How to register for an insurance licensing exam
To register for an insurance licensing exam, follow your state insurance department’s process: its testing company, usually Pearson VUE, PSI or Prometric, runs registration. In general you choose your line of authority, finish any required pre-licensing course, then register with the testing company online or by phone using the state’s candidate handbook. After you pass, you apply for the license within your state’s deadline, usually through NIPR or Sircon.
From Pearson’s state insurance pages and state insurance departments (Mississippi, Rhode Island, Texas). Details vary by state; follow your state’s candidate handbook. Checked October 12, 2026.
Check your state insurance department's site for which testing company it uses and download that company's candidate handbook for your state.
Life, Accident and Health, Property, Casualty, Personal Lines, or a combined exam. Rhode Island, for example, says it can't advise which exam to schedule.
If your state requires it. Some, such as Rhode Island, don't require pre-licensing education.
Create an account with the testing company in your legal name, exactly as on your ID, then book a center or, where offered, an online exam.
Apply for your license after passing; Texas, for example, requires an application within one year of passing.
Things to watch
- Use your exact legal name; Pearson warns it appears on your score report and licensing records.
- Read the content outline in the candidate handbook; it lists what your state tests.
- Fingerprints: some states require them; Pearson offers fingerprinting at some Kansas sites, for example.
- Resident first: a pre-licensing provider notes you generally need your home state’s license before a non-resident license elsewhere; check with both states.
Registration differences in the five biggest states
| State | Register with | Before you book | After you pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Pearson VUE ($49) | No course listed in the handbook | IdentoGO fingerprints; apply to TDI within 1 year ($50) |
| Florida | Pearson VUE ($44) | DFS-approved course (60 or 200 hours); apply through MyProfile | Fingerprints; score valid 1 year |
| California | PSI | None for the exam; the 12-hour course is due before licensing | Apply to CDI ($188), then Live Scan fingerprints |
| New York | PSI ($40) | Approved course, 20 to 90 hours | Apply to DFS ($80) |
| Illinois | Pearson VUE (about $92 per exam) | 20 hours per line, 7.5 live; bring your certificate | Wait 5 days, then apply through NIPR ($215) |
From our state pages, each sourced to the state and its test vendor, checked October 2026.
Details for each state: Texas, Florida, California, New York and Illinois.
Common questions about registering for an insurance exam
Where do I register for the insurance exam?
With your state’s testing company, such as Pearson VUE or PSI, online or by phone, using the candidate handbook for your state.
Do I need to finish a course before booking?
In some states, yes: Florida, New York and Illinois require an approved course before the exam. Texas lists none, and California’s 12-hour course is due before licensing, not before the exam.
What name should I register under?
Your exact legal name as it appears on your ID; Pearson VUE warns it appears on your score report and licensing records.
How long do I have to apply after passing?
It varies: Texas allows one year, Florida’s passing score is valid for one year, and Illinois requires a five-day wait before you can apply.
We first checked these sources on October 12, 2026 and rechecked them on October 18, 2026. MockTestPrep is independent and is not affiliated with Pearson VUE, PSI, NIPR or any state.