How to get a Resident insurance producer license in Iowa

Iowa licenses insurance agents statewide through the Iowa Insurance Division (IID).¹ For the Resident insurance producer license you need a passing score on the Iowa producer licensing examination for each line of authority² and a criminal background check¹. The board lists $50 for the initial license². You renew every 3 years³ and complete at least 36 hours of continuing education⁴.

Last checked November 8, 2026 · 7 official sources

Who issues it

Iowa Insurance Division (IID)

Exam

Iowa producer licensing examination for each line of authority²

Fees the board lists

Initial license fee: $50²
FBI background check (Iowa Fieldprint site): $37.35⁵
FBI background check (Fieldprint site outside Iowa): $39.35⁵

Renewal

Every 3 years³, at least 36 hours of continuing education⁴

From another state

Reciprocity agreements and Exam waiver³ Details

On this page

Who needs a Resident insurance producer license
Requirements for a Resident insurance producer license
How much a Resident insurance producer license costs
How to apply
Renewal and continuing education
Moving to Iowa with a license from another state
Check a license or report a problem
Laws and rules
Common questions
Insurance agent licenses in other states

Who needs a Resident insurance producer license

Sell, solicit or negotiate insurance in Iowa in the lines of authority held. Paid insurance advice to the public also requires a producer license (Iowa has no separate consultant license). The license alone does not authorize the producer to represent an insurer (appointment needed).¹

Other rules on who may do this work:

Excess and surplus lines authority requires the excess and surplus lines exam plus the P&C exams (or personal lines exams + commercial subject exam).¹

Requirements for a Resident insurance producer license

Minimum age: 18 years old³
Education or training: Alternative: Before selling annuities: one-time 4-credit annuity training; indexed products: 4-credit indexed products course; long-term care: one-time 8-credit course then 4 credits each CE term.⁶
Exam: Iowa producer licensing examination for each line of authority²
Given by: Pearson VUE (test centers or OnVUE online proctoring)²
When you can take it: No prerequisite course: register directly with Pearson VUE.²
Tests the lines applied for, producer duties and responsibilities, and Iowa insurance laws and regulations.³
Retakes: Failed or missed exams require re-registration and payment of all fees again.³
Time limit: Exam results are valid for 90 days; apply for the license within 90 days of passing or the result is void.¹
Exam waived: No exam for lines held in another state if currently licensed there or applying within 90 days of cancelling (with good-standing certification); new residents apply within 90 days of moving.³
Background check: Background check required¹
Fingerprints required⁵
State (DCI) and FBI checks; persons with 18 U.S.C. 1033 convictions need the Commissioner's written consent (Consent to Work application).⁵
Residency or citizenship: Resident license for persons whose home state is Iowa; others get a nonresident license.¹
Also required: Insurers appoint producers; appointment fee $5 per producer for domestic insurers (paid by the company).¹
Also required: Name or address changes must be reported within 30 days (via NIPR).²
Other requirements and options: Lines of authority: life; accident and health or sickness; property; casualty; variable life and variable annuity; personal lines; excess and surplus lines; credit; plus crop, surety and reciprocal by rule.¹
Variable products authority requires an active Iowa life line plus the FINRA exams needed for an Iowa securities license.¹

How much a Resident insurance producer license costs

You pay IID (initial license fee) and Fieldprint (2 fees).

Fee	Amount	Paid to	Notes
Initial license fee	$50²	IID	–
FBI background check	$37.35⁵	Fieldprint	Iowa Fieldprint site ($39.35 outside Iowa)
FBI background check	$39.35⁵	Fieldprint	Fieldprint site outside Iowa

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee.

How to apply

Register with Pearson VUE and pass the Iowa exam for each line you want (no pre-licensing course needed).² home.pearsonvue.com²
Wait up to three business days for results to reach NIPR, then apply within 90 days.²
Apply and pay the $50 license fee through NIPR.² nipr.com²
Use the Fieldprint code from your NIPR confirmation to book fingerprinting with Fieldprint; bring two IDs.⁵
Before selling annuities, indexed products or long-term care, complete the required product trainings.⁶

Apply online: nipr.com²
Processing time: 15 business days; 22 business days after fingerprint collection when fingerprints are required.²

Renewal and continuing education

How often: Every 3 years³
When it expires: Initial term ends after the last day of the birth month three years after issue; renew through NIPR within the 90 days before expiry.¹
Renewal fee: $50²
Continuing education: At least 36 hours each renewal period⁴
Required topics: 3 credits of ethics each CE term.⁴
No carry-over of excess credits; no credit for the same course twice in a term or for courses taken before the first license; self-study needs a proctor affidavit and 70% score unless part of a national designation program.⁴
Long-term care sellers: 4 CE credits of LTC training each CE term after the initial 8-credit course.⁶
Approved courses: Only Division-approved courses count; providers usually report completions to State Based Systems.⁷
Exemptions: Exempt: nonresidents from states with CE; credit- or surety-only producers; attorney-producers with CLE; active-duty military for much of the term; crop-only producers meeting 11.3(8). Passing the licensing exam again may substitute for CE.⁴
Late renewal: Reinstatement fee: $100² (reinstatement within 12 months of expiry; paid with the $50 renewal fee)
If it expires: No grace period. Within 12 months: reinstate with proof of CE (or by completing CE or passing the exam) plus renewal and $100 reinstatement fees. After 12 months: pass the exams again and apply as a new licensee (NPN stays the same).²
Renew online: nipr.com²

Renewal planner

Enter the expiration date printed on your Iowa Resident insurance producer license. The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.

Expiration date

Moving to Iowa with a license from another state

These are the routes IID publishes for the Resident insurance producer license.

Route: Reciprocity agreements
What the board says: Nonresident producer license for producers licensed and in good standing in their home state, if that state licenses Iowa residents on the same basis; no Iowa exam or CE.³
States on Iowa's list: The pages cited here give no list of partner states for this route; the board's words above say who qualifies. Ask the board which states it has agreements with.
Conditions: Fingerprints needed for an initial nonresident license or added line only if no state/national check was done by the home state.⁵
No Iowa CE for nonresidents.²
Fee: $50¹
Form: nipr.com²

Route: Exam waiver
What the board says: Producers moving to Iowa: apply for resident licensure within 90 days; no exam for lines held in the prior state. IID: get or keep an Iowa nonresident license, add needed lines, then file the address change form to convert it.³
Form: ia.accessgov.com²

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Producers unable to renew because of military service may request a waiver of renewal procedures and exams/penalties; active-duty service for much of the CE term exempts from CE; temporary license available to the designee of a producer entering active service.³

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire an insurance agent in Iowa, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Iowa is on the Iowa license lookup page.

Look up a license: sbs.naic.org²

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Common questions

Can I transfer my insurance agent license to Iowa?

IID publishes these routes for the Resident insurance producer license: reciprocity agreements³ and exam waiver³. Conditions and forms.

How often do you renew a Resident insurance producer license in Iowa?

Every 3 years³. Continuing education: at least 36 hours⁴. The renewal fee is $50².

Insurance agent licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

IAC 191 ch. 10 Licensing of Insurance ProducersIowa Legislature (Iowa Administrative Code)Dated September 30, 2026Checked November 8, 2026
Insurance ProducersIowa Insurance DivisionChecked November 8, 2026
Iowa Code ch. 522B Licensing of Insurance ProducersIowa LegislatureDated December 9, 2025Checked November 8, 2026
IAC 191 ch. 11 Continuing EducationIowa Legislature (Iowa Administrative Code)Dated September 30, 2026Checked November 8, 2026
Fingerprinting and Criminal History ChecksIowa Insurance DivisionChecked November 8, 2026
Insurance Producer Required TrainingsIowa Insurance DivisionChecked November 7, 2026
Summary - Resident Iowa Continuing EducationIowa Insurance DivisionChecked November 7, 2026