How to get a Resident Producer license, issued by line of authority in Michigan

Michigan insurance agent licenses

Michigan issues 2 insurance agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Applies to every license level

These rules are the same for every Michigan insurance agent license on this page, so they are shown once here. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

Fees

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, PSI Services LLC⁷, when you schedule.

How to apply

Apply online

nipr.com²⁵

Renewal

Continuing education

24 hours each renewal period⁸

Approved courses

State-approved courses (classroom, web or self-study); self-study exams must be certified by a disinterested third party; providers report credits to DIFS within 30 days.⁸

Exemptions

Limited Life; Turkey, Crop and Hail; Travel, Accident and Baggage; Title; Credit Products; and Limited Lines P&C need no CE. Waivers/extensions for severe hardship (terminal illness, caring for self or spouse, active military duty) by letter before the CE review date.⁸

Who needs a Resident Producer license, issued by line of authority

Lines of authority: Accident and Health; Life; Property; Casualty; Variable Annuities; Personal Lines; and limited lines (Limited Life, Limited Lines P&C, Credit Products, Crop, Surety incl. bail bondsmen, Title, Travel).⁶

Other rules on who may do this work:

• No pre-licensing education for Limited Lines P&C, Title, Adjuster, Counselor or Surplus Lines; Limited Line Credit needs only an insurer program of instruction.⁷
• Credit Products can be added by insurer appointment for producers already holding Accident and Health, Life, Property and Casualty.⁶

Requirements for a Resident Producer license, issued by line of authority

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Minimum age

18 years old¹

Education or training

20 clock hours²
Michigan-approved pre-licensing education (PE) for each line, completed before the exam: a 20-hour classroom course or an approved self-study course. The provider reports completion electronically; the certificate is valid 12 months, within which the exam must be passed.²
Who may teach it: Course from a Michigan-approved PE provider; completion is sent to DIFS electronically (do not bring the certificate to the exam).²
Alternative: PE waiver per line for designations: Life (CEBS, ChFC, CIC, CFP, CLU, FLMI, LUTCF), A&H (RHU, CEBS, REBC, HIA), P&C (AAI, ARM, CIC, CPCU); or a college concentration of 21 term / 17 semester credit hours of insurance coursework. Request by letter to DIFS.⁷

Exam

Michigan insurance licensing examination for each line of authority²
Given by: PSI Services LLC⁷
When you can take it: After completing PE for the line (PE certificate valid 12 months).²
Time limit: Pass within 180 days of the application (otherwise file a new application and fee) and within 12 months of the PE completion date.²
Exam waived: No Michigan exam for producers moving to Michigan whose prior resident license was surrendered within the past 90 days.⁴

Background check

Background check required¹
Applicants answering "yes" to an application background question should read the DIFS background-questions page before applying (page not retrievable here).²

Also required

Insurers appoint producers and pay annual appointment invoices for each appointed producer.⁹

Also required

Annuity, long-term care and flood sales have extra training requirements (DIFS Education page).¹⁰

How much a Resident Producer license, issued by line of authority costs

You pay DIFS (application fee) and NIPR (NIPR transaction fee (resident ERL application)).

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

How to apply

1. File an Electronic Resident Licensing (ERL) application on NIPR and pay $10 + $5 transaction fee (valid 180 days).² nipr.com²
2. Complete Michigan-approved pre-licensing education for each line (20-hour classroom or approved self-study).²
3. Schedule with PSI and pass the Michigan licensing exam within 180 days.¹¹ test-takers.psiexams.com¹¹
4. DIFS matches the PE record and exam score to the application and issues the license; get appointed by an insurer.²

Temporary or provisional license

Temporary license without exam under MCL 500.1211b for up to 180 days (survivor of a deceased/disabled producer, or designee of a producer entering active military service); issued at DIFS discretion via ERL application.¹²

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

No license renewal; CE review date every two years set by birth month (first review allows at least 12 months).⁹

Required topics

At least 3 of the 24 credits in ethics; the other 21 in any line (extra ethics counts as general). Up to 12 credits beyond the minimum carry over to the next period. No credit for repeating a course or for partial completion.⁸

Late renewal

Reinstatement fee: $10¹³ (license inactive for lack of CE, 90 days to 12 months after the CE review date (no application needed if CE is reported within 90 days))

If it expires

Missing CE suspends the license for 90 days (service existing business only). If CE is reported within 90 days it reactivates; within 12 months reinstate with CE + ERL application and fee; after 12 months start over (PE, exam, new application).⁸

Moving to Michigan with a license from another state

These are the routes DIFS publishes for the Resident Producer license, issued by line of authority. The other insurance agent licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Active military duty or deployment counts as severe hardship for a CE waiver or extension; designees of producers entering active service can get a temporary license; DIFS links a VA examination-reimbursement notice.¹²

Insurance Solicitor

Requirements

Education or training

Complete the required pre-licensing education (DIFS directs solicitor applicants to its property and casualty pre-licensing information).⁵

Exam

Michigan solicitor licensing examination⁵
Given by: PSI Services LLC⁷
Time limit: Pass within six months of the application or reapply with a new fee.⁵
Exam waived: Non-residents active in a state that required an exam need no Michigan exam; otherwise take the Michigan exam or prove an equivalent exam.⁵

Fees

You pay DIFS (application fee) and NIPR (NIPR transaction fee (resident solicitor)).

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

How to apply

1. File an ERL application on NIPR ($20 + $5 transaction fee).⁵ nipr.com⁵
2. Complete pre-licensing education.⁵
3. Pass the exam within six months.⁵ test-takers.psiexams.com¹¹

Renewal

How often

Every year¹⁴

When it expires

Annual renewal through DIFS Licensing Express Renewal, open February 1 to March 31; licenses expire March 31.¹⁴

Renewal fee

$10¹⁴

If it expires

Unpaid renewals by March 31 cancel the license (status Inactive); reinstatement follows the DIFS "Reinstatement of a Solicitor License" page.¹⁴

Renew online

difs.state.mi.us¹⁴

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Active military duty is a severe-hardship ground for a CE waiver or extension.¹⁵

The rules this license shares with every other level are under Applies to every license level.

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

difs.state.mi.us⁸

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• Michigan Insurance Code, MCL 500.1201a et seq. (chapter 12, agents/producers), incl. MCL 500.1204 (pre-licensing and continuing education)
• MCL 500.1239 (grounds for license denial or revocation)
• MCL 500.1211b (temporary licenses)
• MCL 500.240(e) solicitor renewal fee)
• Mich. Admin. Code R 500.1 to 500.6 (pre-licensure education), as linked by DIFS

Common questions

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