Florida insurance license exam

Which license are you taking?

• Life, health and variable annuity (2-15)Florida's most popular entry license, combining life, health and variable annuity authority in one exam. 60 hours of pre-licensing, 165 questions, and roughly a quarter of the paper on Florida law.165 questions · 165 minutes · 70% to pass
• Life and variable annuity (2-14)Life and annuity authority without the health lines. A narrower exam than the 2-15, and a narrower license.95 questions · 120 minutes · 70% to pass
• Health (2-40)Health authority only, including Medicare supplement content. No life or annuity material appears on this exam.95 questions · 120 minutes · 70% to pass
• General lines (property and casualty) (2-20)The broadest property and casualty license in Florida. Longest exam of the standard lines, and the longest pre-licensing requirement.175 questions · 180 minutes · 70% to pass

438 practice questions available for this state: 288 on national principles and 150 on Florida law.

Choosing a line before you enroll

Florida numbers its licenses instead of naming them, and the number decides everything downstream. The 2-15 carries life, health and annuity authority after a 60-hour course; the 2-14 is life and annuity only after 30 hours; the 2-40 is health only after 40 hours; and the 2-20 is the general lines property and casualty license after 200 hours. A life-and-health candidate never sees an auto or homeowners question, and a general lines candidate never sees an annuity question.

Because the course is where the cost and the time sit, this choice is worth getting right first. Many career agents eventually hold both a life-and-health license and the 2-20, and the common order is the 2-15 first for speed to income, then the 2-20 while already earning.

What every Florida exam has in common

All four lines pass at 70 percent of the scored questions, and each paper mixes in unscored pretest items that do not affect the result. A passing score is valid for one year: the license application must be filed within twelve months or the exam is retaken.

Since February 2024 the exams are administered in person only, at Pearson VUE centers; online proctoring is no longer offered for new Florida insurance reservations. A candidate may attempt a given exam up to five times in a twelve-month period, with a 24-hour wait between attempts.

How much of the exam is Florida law

About a quarter of every Florida insurance exam is state content, so it is not a closing chapter to skim. It splits across four areas: licensing law, the Department's rules, the coverages Florida statute mandates, and the unfair trade practices the state prohibits.

This is also where the regulator distinction is tested. The Department of Financial Services, under the Chief Financial Officer, licenses and disciplines agents. The Office of Insurance Regulation, under the Insurance Commissioner, supervises the insurers and approves their rates and forms. Questions that turn on which body does what are common, and they are free marks once the split is clear.

What it costs and how long it takes

The fixed fees are modest and similar across lines: 44 dollars for the Pearson VUE exam, around 50 dollars for the DFS application, and roughly 50 dollars for electronic fingerprinting. These move periodically, so confirm the current figures at myfloridacfo.com before paying. The course is where the real variation is, and it tracks the required hours.

Timelines depend on the line. A 60-hour 2-15 course can be finished in one to three weeks; the 200-hour 2-20 is a much longer road. Fingerprint results take time to reach DFS, so the practical move is to fingerprint alongside the coursework rather than after it, and to reserve a test-center seat early because in-person capacity in the metros is limited.

Keeping the license after you pass

A Florida license is perpetual but must be renewed every two years and kept attached to at least one active company appointment. Continuing education is 24 hours every two years for the first six years and 20 hours after that, and every cycle must include a 4-hour law and ethics update.

The appointment requirement catches new agents who pass the exam and then let the license sit. Without an appointment the license is inactive, and an inactive license cannot write business or earn commission.

Common questions

Do I need to live in Florida to get a license?

No. Florida licenses nonresidents through reciprocity with the license held in their home state, and there is no residency requirement. Residents complete the full pre-licensing course and exam for their chosen line.

How many times can I retake the exam?

Up to five attempts in a twelve-month period, with a 24-hour wait between them, at 44 dollars each. If you do not finish the licensing process within a year of passing, the passing score expires and you sit the exam again.

Can I take the exam from home?

No. Since February 2024, Florida insurance exams are given in person at Pearson VUE centers only, and online proctoring is not available for new reservations. Book early, because seats in the larger metros fill up.

Does a criminal record disqualify me?

Not automatically. The Department reviews the nature and recency of the offense and the applicant's overall fitness. Failing to disclose something the background check turns up is treated far more seriously than the underlying matter.

Which license lets me sell the most?

Among the standard lines, the 2-20 general lines license carries the broadest single authority, covering property and casualty from auto and homeowners to commercial. It also requires the longest course, at 200 hours. For life and health products, the 2-15 is the broad entry license.