How to get an Insurance Producer License in Rhode Island

Rhode Island insurance agent licenses

Rhode Island issues 4 insurance agent credentials. Each has its own section below; the table shows what each one covers and its headline requirements.

Rules shared by several license levels

These rules are the same for several of the Rhode Island insurance agent licenses on this page, so they are shown once here, with the licenses they apply to. Each license's own section lists only what differs.

1. Every license level except Temporary insurance producer license

How to apply

Apply online

nipr.com¹⁰

Renewal

How often

Every 2 years⁴

Renew online

nipr.com¹⁰

2. Insurance Producer License (Rhode Island resident individual) and Insurance Producer License (non-resident individual)

What it covers

Selling, soliciting or negotiating insurance in Rhode Island for the lines of authority on the license. Major lines (exam required): life; accident and health or sickness; property; casualty; personal lines property and casualty; variable life and variable annuity. Limited lines include credit, crop, travel, pet, life settlement broker and surety.¹

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: A producer unable to meet renewal procedures because of military service or another extenuating circumstance may ask for a waiver of those procedures, any exam requirement, and fines for late renewal; a temporary license may go to the designee of a producer entering active military service.¹¹

3. Temporary insurance producer license and Insurance producer license (business entity)

Requirements

Exam

Not required⁷⁹

4. Insurance Producer License (non-resident individual) and Insurance producer license (business entity)

Renewal

When it expires

Two-year licenses.⁴

Requirements for an Insurance Producer License

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1 and group 2 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Minimum age

18 years old⁹

Exam

Rhode Island insurance producer licensing examination, by line of authority (major lines)²
Given by: Pearson VUE (named by DBR)³
When you can take it: No prerequisite course; schedule directly with Pearson VUE, then apply at NIPR 3-5 days after passing.³
Tests the lines applied for, producer duties and responsibilities, and Rhode Island insurance laws and regulations.²
Retakes: After a failure or no-show, reapply for the exam and pay all fees again.²
Exam waived: No exam for applicants previously licensed for the same lines in another state (currently licensed or within 90 days of cancellation); they certify knowledge of Rhode Island law instead.⁶

Background check

Background check required³
State BCI background report from the RI Attorney General, no older than 30 days, emailed to DBR with the NIPR transaction number.³

Residency or citizenship

Resident means a person who lives in Rhode Island, or keeps an office in Rhode Island where insurance business is done and designates Rhode Island as residence for licensing.⁵

Insurance

Errors and omissions insurance of at least $250,000 per claim and $500,000 annual aggregate (not required of producers employed directly by insurers).¹²

Also required

Individuals doing RI business for a business entity must list the entity as an “assumed name” on their license.³

How much an Insurance Producer License costs

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

How to apply

1. Schedule and pass the Pearson VUE licensing exam for each major line you want (no pre-licensing course is required).³
2. Wait 3-5 days for results to load, then apply at NIPR and pay the $120 fee by credit card.³ nipr.com¹⁰
3. Get a BCI background report from the RI Attorney General (valid 30 days) and email it to [email protected] with your NIPR transaction number.³
4. Carry errors and omissions insurance ($250,000 per claim / $500,000 aggregate) unless you work directly for an insurer.¹²

Temporary or provisional license

DBR may issue a temporary producer license for up to 180 days without exam in limited cases (death/disability of a producer, military service, public interest).⁷

Renewal and continuing education

When it expires

Two-year licenses; the fee is the same even if the first license runs less than two years.⁴

Renewal fee

$120⁴

Continuing education

At least 24 hours each renewal period⁵

Required topics

3 hours of ethics within the 24⁵
Up to 12 excess credits carry forward one cycle (as general credit; ethics must be earned each cycle)⁵

Approved courses

Courses approved by DBR or by a reciprocal state; providers register with DBR and report completions electronically.⁵

Exemptions

Licenses for lines needing no exam⁵
Residents limited to credit, crop, travel, surety, car rental or title⁵
Residents continuously licensed 25 years and age 55 at renewal⁵
Director extensions for good cause (normally up to one year)⁵

If it expires

Expired licenses can be reinstated without exam within 12 months; after one year they cannot be reinstated.¹¹
CE must be complete and on the transcript before renewal.¹³

Moving to Rhode Island with a license from another state

These are the routes the Rhode Island Insurance Division publishes for the Insurance Producer License. The other insurance agent licenses have their own routes in their sections below.

Temporary insurance producer license

Temporary authority, without exam, to service an insurance business after a producer’s death or disability, military service, or other public-interest cases; may be limited and may require a sponsor.⁷

Requirements

Also required

Eligible: surviving spouse or court-appointed representative of a deceased/disabled producer; member or employee of a producer’s business entity on death/disability; designee of a producer entering active military service; other public-interest cases. A licensed sponsor may be required.⁷

How to apply

1. Contact the DBR Insurance Division licensing team ([email protected]) to request a temporary license; no public application was found.⁷

Renewal

How often

Every 180 days⁷

When it expires

Up to 180 days; ends when the business is disposed of; may be revoked by order.⁷

From another state

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Available to the designee of a producer entering active service in the US armed forces.⁷

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 3 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Insurance Producer License

Requirements

Exam

Not required⁸
Given by: Pearson VUE (named by DBR for resident exams)³
Exam waived: All requirements except § 27-2.4-10 waived when the home state treats RI residents on the same basis.⁸

Background check

Background check required¹⁴
Background questions on the NIPR application; "yes" answers need written explanation and documents uploaded to the NIPR warehouse.¹³

Residency or citizenship

Must hold a current resident license in good standing in the home state.¹⁴

Fees

How to apply

1. Apply online at NIPR and pay the $130 fee by credit card.³ nipr.com¹⁰
2. Upload explanations for any "yes" background answers to the NIPR warehouse.¹³

Renewal

Renewal fee

$130⁴

Exemptions

Home-state CE satisfies RI if the home state is reciprocal⁸

If it expires

Reinstatement within one year with the reinstatement fee plus renewal fees.⁴

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 2 and group 4 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Insurance producer license

Optional agency license: a Rhode Island resident business entity acting as a producer may elect to be licensed; it needs a Designated Responsible Licensed Producer.⁹

Requirements

Business requirements

At least one Designated Responsible Licensed Producer with an active RI resident or nonresident license; DRLPs need not cover every line on the entity application.¹⁰

Business requirements

Licensing is voluntary for resident business entities.⁹

Fees

How to apply

1. Name at least one Designated Responsible Licensed Producer with an active RI license.¹⁰
2. Apply on the uniform business entity application through NIPR and pay the fee.⁹ nipr.com¹⁰
3. Change entity addresses through SBS for Organizations or by email to DBR.¹⁰

Renewal

Renewal fee

$120⁴ (Resident business entity)

From another state

More rules for this license are shared with other levels: group 1, group 3 and group 4 under Rules shared by several license levels.

Check a license or report a problem

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

Look up a license

sbs.naic.org¹⁰

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

• R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 27-2.4 (Producer Licensing Act)
• 230-RICR-20-50-5 Licensing and Renewal Fees
• 230-RICR-20-50-2 Continuing Education for Insurance Producers

Rule changes since January 2024

• January 1, 2025: P.L. 2024 ch. 318 and 319 (effective Jan. 1, 2025) deleted § 27-2.4-4(a)(3) from the producer fee section.¹⁵
• November 25, 2024: Fee rule 230-RICR-20-50-5 amended (effective 11/25/2024) to implement 2024 P.L. 318/319: repeals the Annual Contracted Producer Report, adds an electronic appointment fee paid by insurers, and removes a fee not required by statute.⁴

Common questions

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