is unavailable to them, a paper application form, and a check for the renewal fee to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's Bureau of Licensing and Enforcement. Paper renewals may take up to six weeks to process. 

License renewal fees are as follows:

• $55 for producers, title agents, and motor vehicle damage appraisers
• $100 for viatical settlements brokers
• $200 for public adjusters and surplus lines producers

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania sends licensees a renewal notice approximately 60 days prior to their license expiration date. This reminder is sent to the licensee's address on record with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. It is the licensee's responsibility to keep their contact information up to date and report any changes.

Failure to renew by the expiration date will result in license suspension. Licensees in compliance with CE requirements may reinstate their license within 12 months of the lapse by submitting a renewal application and the associated fees either online or by mail. A late penalty will be applied to the individual's renewal fee. 

Rules for Taking the Exam

CE exams are closed-book. Students may not access or refer to course material during the exam. 

Self-study and online exams must be monitored by an unbiased third party. Family members, friends, supervisors, colleagues, or anyone with an interest in the licensee passing the exam cannot act in this role. 

The monitor must complete a Declaration of Compliance. This document confirms acknowledgment of, and adherence to, the specific requirements outlined by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. Failure to submit this document will disqualify exam results.

A score of 70 percent or higher is required to receive CE credit, and unlimited retakes are permitted until a passing score is achieved. 

Rules for Repeating a Course

Courses may not be repeated within the same renewal period. A licensee can repeat courses already taken to meet CE requirements for a subsequent renewal period. 

Credit for Instructors

CE course instructors are eligible to receive twice the number of credit hours awarded to students in any course they teach. Instructors are only eligible to receive this credit for an individual course taught once per renewal period. 

If a course has multiple instructors, the total course credit should be split evenly among the number of instructors and then doubled. 

Reporting Rules

Credits must be reported within 10 days of course completion. Successful completion of a course should be submitted to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department directly by the course provider. Licensees must keep copies of course completion certificates for six years. 

It is recommended to complete all CE at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of your license to give the CE provider sufficient time to report successful completions to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. However, CE courses can be completed at any time within the current license term. 

A $5.00 per course reporting fee will be automatically charged to the licensee. 

Insurance CE Requirement Exemptions 

Some resident licensees may qualify for full or partial CE exemptions, including:

• Producers licensed before January 1, 1971, are exempt if their license has been continuously active and no additional lines of authority have been added.
• Individuals only holding limited lines of authority.
• Individuals holding surplus lines licenses.
• Licensees who have been granted an exemption by the commissioner due to disability, medical condition, or other hardship.
• Licensees granted waivers on an individual basis for active military service or other extenuating circumstances.
• Individuals licensed without examination. 

Licensees who qualify for CE exemptions should contact the Pennsylvania Insurance Department to verify their eligibility. 

Pennsylvania Annuity Insurance Requirements

All insurance producers must complete a one-time, four-hour annuity best interest course before selling annuity products.

Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Training Requirements

Producers selling LTC products in Pennsylvania must complete a one-time, state-approved training course consisting of a minimum of eight hours. 

For producers selling LTC Partnership policies, one hour of this eight-hour initial training must include Medicaid information for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 

To maintain their status, producers selling LTC products are required to complete four hours of ongoing CE training every subsequent renewal period. 

Pennsylvania Flood Training Requirements

Producers who sell flood insurance products must complete a one-time, three-hour course that covers the training requirements set by FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).