Kentucky School of Insurance

Kentucky Insurance Licensing Process.

There is a process to becoming official. To get your Kentucky insurance license, you’ll need to complete the following five steps:

1. Figure Out Which Insurance License You’ll Need
2. Complete a Pre-Licensing Education Course
3. Apply for a Criminal Background Report
4. Submit Your Insurance License Application
5. Pass the Relevant Kentucky Insurance License Exam(s)

Below, we have explored each step in more detail. Now, do not get scared. It may seem like a lot of moving parts. However, there is a process to becoming a fully licensed producer here in Kentucky. Carefully follow the steps below for success. We are always here to help. So, if you have any questions, please get in touch with us. 

Step 1: Decide Which Insurance Licenses You Need

The first step will be deciding what type of insurance policies you’ll want to sell — at least at the start of your career. Depending on your career goals and other licenses in place, it has been our experience that a solid starting point for a career-launching license is the Property and Casualty license.

This is because the type of insurance policies you hope to sell will dictate the type of license you’ll need. For example, you’d need a Property & Casualty (P&C) license to sell auto, home, or business insurance.

In our industry, there are a multitude of licenses and credentials. Here’s a list of the main types of insurance agent licenses that are available for training that will allow you to become a licensed insurance producer in the state of Kentucky:

• Property
• Casualty
• Life
• Health

While there are many different licenses, most insurance agents will obtain a Property and Casualty (P&C) or a Life, Accident, and Health license.

Many agents opt to obtain both licenses, which allows them to offer clients a much wider range of insurance products.

However, if you already know you want to specialize in one particular type of policy, you’ll, of course, only have to focus on the specific license applicable to you.

Step 2: Complete a Kentucky Pre-Licensing Education Course

The next step you’ll want to take toward becoming a licensed insurance agent in Kentucky is completing a pre-licensing education course.

According to Kentucky law, you must complete 20 hours of study for each primary line of authority you wish to be licensed.

After you complete your course, The Kentucky School of Insurance will notify the Kentucky Department of Insurance electronically.

You should confirm that the Department has received this notification. If they haven’t, you must personally submit a signed and dated Certificate of Completion (Form CPL-01) to the Kentucky Department of Insurance.

There is an abundance of pre-licensing courses available. There are many national companies, yet few are native and local to Kentucky. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when deciding which is right for you. To avoid this, we typically recommend choosing based on the following factors:

• The course’s flexibility. Self Study, In-Person, Webinar. This depends on your learning style. Please be aware often that if it is quick and easy, "cramming" for these exams does not lead to success.
• The course’s price: This one is obvious; our only tip here is not to go too low, as from our experience, you tend to get what you pay for when it comes to these
• The course’s reputation: How reliable is each provider? The last thing you want is insufficient and/or incomplete resources before your exam.
• Practice questions and test banks? Are they included? Or do you have to pay an additional fee? At the Kentucky School of Insurance, our test banks are ALWAYS INCLUDED. This is one of the most essential factors to aid student success.

Step 3: Apply for a Criminal Background Report

After completing your pre-licensing education, you must apply for a Criminal Background Report online through the KY Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

This process costs $25 plus a small transaction fee (2.25% or $2.50, whichever is greater).

To proceed, you will need to:

1. Visit the AOC Website: Go to the AOC website and click on “Apply for Criminal Background Report” to start your application.
2. Choose Your Request Type: Opt for the One-Time Request to place a single order and receive your report by U.S. mail. You can then submit this report directly to the Kentucky Department of Insurance.
3. Select the Necessary Details: On the record request page, you must specify “Licensing” as the category, “Dept of Insurance (DOI)” as the group, and “Licensing” as the reason.
4. Submit and Pay for Your Request: You must submit your request and pay the non-refundable fee via credit card or electronic check.

It should be noted that the results of your criminal background report will not be emailed directly to you or the Department of Insurance (DOI). Instead, all results for requests submitted online are found on the Kentucky Court of Justice’s website.

Having said that, once your report is ready, you will receive an email notification titled “Record Request Transaction”, including a link to access and view your report on the Kentucky Court of Justice website.

You must then submit the report to the DOI via email at [email protected] or through your KY eServices account.

Note: Your AOC criminal background report will be valid for 60 days. You must apply for a new report if your license process takes longer.

Step 4: Submit Your Insurance License Application

With your background report out of the way, you’ll be ready to apply for your license.

You must visit the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) website and submit your application. This process incurs a fee of $40 per line of authority for which you are applying.

Remember to double-check all the information for accuracy and completeness before submitting your application. Incomplete or inaccurate applications can lead to severe delays in the licensing process.

Step 5: "Pass with Confidence" the Relevant Kentucky Insurance License Exam(s)

After submitting your application, you must take (and pass) the relevant Kentucky insurance license exam.

It should be noted that all insurance licensing examinations in Kentucky — including combined ones — cost $50.

Remember that you can sit for more than one exam at a time (e.g., if you want to apply for a P&C and a life and health insurance license).

You know you. Plan and prepare to meet your learning habits and speed best. Passing your exam is hard enough as it is, and there is arguably little to gain and a lot to lose with the added risk of confusing separate-line material. These exams are separated. e.g. "Property," 'Casualty." 

We found that the best approach is to study for one exam at a time, averaging two to six weeks per exam—depending on whether you are studying full-time or part-time and how comfortable you are with proctored exams. Again, our experience has been that cramming at the last minute does not lead to success with these exams. Give yourself ample time to prepare.

Exam Schedule and Testing Sites

• https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/Documents/ExamScheduleTestSites12192024.pdf

Step 6: Application Review

After satisfying all the other requirements and submitting a license application to the Kentucky Department of Insurance, all that’s left to do is wait.

Suppose everything on your application has been filled out correctly. In that case, your license should be issued within three to five weeks—typically for a license application and background check to be reviewed.

It’s essential to be aware that issuing your insurance license can take longer than this if any items from your background check need to be reviewed. However, the state will likely contact you to give some context if they encounter any issues.

In any case, the state will email you regarding the status of your license once this review has been completed, so keep an eye out for that!

After Getting Your Kentucky Insurance License

Once you have successfully passed all required exams and your licensing application has been approved, you will be a certified insurance agent in Kentucky.

At this point, there are four main steps that we recommend new insurance agents to take:

1. Choose a Means of Selling: You must decide whether you’d prefer working as a captive agent by one company running your own business or acting as a producer as an independent agent.
2. Keep Your License Valid: In Kentucky, you must complete twenty-four hours of continuing education (CE) every two years to maintain your insurance license. These must include three hours of ethics training. It is essential always to make sure your CE is completed.

Kentucky Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address:
 500 Mero Street
 2 SE 11, Frankfort, KY 40601

Phone: (502) 564-3630

Fax: (502) 654-6030

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://insurance.ky.gov/ppc/new_default.aspx

License Search: Kentucky Insurance License Search and Lookup

 

Kentucky Insurance License FAQ

Will I need to renew my insurance license in Kentucky?

Yes, you must renew your insurance license every two years in Kentucky. To do this, you must have completed twenty-four hours of continuing education, including three hours of ethics training.

How much does the Kentucky insurance license cost?

To obtain an insurance license in Kentucky, you must pay a $40 licensing fee per line of authority you are pursuing. Besides the licensing fees, aspiring Kentucky insurance agents are also required to pay $50 for each licensing exam they take.

Is the Kentucky insurance license exam hard?

These exams are not too difficult, but they are not easy and can be tricky. Make sure you understand the concepts versus memorizing questions. The difficulty of the Kentucky insurance license exam will ultimately depend on your preparation and the specific line of authority you are pursuing. If you’re worried about the difficulty of the exam, you should note that — before sitting — you will have completed pre-licensing training designed to help you pass on your first attempt. 

If by chance you do not pass your exam on the first attempt. Do not worry. You are not the first nor the last person to do so. You need to wait 24 hours and can reschedule your exam. However, you will need to pay the test fee again. 

How do I get my insurance license in Kentucky?

To get your insurance license in Kentucky, complete the required pre-licensing education, apply for a criminal background report, and submit your license application via the NIPR website. After your application is processed — typically within three to five days — you must schedule and pass the relevant state licensing exam(s)