Division of Agent and Agency Services
General Licensing Information
EXAMINATION ONLY APPLICATION
This option allows
an applicant to take the state
examination prior to applying for the
license for all agent and adjuster
state examinations. This option is not
available for Bail Bond applicants. If
the applicant passes the state
examination using this method, they are
still required to apply for the
license. Passing the state examination
does NOT guarantee licensure. The
applicant must still submit an
application for licensure and meet all
the requirements, including the
background requirements and the prelicensing requirements. The passed
state examination result is valid for
ONE YEAR. The applicant must apply for
the EXACT type/class of license within
one (1) year of passing the state
examination. If the application for
licensure is submitted more than one (1)
year after passing the state
examination, the applicant will be
required to re-take the state
examination. Applicants must not use
the examination only application to
apply for re-taking a failed or missed
examination, instead they must use the
re-examination application.
FINGERPRINTING REQUIREMENT
For Florida residents:
Fingerprints must be taken by LiveScan method
at one of the Department's fingerprint
sites. Click
here for a list of sites.
For nonresident agents:
Fingerprint cards with instructions will be mailed to the applicant
when the application is received by the
Bureau of Licensing. Fingerprint
payments must be
made online at
www.fldfsprints.com or by calling
888-717-5699.
Note: Criminal history checks are
valid for three (3) YEARS. This means that if
an applicant applies for an additional class
of insurance license during this three (3) year
period, he/she will NOT be required to file
another fingerprint card unless specifically
requested to by the Department.
TRANSFER OF
LICENSE
According to (Florida State
Statutes 626.292) any
individual licensed in good standing in
another state may apply to the department to
have the license transferred to this state
to obtain a Florida resident agent license
for the same lines of authority covered by
the license in the other state.
To qualify for a
license based on the transfer of license
option, an applicant must meet the
following requirements:
-
Become a
resident of Florida.
-
Has held a valid
license for one (1) year in his/her home
state prior to applying for a license in
Florida.
-
Submit the
application for license and appropriate fees
within 90 days of becoming a resident of
Florida.
-
Provide an
original letter of clearance.
-
Submit a set of
fingerprints.
CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT
An applicant for licensure must
be a United States citizen or legal alien who possesses work authorization
from the United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. ALL
APPLICANTS MUST PROVIDE A VALID SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. If you are a legal
alien with a work authorization visa, you must apply for and obtain a Social
Security Card prior to applying for licensure with the Florida Department of
Financial Services.
RECIPROCATING STATES
CLU DESIGNATION
Life including Variable Annuity and/or Health Applicants: Applicants who hold the CLU designation and have been engaged in the insurance business within the 4-year period prior to filing their application for license with the Department are not required to meet the prelicensing educational requirement or sit for the life including variable annuity and/or health examination.
An original letter from the American
College of Life Underwriters certifying
an applicant's designation status is
required.
CPCU DESIGNATION
General Lines (Property & Casualty) Insurance Agent, Motor Vehicle Physical Damage and Mechanical Breakdown Insurance Agent, Industrial Fire or Burglary Insurance Agent, Customer Representative and Adjuster Applicants: Applicants who hold the CPCU designation and have been engaged in the insurance business within
a 4-year period prior to filing their application for license with the Department, are not required to meet the prelicensing
educational requirement or sit for the
general lines (property, casualty,
surety, health, marine and miscellaneous
lines of insurance), motor vehicle
physical damage and mechanical
breakdown, industrial fire or burglary,
customer representative or adjuster
examinations. An original letter from
the American Institute for Property and
Liability Underwriters certifying an
applicant's designation status is
required.
PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION
Customer Representative
applicants who do not hold the CPCU Designation: Applicants who hold the Accredited Advisor in Insurance (AAI)
designation from the Insurance Institute of America, or the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC)
designation from the Society of Certified Insurance Service Counselors, or the Accredited Customer Service Representative (ACSR)
designation from the Independent Insurance Agents of America, or the Certified Professional Service Representative (CPSR)
designation from the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents, or the Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR)
designation from the Society of
Certified Insurance Service
Representatives, or the Certified
Customer Service Representative (CCSR),
or the Registered Customer Service
Representative (RCSR), or the
Professional Customer Service
Representative (PCSR) are not required
to sit for the customer representative
examination. An original letter from the
applicable accrediting entity certifying
an applicant's designation status is
required.
ADJUSTER PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION:
Company and
Independent adjuster applicants who hold
any of the following designations,
Accredited Claims Adjuster (ACA),
Certified Claims Adjuster (CCA),
Professional Property Insurance Adjuster
(PPIA), Chartered Property and Casualty
Underwriter (CPCU), Professional Claims
Adjuster (PCA) or Certified Adjuster
(CA) are not required to sit for the
state adjuster examination. An original
letter from the applicable accrediting
entity certifying an applicant’s
designation status is required.
Effective July 1, 2007, Public adjuster
applicants can no longer exempt the
state adjuster examination by holding
one of the adjuster designations listed
above.
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
The following licensees (resident and nonresident) are required to complete statutorily prescribed hours of continuing education courses that have been approved by the Florida Department of Financial Services:
-
Adjusters (Public, Independent & Insurance Company Employee)
-
Customer Representatives including Limited Customer Representatives
-
General Lines (Property & Casualty) Agents
-
Personal Lines Agents
-
Health Only Agents
-
Industrial Fire Insurance or Burglary Agents
-
Life and Health Agents
-
Life Including Variable Annuity Agents
-
Life Including Variable Annuity and Health Agents
-
Life Only Agents
-
Limited Surety Agents
-
Motor Vehicle Physical Damage & Mechanical Breakdown Agents
-
Professional Bail Bond Agents
-
Surplus Lines Agents
-
Title Agents
Failure to meet the
prescribed requirements will result in
the Department's refusal to renew or
continue appointments, issue new appointments to the delinquent licensee, or may result in other forms of administrative penalty.
