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How to get an insurance license in Rhode Island. P&C: 0 pre-licensing hours. L&H: 0 hours. Government fees: $320 for both lines. 2 years renewal cycle. Verified 2026-03-22. Data verified 2026-03-22. Source: LicenseMap (getlicensemap.com).
Insurance Agent
Most information on this page has been verified.
83% of data points are verified against official sources. 4 fields based on preliminary research. We recommend confirming details with your state's licensing authority. See sources below · Report incorrect data
Not required
P&C Education
Not required
L&H Education
2 years
Renewal Cycle
$320
Gov. Fees (Both)
Insurance Producer
Rhode Island licenses insurance producers by individual lines of authority (Major Lines). Available lines include Property, Casualty, Personal Lines, Accident & Health, Life, and Variable Products. Life and Health are separate exams. Producers holding any Major Lines license must renew biennially.
Other Available Lines of Authority
No pre-licensing education required
Not required.
Rhode Island Property and Casualty Exams (separate)
Administered by Pearson VUE
180
Questions
70%
Passing Score
Property: 120 minutes, Casualty: 120 minutes
Time Limit
$80 (in-person) or $50 (OnVUE remote)
Exam Fee
Property exam: 87 questions (76 scored, 11 pretest), 2 hours. Casualty exam: 93 questions (82 scored, 11 pretest), 2 hours. Must pass each section (General Knowledge and State Law) separately. Candidates can register for two exams in one session at a test center for a single $80 fee. Remote OnVUE exams are $50.
No pre-licensing education required
Not required.
Rhode Island Life and Health Exams (separate)
Administered by Pearson VUE
180
Questions
70%
Passing Score
Life: 120 minutes, Health: 120 minutes
Time Limit
$80 (in-person) or $50 (OnVUE remote)
Exam Fee
Life exam: 90 questions (80 scored, 10 pretest), 2 hours. Health exam: 90 questions (80 scored, 10 pretest), 2 hours. Must pass each section (General Knowledge and State Law) separately. Can register for two exams in one session at a test center for a single $80 fee.
Minimum Age
18 years old
Education
No formal education requirement specified beyond passing the licensing exam
Residency
Must apply as resident producer if domiciled in Rhode Island. Non-resident licenses available through NIPR.
Background Check
All Rhode Island residents must provide a certified Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) background report from the RI Attorney General's Office. State BCI costs $5, national background check costs $35. BCI must be sent with NIPR transaction number to dbr.inslic@dbr.ri.gov within 30 days (background check is only valid for 30 days).
Fingerprinting
Not required
Citizenship
US citizen or authorized to work in the US
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Application Fee Resident initial application fee through NIPR. Plus $5.60 NIPR transaction fee. Some sources cite $125. | $50 |
P&C Exam Fee In-person exam fee at Pearson VUE test center. Can register for both Property and Casualty exams in one session for a single $80 fee. OnVUE remote exam is $50. | $80 |
L&H Exam Fee In-person exam fee at Pearson VUE test center. Can register for both Life and Health exams in one session for a single $80 fee. OnVUE remote exam is $50. | $80 |
Fingerprinting Fee State BCI ($5) + National FBI background check ($35) = $40. This covers the RI Attorney General's Office background report. | $40 |
Total Gov. Fees (Single Line) Application fee ($120) + one exam session ($80) + BCI background check ($40) = $240. Does not include NIPR transaction fee ($5.60). | $240 |
Total Gov. Fees (Both Lines) Application fee ($120) + P&C exam session ($80) + L&H exam session ($80) + BCI background check ($40) = $320. Does not include NIPR transaction fee ($5.60). | $320 |
Pre-Licensing Course Cost: $0 (not required)(per line)
Pre-licensing education is not required. Voluntary study courses typically cost $150-$400 per line.
Register and schedule your Property and Casualty exams through Pearson VUE (pearsonvue.com/ri/insurance). Pay the $80 exam fee (can take both Property and Casualty in one session).
Pass both the Property exam (87 questions) and Casualty exam (93 questions) with 70% on each section.
Obtain a certified BCI background report from the RI Attorney General's Office ($5 state + $35 national).
Submit your license application through NIPR (nipr.com) with the $120 application fee plus $5.60 transaction fee.
Email your BCI report and NIPR transaction number to dbr.inslic@dbr.ri.gov within 30 days of the BCI date.
Receive your license from the RI Division of Insurance.
Register and schedule your Life and Health exams through Pearson VUE (pearsonvue.com/ri/insurance). Pay the $80 exam fee (can take both in one session).
Pass both the Life exam (90 questions) and Health exam (90 questions) with 70% on each section.
Obtain a certified BCI background report from the RI Attorney General's Office ($5 state + $35 national).
Submit your license application through NIPR (nipr.com) with the $120 application fee plus $5.60 transaction fee.
Email your BCI report and NIPR transaction number to dbr.inslic@dbr.ri.gov within 30 days of the BCI date.
Receive your license from the RI Division of Insurance.
Important: A license alone does not allow you to sell insurance
After obtaining your license, you must be appointed by at least one insurance company to sell their products.
Appointment fee: Paid by carrier
Non-resident licenses available through NIPR. Non-resident applicants must hold a valid resident license in their home state.
Additional requirements: Non-resident applicants must submit application through NIPR with home state license in good standing
Renewal Cycle
2 years
Renewal Fee
$120
CE Required
24 hours per cycle
Ethics Hours
3 hours (included in CE total)
21 general credit hours + 3 ethics credit hours = 24 total hours per biennial renewal cycle. Effective January 1, 2026, Rhode Island also requires CE for Company Adjusters, Independent Adjusters, and Resident Public Adjusters.
Regulatory Board
Unique to Rhode Island: Rhode Island uses a BCI background check from the RI Attorney General's Office rather than the typical fingerprint-based FBI background check. This BCI is only valid for 30 days, so applicants must coordinate timing carefully. The state also allows taking two exams in one test center session for a single $80 fee, making it efficient for those seeking multiple lines.
Explore requirements for other professional licenses in Rhode Island.
How this state compares to 50 others for this profession
Timeline
#1 of 51
Salary
#7 of 51
Processing
#1 of 51
Based on May 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data for Insurance Sales Agents (SOC 41-3021)
Entry Level
$49,890
25th percentile
Median
$74,360
+23% vs. national avg ($60,370)Experienced
$101,920
75th percentile
Wage Distribution (Annual)
1,860 employed in this state
Note: Insurance agent compensation is heavily commission-based. BLS OEWS data may not fully reflect total earnings including commissions and bonuses.
Source: BLS OEWS – Insurance Sales Agents (May 2024)
National employment projections for 2024-2034
Projected Growth
+4.7%
Average GrowthNew Jobs
+26,200
over 10 years
Annual Openings
41,200
per year (avg.)
555,200 currently employed nationwide (2024)
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034 (September 2025)
Insurance Career Ladder+12% salary growth potential
You are here
Insurance Agent
$74,360
Pre-licensing education + state exam
You are here
Insurance Agent
Pre-licensing education + state exam
$74,360
Adjuster licensing + claims experience
$83,480
Salary data from BLS OEWS May 2024 for this state. Career paths represent common advancement routes — actual progression may vary. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook
Government fees and exam costs to obtain your initial license
Note: These are government licensing fees only. Education/training program costs (tuition, books, etc.) are not included as they vary widely by institution.
Source: Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Division of Insurance — Licensing Requirements
Estimated total: 4–10 weeks
Timeline estimated from licensing requirements on this page.
Source: Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Division of Insurance — Licensing Requirements
1–4 weeks
Estimated processing time
Source: Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, Division of Insurance — Licensing Requirements
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