Kentucky PreLicensing Requirements 

Individual Resident Producer Requirements

To qualify for a resident Kentucky state insurance producer license, the applicant must satisfy the following requirements:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Maintain a principal place of residence or a principal place of business in Kentucky
• Not have committed any act that is a ground for denial, suspension or revocation of a license
• Complete an approved prelicensing course of study (see prelicense requirements below)
• Pass a written examination
• Apply for a criminal background report
• File a license application

PreLicense Education Requirements (PLE)

Applicants must complete prelicense education (PLE) for each major line of authority (LOA), as follows:

• 20-hours Kentucky Life Insurance
• 20-hours Kentucky Accident Insurance
• 40-hours Kentucky Life and Health Insurance
• 20-hours Kentucky Property Insurance
• 20-hours Kentucky Casualty Insurance
• 40-hours Kentucky Property and Casualty Insurance

State Candidate Handbook

Before making an exam reservation Applicants should thoroughly review the Kentucky Department of Insurance licensing examination instructions and the exam content outlines which contains important information regarding eligibility and the examination and licensing application process.

PLE Course Delivery

Per Kentucky PLE requirements, applicants are required to complete all of the lessons in the prelicense education course sequentially before they can be issued a certificate of completion.

PLE Course Exam

• Passing Score: Applicants must pass the PLE final exam with a 70% or higher to receive a certificate of completion.
• Exam Proctor Requirements:  PreLicense.com final exams do not require a proctor.

Certificate of Completion

• PreLicense.com provides online, printable certificates of completion in Kentucky.  An applicant must meet Kentucky’s PLE requirements before a certificate of completion is issued.  Certificates of completion are valid for 1 year.
• For quicker license application processing candidates should either fax a copy of their certificate of completion to the Kentucky Department of Insurance Agent Licensing section at 502-564-3384 or email to DOI.AgentLicensingMail@ky.gov. Important!  Certificates of completion must be signed before sending to the Kentucky Department of Insurance.

State Reporting Requirements 

Prelicense.com reports PLE course completions electronically to the Kentucky Department of Insurance daily.

State Licensing Exam

Important:  Candidates must follow the steps listed below FIRST in order to schedule their state licensing exam.

1)  Candidates must first submit an electronic license application through NIPR.  Usually within 24 hours of electronic application,  your status will be viewable on the Kentucky Department of Insurance Website.

2)  You may not set up eServices account and schedule your exam until your application is entered into the Kentucky DOI database. You will be assigned a Kentucky DOI number. It is very important to remember this DOI#. You will be asked to identify your Kentucky license by this number in the future. When your application status is "pending examination," you may schedule exam time and location through your eServices account. 

Methods of Registration

• Register Online: Click here to obtain an eServices account.
• You must create an account by clicking on the “First time here” link.
• On-site registration is not allowed.

Materials Needed to Register at Exam Site

One form of government-issued identification bearing your name, photograph and signature must be provided in order to sit for the exam.

Schedules & Fees

• Click here to find a list of license exam fees and testing centers.
• Currently, the exam registration fee is $50.00.

State Exam Passing Score

• Applicants must pass the state licensing exam with a 70% or higher to file a license application.
• Applicants who do not pass the examination must pay the $50.00 retake fee and reschedule another examination through eServices.
• Examinations cannot be rescheduled for the same day.
• The insurance application remains valid for 120 days, and upon payment of an examination retake fee, the applicant may reschedule and complete an examination an unlimited number of times within the 120‐day period.

License Application Process

Important:  Please review the License Application Process for Agents for step-by-step instructions regarding the license application process.

Application instructions

• Apply Online: Click here to submit your license application online
• Kentucky is currently not accepting applications by paper.
• Click here for a current fee schedule.

Materials Needed to Apply

• For quicker license application processing, candidates should either fax a copy of their certificate of completion to the Kentucky Department of Insurance Agent Licensing section at 502-564-3384 or email to DOI.AgentLicensingMail@ky.gov
• Criminal background check:  Click here to submit your criminal background check online.  The fee for the background report is $15.00.  When ordering the background check, select "licensing" in the category section and "department of insurance" in the group section.  After you receive your background report, fax a copy to the Kentucky Department of Insurance Agent Licensing section at 502-564-3384 or email to DOI.AgentLicensingMail@ky.gov.  Background reports are valid for 60 days from the date of issue.
• Completed license application
• Appropriate license application fees

Effective July 12, 2012, agents, consultants, adjusters, apprentice adjusters, surplus lines brokers, life settlement brokers, and life settlement providers will no longer be required to file proof of financial responsibility with the Department of Insurance. All licensees must continue to maintain minimum levels of financial responsibility to protect the consumer.

Important:  Examination results are good for 12 months from date the examination is passed.  If proof of financial responsibility is not submitted to the Kentucky Department of Insurance within 12 months, a new application, fees and examination will be required.

New Resident Producer Requirements

New residents who still hold an active license in their previous home state will not be required to complete prelicense education or take the license examination as long as:

• The license being applied for is the same line of authority as in the previous state
• The change is within 90 days of surrender of previous resident state license
• Apply for a criminal background report online
• File proof of financial responsibility

Application Process

• Complete Form 8301 (no fees are required if you currently hold a Kentucky non-resident license)
• Criminal background check:  Click here to submit your criminal background check online.  The fee for the background report is $15.00.  When ordering the background check, select "licensing" in the category section and "department of insurance" in the group section.  After you receive your background report, fax a copy to the Kentucky Department of Insurance Agent Licensing section at 502-564-3384 or email to DOI.AgentLicensingMail@ky.gov.  Background reports are valid for 60 days from the date of issue.

Note:  If applying for resident license after 90 days of surrender of previous resident state license, there is no exemption from pre-licensing and examination in Kentucky.

Materials Needed to Apply

If you answered “yes” to any of the license application background questions, you may need to forward additional documentation to the Kentucky Department of Insurance at:

Kentucky Department of Insurance
P. O. Box 517
Frankfort, Kentucky 40602-0517
Fax: 502-564-3384

Nonresident Producer Requirements

Nonresident license candidates may obtain a Kentucky agent license, without having to complete the prelicense education requirement or take a license examination, as long as they are currently hold an active license in their resident state for the same lines of authority for which they are applying.

Application Process

Ways to Apply

• Apply Online: Click here to submit your license application online
• Click here for a current fee schedule.

Fingerprinting Process

There are no fingerprint requirements in Kentucky.

State-Required Product Training

Your state has special training requirements in order for licensed agents to sell the following products:

Annuity Training: All producers currently licensed to sell, solicit, or negotiate annuity products must complete a one-time annuity training course approved for at least 4 hours prior to selling, soliciting, or negotiating such products. *Residents who satisfy the training requirements of another state that are similar to the Kentucky law will be deemed compliant for the Kentucky requirement.

Long-Term Care: All Kentucky producers who sell, solicit, or negotiate LTC partnership policies must complete 8 hours of state-approved Kentucky LTCP training before selling, soliciting, or negotiating LTCP policies.

Purchasing State-required Product Training with your exam prep course from the PreLicense.com catalog will allow you to take one of the special training requirement courses from WebCE. Additional fees for state filing, books or shipping may apply at the time you register to begin taking the product training course.

Click here for more information regarding state-specific product training.

Contact Information

Kentucky Department of Insurance
P.O. Box 517
Frankfort, Kentucky 40602-0517
Phone: 502-564-6004
Fax: 502-564-6030
Email: DOI.AgentLicensingMail@ky.gov
Website: http://insurance.ky.gov/Home.aspx