Last verified: October 2026. Your state's candidate handbook is the final authority.
The short answer
The life insurance license exam is a state exam given by a testing vendor (Pearson VUE, PSI or Prometric, depending on your state). It covers general insurance concepts, types of life policies, policy provisions, riders and options, annuities (in many states), taxes and retirement plans, and your state's insurance laws. The exact topics, number of questions, time limit and passing score are set out in your state's content outline and candidate handbook.
Exam format by state
Formats differ by state. The table below shows the vendor and where to find the official details for several states. Figures below were checked against the cited handbooks on Oct 23, 2026; always confirm in your state's current handbook before you book.
| State | Exam vendor | Questions | Time limit | Passing score | Exam fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas (Life Agent, exam InsTX-Life01) | Pearson VUE | 80 scored + 10 pretest, in two sections: Life General Knowledge (50 scored + 5 pretest) and Texas Life Agent state law (30 scored + 5 pretest) | 120 minutes | Scaled score of 70 | $39 | Pearson VUE Texas handbook |
| Florida (2-15 Health, Life and Annuity) | Pearson VUE | 150 scored + 15 pretest | 2.75 hours (2 hours 45 minutes) | 70% | $44 | Pearson VUE Florida handbook, Florida content outlines |
| California (Life) | PSI | 75 | 1.5 hours per CDI; 105 minutes per the PSI bulletin | 60% | $55 CDI exam fee + $43 PSI convenience fee | CDI exam info, CDI fees, PSI bulletin |
| Georgia (Life Agent) | Pearson VUE | See handbook | 2 hours | 70% correct | $67 | Pearson VUE Georgia handbook |
| North Carolina (Life Agent) | Pearson VUE | 55 + up to 5 pretest | 1 hour 15 minutes | Scaled score of 70 | $45 | Pearson VUE North Carolina handbook |
| Ohio (Life) | PSI | 100 | 2 hours | 70% | $49 | Ohio candidate handbook |
Ohio ended remote proctored exams on March 13, 2026, so Ohio candidates test in person (Ohio candidate handbook). Many exams include unscored pretest questions mixed in with scored ones; you can't tell which is which, so answer every question carefully.
Not listed? Find your state's vendor and requirements on our state-by-state licensing pages, including Pennsylvania and Illinois.
What's on the exam: topic by topic
Every state publishes a content outline with its own topic weights. Most life exams cover the areas below. Use the outline from your vendor to see how many questions come from each area. (We don't reproduce vendor questions; use your course's practice exams for that.)
General insurance concepts
Risk, insurable interest, how insurers are organized and regulated, the role of agents and producers, and basic contract law: offer and acceptance, consideration, legal purpose and competent parties. Expect terms like "utmost good faith," "adhesion," "warranties" and "representations."
Types of life insurance
Term life (level, decreasing, renewable, convertible), whole life, universal life, variable and indexed products, and specialty policies such as joint life and final expense. Know how premiums, cash value and death benefits behave in each.
Policy provisions, riders and options
Standard provisions (grace period, incontestability, reinstatement, free look, misstatement of age), beneficiary designations, settlement options, nonforfeiture options, dividend options, and common riders such as waiver of premium, accidental death and accelerated benefits.
Application, underwriting and delivery
Completing the application, required disclosures and notices, how underwriting works (including the Fair Credit Reporting Act and medical information sources), premium payment, and policy delivery.
Annuities (in many states)
Immediate vs deferred, fixed vs variable vs indexed, accumulation and annuitization phases, and suitability. Some states test annuities in more depth or require separate annuity training.
Taxes, retirement and other concepts
Tax treatment of premiums, cash value and death benefits; modified endowment contracts; qualified retirement plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s; and business uses of life insurance such as buy-sell and key-person coverage.
Your state's laws and rules
Licensing requirements, continuing education, the commissioner's authority, unfair trade practices such as twisting, rebating and misrepresentation, and state replacement rules. This section is state-specific, so study it from your state outline and course.
Study guide: how to prepare
Start with the official content outline
Download your state's candidate handbook and content outline from your exam vendor before you study. It tells you the topics, weights, question count and passing score, so you know where to spend your time.
Use a state-approved course
If your state requires pre-licensing education, you must complete an approved course before scheduling. Even where it isn't required, a course with practice exams helps. One option for TPG candidates is the JustInsurance pre-licensing course, which costs $39. Any state-approved provider works. Confirm any course is on your state's approved-provider list (NAIC state insurance department directory).
Learn concepts, not just answers
Exam questions are usually worded differently from practice questions. Focus on why an answer is right: what a provision does, who it protects, and when it applies. Make your own flashcards for definitions and for numbers your state outline lists, such as grace periods and free-look periods, taking the values from your course or state law.
Take full-length practice exams
Time yourself under exam conditions. Review every miss, then go back to the topic it came from. Many candidates wait to schedule until they score comfortably above the passing mark on practice tests; that is a personal readiness check, not a guarantee.
Sample study plans (examples only)
These are examples to adapt, not promises about how long you'll need. Your pace depends on your schedule, your state's outline and your background.
Example 2-week plan (studying most days):
- Days 1–3: General concepts and contract law; types of life policies.
- Days 4–6: Provisions, riders and options; application and underwriting.
- Days 7–8: Annuities, taxes and retirement.
- Days 9–10: State law and rules.
- Days 11–13: Full practice exams; review weak areas.
- Day 14: Light review; confirm ID and exam-day logistics.
Example 4-week plan (studying part-time):
- Week 1: General concepts and types of policies.
- Week 2: Provisions, riders, options, underwriting and delivery.
- Week 3: Annuities, taxes, retirement and state law.
- Week 4: Practice exams, targeted review, exam-day prep.
Is the exam hard?
It's designed to check that you understand the material well enough to advise consumers, so it takes real study. How hard it feels depends on your preparation and your state's exam. Some vendors publish official pass-rate data. For example, Pearson VUE's 2026 Texas summary shows that 2,561 of 5,356 first-time candidates taking the English-language Life Agent exam passed, or 48% (Pearson VUE Texas 2026 summary). That figure describes past candidates in one state; it says nothing about how any individual will do.
Exam day
- ID: bring the identification your candidate handbook requires; names must match your registration. For example, Texas requires two current signature IDs, the primary one government-issued with a photo, with names exactly matching your registration (Pearson VUE Texas handbook).
- What's allowed: personal items are typically stored outside the testing room, and calculators or scratch materials follow vendor rules. In Texas, only silent, hand-held, nonprinting calculators without an alphabetic keypad are allowed, and financial calculators are not (Pearson VUE Texas handbook); in Georgia, no personal items are allowed in the testing room (Pearson VUE Georgia handbook).
- Online or in person: some states allow remotely proctored exams. Pearson VUE's OnVUE list includes insurance exams for Mississippi, Montana, Nevada and Tennessee (Pearson VUE), and California offers remote PSI exams (PSI California bulletin). Ohio ended remote proctoring on March 13, 2026. As of October 2026, Texas and Florida are not on the Pearson VUE OnVUE list.
- Booking: Georgia and North Carolina require reservations at least 24 hours ahead (GA handbook) (NC handbook).
- Results: many vendors show a pass/fail result when you finish. In Texas and Florida you leave the test center with an official score report marked pass or fail (Pearson VUE Texas handbook, Pearson VUE Florida handbook).
If you don't pass
See failed the life insurance exam: retake rules and next steps.
Many people retake the exam. Your score report usually shows how you did by section, so you know what to review. Retake rules vary by state. In Florida you can take the same exam up to five times in 12 months, and a passing score is valid for one year (Florida DFS). In North Carolina you must wait 24 hours before scheduling a retake (NC handbook). Texas: no limit on attempts, and you can schedule a new exam within one day (Pearson VUE Texas handbook). California: after 10 failures of the same exam you are barred for 12 months (PSI California bulletin). Georgia: wait 14 days after attempts one and two, then 60 days after later attempts, with no limit on attempts (Pearson VUE Georgia handbook). Ohio: no limit on retakes, but you can't rebook on the same day (Ohio handbook).
After you pass
See just got your life insurance license? what to do next.
For Georgia's full licensing process, see how to get a life insurance license in Georgia.
Passing the exam is not the same as being licensed. In California, for example, the 12-hour ethics and California Insurance Code course must be completed before the license is issued, though not before the exam; AB 943 removed the separate 20-hour course requirement as of January 1, 2026 (CDI). Next you'll typically complete fingerprints and a background check, apply for your license through NIPR or your state, and then get appointed by carriers. Most carriers require errors and omissions (E&O) insurance; that requirement comes from the carriers, not from TPG. See how to get an insurance license for the full steps.
Frequently asked questions
What score do you need to pass the life insurance exam?
It's set by each state. Examples: 70% in Florida and Ohio, a scaled score of 70 in Texas and North Carolina, and 60% in California (sources in the table above). Check your own state's handbook.
How many questions are on the life insurance exam?
It varies by state: for example 75 in California, 100 in Ohio, and 80 scored plus 10 unscored pretest questions for the Texas Life Agent exam (sources in the table above).
Is the life insurance exam hard?
It requires focused study across general concepts, policy details and state law. Preparing from your state's content outline and taking timed practice exams are the most reliable ways to get ready.
How long should I study?
It depends on your schedule and background, and on whether your state requires pre-licensing hours. The 2- and 4-week plans above are examples, not guarantees.
What happens if I fail?
You can usually retake it after a waiting period and paying the fee again. Rules vary by state; see your candidate handbook.
Can I take the exam online?
Some states and vendors offer remotely proctored exams; others require a test center. Check your vendor's site.
Next step
Find your state's exam vendor and requirements
See how to become an insurance agent for the broader career path.
Talk to TPG about what comes after you pass. Joining TPG is free. After an agent's first three sales, TPG reimburses three specific costs: the $39 JustInsurance pre-licensing course, the state exam fee and the state license fee. Fingerprinting, NIPR and appointment fees are not reimbursed. The reimbursement applies only if and when those three sales happen; sales are never guaranteed. Agents who contract with TPG are independent 1099 contractors, not employees. Passing the exam does not guarantee acceptance by TPG, carrier appointment or sales. See our earnings disclaimer.
Sources
- Pearson VUE insurance exams: https://home.pearsonvue.com (state candidate handbooks and content outlines)
- PSI: https://www.psiexams.com (state candidate bulletins)
- Prometric: https://www.prometric.com (state handbooks)
- State DOIs: Texas (https://www.tdi.texas.gov/agent/), Florida DFS (https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/agents), California CDI (https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/), plus each other state shown
- NIPR: https://nipr.com; NAIC: https://content.naic.org
