How do I register to take an insurance licensing examination?
The Division of Insurance’s 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 or provide study material for licensing examinations. Prometric offers exam content outlines that should be utilized when studying for the exam. 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 any other professional designations.
How do I apply for an Individual Producer License?
You may apply online through NIPR for an individual or business entity producer license. Licensing requirements for producer and other license types can be found on NIPR’s Massachusetts State Requirement page, or on Individual and Business Entity Licensing | Mass.gov. For more information on exam scheduling and procedures, please visit Massachusetts Insurance | Prometric
How do I apply for a Business Entity Producer License?
Please visit Licensing Requirements: General Requirements for All Business Entity Types | Mass.gov for general licensing requirements. Once the entity’s name is approved, you may register with the Massachusetts Secretary of State and request the required certified documentation. Application can be made online through 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.
How long is an individual Producer license good for before I must renew it?
A license cannot be issued for longer than a three-year period, and no shorter than a two-year period. Your initial Producer License may not be a full three-year license, as your renewal will be on the day of your birth month. The Division does not offer partial refunds.
My license lapsed. What are the Reinstating Producer Requirements?
Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 175, § 162M (c): An individual insurance producer who allows his license to lapse may, within 12 months from the due date of the renewal fee, reinstate the same license without the necessity of passing a written examination, but a penalty in the amount of double the unpaid renewal fee shall be required for any renewal fee received after the due date. The fee for a reinstating Producer is either $450.00 or $525.00 based upon the lines of authority; please read information on the lead paint surcharge. In addition, all active appointments held by the Producer, prior to the license lapsing are no longer active.
How do I apply for a Massachusetts non-resident license?
Both resident and non-residents may apply online through NIPR.com Additional information for non-resident applicants may be found on the Divisions’ website Individual and Business Entity Licensing | Mass.gov
Both resident and non-resident producers must be approved and duly licensed by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.
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 must 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. Your former resident license should be cancelled and a request to convert to a resident should be sent to producerupdate.mailbox@mass.gov. Your former home state licensure must be verifiable on NIPR’s Producer Database (PDB). The request should also include your new Massachusetts resident address.
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. If you held a non-resident license prior to converting to a resident, it is important to be aware of your new CE requirements and your license expiration date. This can be view using SBS’s License Manager.
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 to DOINameApproval@mass.gov, 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 option #3.
What are the Continuing Education requirements for Massachusetts residents?
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.
Any resident producer, licensed after April 4, 1983, is responsible for completing the required Continuing Education hours as follows:
- Producers are required to complete 60 CE credits, of which, 3 must be ethics, prior to their first renewal date. Subsequent renewals will require 45 CE credits, of which, 3 must be ethics.
- CE hours are due every three years based upon your renewal date and should be completed no later than ten days prior to your renewal date.
If you were licensed prior to April 4, 1983, and 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. To stay "grandfathered”, one would have to be continuously licensed (no break in licensing years) prior to April 4, 1983, in MA and have not added on any new lines of authority after such date.
In order to renew your Massachusetts insurance producer license you must have completed your required continuing education credits prior to your license renewal date. Failure to complete your continuing education credits prior to your renewal date will result in additional monetary penalties and reinstatement fees. Non-compliance with Massachusetts continuing education requirements may also result in the suspension of your license.
To assure timely renewal of your license, be sure to allow enough time for your continuing education credits to appear on your transcript prior to your license renewal date.
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 (age or term period in the insurance business). Will my Continuing Education waiver remain in place in Massachusetts?
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. If you move from that state into Massachusetts, you will no longer be considered grandfathered and will need to complete the required CE’s for Massachusetts resident producers.
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 here: Adding a New Line of Authority to An Active Producer License | Mass.gov
Is there a fee involved when adding on a new line of authority?
If adding on the Property & Casualty lines of authority or the Personal Lines line of authority, a lead paint surcharge of $75.00 for each term period of the Producer License is 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.
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.
There is no fee to add other lines of authority to your license.
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.
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 producerupdate.mailbox@mass.gov.