North Carolina Life and Health Insurance License (2026)

Whether you’re working to become a life insurance agent in North Carolina, begin selling health insurance, or expanding the insurance products you can offer your current clients, we’re here to make the process of getting your license easy.

On this page you’ll find step-by-step instructions to find a quality license course, pass your exam, and apply for the insurance license you need.

Life and Health Insurance License Basics

Before discussing the steps required to get these licenses, you should understand the basics of each line of insurance.

Depending on the job or position you’re working toward, it may only require you to carry one license or the other. 

Jobs focused primarily on health insurance sales, medicare advantage, marketplace navigators, etc… generally only need the health insurance license.

Positions like a life insurance agent, employee benefits manager, banking, and financial managers generally require both the life and health insurance licenses.

Need to get licensed in all lines? Get your NC Property & Casualty License.

How to Get Your North Carolina Life and Health Insurance License

Step 1: North Carolina Insurance Pre-License Education Course

The first step to getting your North Carolina Life and Health Insurance License is to take an insurance pre-license education course.

North Carolina requires new L&H agents to take 40 hours of pre-license education:

• Life – 20 hours
• Accident & Health – 20 hours

These courses start from around $139, and range up to around $350. They can be taken for an individual line, or a combination of both L&H lines.

The price range reflects the different “level” of course that you take, which affects which type of teaching you receive – and the additional features of the course.

Lower cost courses are at your own pace video courses, while higher cost courses give you access to live instructors that can answer questions and clear up any misconceptions.

There are also features like flashcards, practice exams, money-back guarantees, cram sheets, etc…

Each attempt at the exam comes at a cost, so be sure to choose the course that gives you the best tools to pass the first time – not just the least expensive.

Once you have the course, take your study seriously. Spend the time you need until you feel you have a deep comprehension of the material. Only then should you move on to the exam!

Step 2: North Carolina Insurance License Application

After completing your pre-license education, the next step is to submit your North Carolina Insurance License Application.

North Carolina’s insurance applications are administered through NIPR.

The application fee is as follows:

• Application Processing Fee: $44
• Registration Fee: $50 per line
• Fingerprint Fee: $38

If you submit one application for both the Life and Health lines, your total application fee should be $182.

Submit your application, using the NIPR – North Carolina page.

Step 3: Fingerprinting and Background Check

After submitting your application, the next step is fingerprinting and a background check.

Fingerprinting services in North Carolina are also administered by NIPR.

The background check fee is $38 (paid with your application).

Schedule your fingerprint appointment – You’ll receive an email from NIPR with instructions on scheduling with a Live Scan vendor.

Once you’ve completed your fingerprints, they will send your data to the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Submitting your application will trigger the background check to begin – both with the state and the FBI.

North Carolina Insurance License Background Checks

Background checks are conducted to protect consumers from fraud and dishonest practices. They primarily look for felony convictions, financial crimes like theft or fraud, and any previous insurance license suspensions or revocations.

Minor offenses or misdemeanors usually won’t stop you from getting a license, but failing to disclose them on your application can result in denial.

If you think you may have an issue with passing the background check, we recommend contacting the North Carolina Department of Insurance before starting your licensing journey.

Step 4: North Carolina Life and Health Insurance License Exam

After you’ve completed your pre-license education course, the next step is to take the North Carolina Life and Health Insurance License Exams.

You can choose to test for each line separately, or you can take a combo exam that covers both lines.

To pass any of the exams, you’ll need to answer at least 60% of the questions correctly.

Pearson Vue handles all insurance licensing examinations for the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

Test-takers should review the North Carolina Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook for important testing guidelines and procedures.

Register for your exam on the Pearson Vue – North Carolina Insurance page.

Is the North Carolina Life and Health Exam Hard?

Life and Health insurance exams can be tough, with first-time pass rates hovering around 55-67%.

Since 2016, we’ve spoken to hundreds of test-takers, and taken several insurance exams ourselves. Based on this experience, we can confidently say that low pass can be blamed on lack of preparation.

Whether or not you’re a “good test-taker”, competence breeds confidence. This means if you know the material and terminology, you’ll do fine on the exam.

If you take your exam prep course seriously and spend the proper time to understand the terms and concepts, passing on your first try is absolutely achievable.

Application Processing

Once you’ve submitted everything, the licensing department will process your application.

If you’ve done everything correctly and nothing comes up on your background check, this process should only take a few days. Keep an eye out for an email with your approval and new license number!

If the state needs further information from you regarding your background check, be sure to respond promptly to any requests or correspondence.

After Getting Your License

Get Additional Licenses

After getting your first license, your position may require additional license types alongside the L&H license. 

FINRA Securities Licenses

If you’re working to become a life insurance agent or insurance agency owner, your next step is to start the FINRA securities licensing process.

Any life insurance products that are tied to a security (ex. variable life insurance) require you to carry either a Series 6 or Series 7 license, as well as a Series 63, 65, or 66 license.

All FINRA licenses begin by passing the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) Exam, then moving to the individual licenses after that.

Property & Casualty Licenses

If your plan is to work within an insurance agency, your next step is getting the NC P&C License. 

The property and casualty license opens up the most common insurance products like auto, home, and other property-related policies. 

Surrounding States

Many folks working in insurance sales – especially life insurance sales – will need to work outside of their home state. Since insurance licenses are state-specific, you’ll need to get licensed in each state you wish to sell products in.

Find Work

If you don’t already have a position lined up, we recommend checking out an insurance-specific job board like StateRequirement Jobs.

If you’re looking to become an independent life insurance agent, your next step is to get appointed with insurance companies. Appointments are the contracts that allow you to market and sell products from that insurance provider.

North Carolina Insurance License Renewal and CE

Keeping your license in good-standing with the North Carolina Department of Insurance requires you to complete continuing education every two years.

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