Vermont Insurance Continuing Education

Resident Requirements

Resident licensees must complete a minimum of 24 credit hours of Department-approved subjects during each two-year (biennial) reporting period.

Of this 24-hour requirement: 

• Three credit hours must be in ethics subjects
• No more than six credits may be in coursework categorized as Agency Management 

Courses may be completed in a classroom setting, through self-study, or at your own pace online. There are no other category restrictions on coursework. Licensees may take CE-approved courses in any subject. 

Rules for Non-Residents

Non-resident licensees in compliance with their home state's CE requirements are exempt from completing Vermont CE provided that the home state's requirements are similar to those set by Vermont law. 

The Vermont Department of Financial Regulation may verify a non-resident's compliance and standing with their home state's license requirements.

Carryover of Excess CE

Licensees are encouraged to complete additional CE training, but extra credits earned in a renewal period cannot be carried over to the next term. 

Insurance License Term Renewal Requirements

A Vermont insurance license expires on March 31 of odd-numbered years. This renewal date is fixed regardless of when a licensee is initially certified, but CE requirements do not apply to a licensee's first renewal term.  

Licensees are eligible to renew their licenses beginning 85 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 National Insurance Producer Registry website or by using the Vermont State Information Center Insurance Licensing Search and Renewal tool. 

Paper renewals are only accepted if the online renewal option is unavailable for an individual's license type or if a licensee has submitted a request for a Hardship Exception to renew by mail. Paper renewals must be received by the Department before the March 31 renewal deadline.

The license renewal fee is $30. 

The state of Vermont sends licensees a renewal reminder at the beginning of the renewal year. This reminder is sent to the licensee's address on record with the Department. It is the licensee's responsibility to keep their contact information up to date with the Department and report any changes.

Licensees may submit a Request for Extension before the March 31 deadline to the Office of the Commissioner in order to apply for an extension of up to six months. If a producer is not CE compliant before the end of the extension received, their license will be suspended. 

Licensees who fail to renew their license before its expiration date and do not have an extension granted must submit a new NAIC Uniform application, a $30 application fee, and a $30 license fee. With this application, the licensee must also submit copies of CE compliance certificates from the lapsed renewal period. 

Rules for Taking the Exam

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

Online exams must be monitored by an unbiased third party. Family members, friends, employers, colleagues, or anyone with an interest in the licensee's passing of the exam cannot act in this monitor role.

For online exam results to be accepted, monitors must complete an online Declaration of Compliance. This document confirms acknowledgment of and adherence to the specific requirements outlined by the State Department of Financial Regulation. Failure to submit this document will disqualify exam results. 

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

Rules for Repeating a Course

Repeating a course is not allowed within an individual 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 the same amount of credit hours as the students enrolled in the course. Instructors are only eligible to receive credit for an individual course taught once per renewal period.

Reporting Rules

Required CE credits must be submitted to the state directly by the course provider within 20 days of course completion. Licensees must keep course completion certificates in their files for two years. 

It is recommended to complete all continuing education 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 Vermont State Department of Financial Regulation. However, CE courses can be completed at any time within the current license term. 

Insurance CE Requirement Exemptions 

Some resident licensees are exempt from CE reporting requirements, including:

• New licensees in their first renewal terms
• Personal and casualty adjusters 
• Licensees holding limited lines, including title insurance, travel accident, and travel baggage insurance

Licensees that qualify for CE exemptions should contact the Vermont State Department of Financial Regulation to verify this eligibility. 

Vermont Long-Term Care Training Requirements

Per federal regulation, Vermont health producers must also complete specific training to sell, solicit, or negotiate long term care policies. 

Professionals licensed as an insurance producer for accident and health must complete a one-time, eight-hour training course to sell, solicit, or negotiate LTC insurance. This coursework must include at least two hours of Vermont-specific training, including Vermont Medicaid information.

Licensees must also complete four hours of ongoing LTC training every renewal period. This training can be applied to the producer's 24-hour CE requirement. 

The four-hour refresher course covers subjects including:

• The history of long term care
• How to build an LTC policy
• The difference between tax-qualified and non-tax-qualified plans 
• Alternatives that exist for individual clients 

This requirement applies to both resident non-resident agents working in Vermont.

Flood Insurance

Before selling flood insurance, agents must complete a one-time training course of three hours, in order to comply with requirements established by FEMA and the National Flood Insurance program.

Annuity Requirements

As of July 5, 2024, insurance producers in Vermont must complete a one-time annuity suitability course before selling annuity products. The course is offered in one- and four-hour versions.

If you have already completed annuity training, you can take the one-hour annuity suitability course until January 5, 2025.

If you have not taken any annuity training, you must complete the four-hour suitability course.