How do I register to take an insurance licensing examination?
The Division of Insurance’s (“Division”) examination vendor is Prometric. Log on to their website and register at www.prometric.com. You will also find candidate licensing handbook, examination outlines and other pertinent licensing information on this website.
Where can I find study material for the licensing examinations?
The Division does not recommend, nor provide study material for licensing examinations. Log on to Prometric’s website at www.prometric.com and search for CE courses under Massachusetts continuing education online for licensees; most of the approved CE providers also offer pre-licensing study courses.
If I am a CPA or Attorney can I waive the general laws portion of the licensing examinations?
The Division does not allow waivers for any portion of the licensing examinations, regardless of your professional designations.
How do I apply for an Individual Producer License?
Instructions for applying for an Individual Producer License, as well as other types of individual licenses may be found on the Division of Insurance website; www.mass.gov/doi. Instructions just for Producer Licensing may also be found on www.nipr.com by clicking on to applications in bottom right corner and then clicking on Massachusetts on the map. The candidate handbook offered by Prometric will also explain various licensing processes at www.prometric.com.
Additional Resources
How do I apply for a Business Entity Producer License?
Instructions for applying for a Business Entity Producer License, as well as other type of business entity licenses may be found on the Division of Insurance website, www.mass.gov/doi; in addition www.nipr.com (see above #4) and www.prometric.com offer further licensing information.
Where do I mail my new Individual Producer paper application, test score report and licensing fee.
If not using NIPR online, all new individual producer paper applications, which are still acceptable, test score reports and licensing fees are to be mailed directly to the Division at the following address:
Massachusetts Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street Suite #810
Boston, MA 02118-6200
The Division also accepts business entity producer paper applications. The Division is moving away from paper applications; the preferred method is online via www.nipr.com.
Can I apply for a new Individual Producer license or a Business Entity Producer license online?
After you have completed your licensing examinations (Individuals only), if needed, allow several days to pass and then apply directly online at www.nipr.com the method is easy and allows for both credit card payment and electronic fund transfers. Business entities must first apply for name approval which requires documents from the corporate division of the Secretary of State’s Office in Boston, instructions may be found at www.nipr.com as noted in #4 above. Once the name approval process has been completed the Division will mail out a PIN number letter, so that you, as a new business entity producer, can apply online at www.nipr.com.
Can I renew my Individual Producer license or Business Entity Producer license online?
You can renew both your individual producer license and your business entity producer license at www.nipr.com.
My new individual Producer license is supposed to be for a full three years.
However it is less than three years; am I eligible for a partial refund?
The Division is aware that your initial Producer License may not be a full three-year license, as your renewal will be on your birth date. A license cannot be issued for longer than a three-year period, and no shorter than a two-year period. The Division does not offer partial refunds.
How do I apply for a Massachusetts non-resident license?
Instructions for applying for a non-resident license may be found on the Divisions’ website (www.mass.gov/doi).
I am moving to Massachusetts and now hold a non-resident license in Massachusetts.
How do I obtain a resident license without any lapsed time?
Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 175, § 162O (b): A person licensed as an insurance producer in another state who moves to the Commonwealth shall make application within 90 days of establishing legal residence to become a resident licensee under section 162L. No pre-licensing education or examination shall be required of that person to obtain any line of authority previously held in the prior state except where the commissioner determines otherwise by regulation. If you currently hold a non-resident license in MA, you will have to notify the Division in writing that you have become a resident of MA and would like to change your non-resident license to a resident license; this can only be accomplished if you were in good standing in your previous home state. You can either provide the Division a Clearance Letter with your written request or your former home state licensure must be verifiable on NIPR’s Producer Database (PDB). You will be required to provide your changed addresses. Once you have become a resident licensee, your CE requirements begin on that date of licensure (original resident licensing date), regardless of your status in your prior home state.
I would like to use a DBA/Trade name in place of my own name.
How do I obtain approval from the Division to add the DBA name to my license?
Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 175 § 162P, an insurance producer doing business under any name other than the producer’s legal name, is required to notify the commissioner prior to using the assumed name. The Division requires that you send your request for your DBA in writing, listing the top three DBA names you prefer in order of preference. Once approved, you will be notified. You will then have to obtain a business certificate from the town or city in which you will be operating as a DBA and submit that document to the Producer Licensing Department. An individual producer requesting a DBA name must include the word, “insurance” in his/her DBA name and may not use plural nouns, such as, “group”, “associates”, “& Co.”, as your DBA name is for one person’s use only, the licensee (you). No other licensee may operate under your DBA name. A business entity must follow the same instructions as an individual, to seek DBA name approval. The BE does not have to include the word, “insurance” in its name and other members of the BE can operate under the DBA name. If uncertain, contact the Producer Licensing Dept at 617-521-7794 and opt for line #2.
What are the Continuing Education requirements for Massachusetts residents?
Any resident producer licensee, licensed after April 4th, 1983, is responsible for completing his/her Continuing Education hours. CE hours are due every three years based upon your initial licensure date, not your renewal date. If you were licensed prior to April 4, 1983 and were considered “grandfathered”, but later decided to add on a new line of authority that required a licensing examination, you will no longer be considered grandfathered and your CE requirements will begin anew. In order to stay ‘grandfathered”, one would have to be continuously licensed (no break in licensing years) prior to April 4th, 1983 as a MA resident licensee and has not added on any new lines of authority after such date. The CE statute is M.G.L. Chapter 175 § 177E and the MA Regulation is 211 C.M.R. 50.00. Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 175, § 172, Public Insurance Adjusters must complete 15 hours of CE prior to renewing his/her license each renewal year.
Are my Continuing Education hours transferable?
I was licensed in another state prior to moving to Massachusetts are my Continuing Education hours that I have accumulated transferable to Massachusetts?
Once you have become licensed as a MA Producer or Public Insurance Adjuster, any CE hours accumulated in your prior state are not transferrable to MA CE requirements. A new resident licensee must start a anew with CE requirements.
I was licensed in another state with Continuing Education waivers.
I was licensed in another state with Continuing Education waivers (age or term period in the insurance business), I no longer was required to take Continuing Education. In Massachusetts will my Continuing Education waiver remain in place?
If you’re a resident licensee of another state and you were grandfathered in that other state from CE requirements, the “grandfathering” of your CE requirement ends upon the date you become a MA licensee.
How do I add on a new line of authority to my Producer license.
Instructions for adding on a new line of authority may be found on the Division’s website at the following link www.mass.gov/doi and click on the licensing icon.
Additional Resources
Is there a fee involved when adding on a new line of authority?
If one adds on the Property & Casualty lines of authority or the Personal Lines line of authority, there is lead paint surcharge charged to the licensee. Producers who hold the property or casualty lines of authority or who hold the personal lines of authority or those who newly apply for one of these lines of authority are required to pay a lead paint surcharge in addition to the license fee. Effective July 1, 2002, the amended law requires the Division to apply a surcharge of $75.00 for each term period of the Producer license.
The funds generated from this surcharge are used by the Department of Public Health for the production and dissemination of educational materials pertaining to lead paint poisoning prevention and treatment issues and for the training of lead paint inspectors and homeowners.
Additional Resources
What type of licenses may I apply for with the Massachusetts DOI, Producer Licensing Dept?
The Producer Licensing Department offers the following licenses to both individuals and business entities:
- Producer
- Adviser
- Public Insurance Adjuster
- Reinsurance Intermediary Broker License
- Reinsurance Intermediary Manager License
- Surplus Lines Broker
- Life Settlement Broker
- Portable Electronics Limited Lines Licenses
In addition the Producer Licensing Department issues the following type of licenses:
- Automobile Clubs & its agents
- Banks in the business of insurance
- Auto Damage Appraisers licenses (a.k.a., MVDA’s)
How can I find out if I am actively licensed in Massachusetts?
You may look to see if you or any other individual is actively licensed at the following link: By performing a detailed search you will be able to see if you are actively licensed.
How can I contact the Producer Licensing Department?
You may contact the Division’s Producer Licensing Department by either calling (617) 521-7794 and opting for line #3, or you may email one of the individual staff members by finding his/her name on the link for Producer Licensing Staff Contacts below.