Life and health insurance license: what it covers and how to get it
Last checked October 18, 2026 · Sources: NAIC Uniform Licensing Standards and Producer Licensing Model Act summary; state figures from our Texas, Florida, California, New York and Illinois pages, each sourced to the state and its test vendor.
A life and health insurance license lets you sell life insurance, annuities, and accident and health coverage. Under the NAIC’s model law these are two of the six major lines of authority, Life and Accident and Health or Sickness, and most new agents take both together. Each state sets its own pre-licensing hours, exam and fees: from no required course in Texas to 40 hours in New York and Illinois.
What a life and health license covers
The NAIC’s Producer Licensing Model Act defines the Life line as insurance on human lives, including endowment benefits and annuities, and the Accident and Health or Sickness line as coverage for sickness, bodily injury or accidental death, which can include disability income. Variable life and variable annuities are a separate major line that usually also requires a securities license. Many states test Life and A&H separately but also offer a combined exam.
Life and health licensing in the five biggest states
| State | Pre-licensing | Exam | To pass | License fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | None listed in the handbook | General Lines Life, Accident & Health, $49, 150 minutes | 70 (scaled) | $50 |
| Florida | 60 hours (2-15) | 2-15 exam, $44, 165 questions | 70% | $50 + $5 |
| California | 12-hour Ethics and Code course | PSI exam | 60% | $188 |
| New York | 40 hours (Life, A&H) | PSI, $40 | 70% | $80 |
| Illinois | 40 hours (20 per line) | General + State exam per line, about $92 each | 70 | $215 |
From our state pages, each sourced to the state insurance department and its test vendor, checked October 2026. Where figures come from approved schools citing official handbooks, the state page says so.
See each state for the details: Texas, Florida, California, New York and Illinois.
What’s on the life and health exam
Exams combine general insurance knowledge with state law. The general part typically covers life policy types and provisions, annuities, health and disability coverage, underwriting and policy delivery; the state part covers your state’s licensing law, marketing rules and required policy provisions. Each vendor’s candidate handbook publishes the exact topic weights for your state’s exam.
How to get a life and health license
Life, Accident and Health, or both; most new agents take both.
Your state may require a course before the exam (Florida, New York, Illinois) or before licensing (California), or none (Texas).
Book with your state's vendor (Pearson VUE, PSI or Prometric) using its candidate handbook.
NAIC standards call for fingerprinting resident applicants for major lines.
Most states take applications through NIPR or Sircon; then a company appoints you to sell its products.
Common questions about the life and health license
Is life and health one license or two?
Usually two lines of authority, Life and Accident and Health, which many states let you test for in one combined exam.
How many hours of pre-licensing do I need?
It depends on the state: none listed in Texas, a 12-hour course in California, 60 hours in Florida for 2-15, and 40 hours in New York and Illinois.
Can I sell variable annuities with a life license?
Not by itself. Variable products are a separate major line and usually also need a FINRA securities license such as the Series 6 or 7.
Can I sell in other states?
Usually yes, through nonresident licensing, which the NAIC’s model law was designed to make reciprocal.
See also our property and casualty license guide, how licensing works by state and Series 6 for variable products. MockTestPrep is independent and is not affiliated with the NAIC or any state.