Ready to jumpstart your insurance career?
Once you have decided to pursue a career as an insurance agent, you will need to become licensed. Here’s a general overview of the steps you need to take in order to become an insurance agent in Maryland.
Step 1: Study for State Exam
Effective October 1, 2024, Maryland no longer requires pre-licensing education before taking the licensing exam. This change allows candidates to apply directly for the exam. While completing PLE is no longer mandatory, it’s strongly recommended that you prepare using an insurance exam prep course.
Big I Maryland has you covered with flexible licensing prep options tailored to your learning style. Through our partnership with WebCE, you can prepare for your Property & Casualty or Life & Health licensing exams entirely online, using top-quality content and effective study aids designed to help you succeed. In addition to self-paced learning, we’re excited to offer a brand-new live online Property & Casualty licensing course delivered via Zoom. This interactive, instructor-led course provides expert guidance and a supportive environment to help you pass the Maryland licensing exam with confidence.
Whether you prefer independent study or structured instruction, we have a solution that works for you.
Step 2: Register & Pass Your State Exam
After completing your pre-licensing training, you must pass the state licensing exam. To schedule your examination, visit the Prometric website using the link below. Download the License Information Bulletin for additional information regarding registering and scheduling your state licensing exam.
Step 3: Apply for Your Insurance License
Once you have passed the state licensing exam, you can apply for your initial insurance license. There is a transaction fee and a state licensing fee when submitting your application. Upon completing your exam, you will have six months to apply for the appropriate license. You can apply for your insurance license by visiting the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).
Step 4: Maintain Your License
Licensees are responsible for complying with Maryland insurance laws and regulations, including but not limited to timely reporting of changes of address and timely renewing insurance licenses. Maryland law requires producers to notify the Administration of an address change within 30 days.
License Renewal: A licensee must submit an application and renewal fee up to 90 days before the date the license expires. The licensee is solely responsible for renewing the license before its expiration. The Maryland Insurance Administration will send a renewal notice to the email address on file. The renewal fee is $69 ($54 renewal fee + $15 fraud prevention fee).
Continuing Education: Licensees in Maryland must complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years in the line of authority for which the license is held, with at least 3 hours of ethics education.
Step 5: Additional Resources
For additional information or questions:
Our Education Department is here to help you with any questions you may have. Contact our team today at:
- education@bigimd.com
- 410-766-0600