Nonresident insurance license in California
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What it costs in California
| State fee, Life & Health One $188 fee covers Life-Only and Accident & Health together | $188 |
|---|---|
| State fee, Life only | $188 |
| NIPR transaction fee | $5.60 |
| Fingerprints | Depends on your home state. Pick it above. |
Total to get licensed: $193.60
To keep it: $188 every 2 years, plus NIPR's $5.60 (about $96.80 a year)
Every 2 years.
How California ranks
#6 of 51 for reach per dollar · Worth the price
39.4 million people · $4.92 per million people
How to get your California nonresident license
- 1.Check your home license. It has to be active, and a nonresident license can only include lines you hold at home. Want Health in every state? Add it to your home license first. Have your NPN (National Producer Number) ready. Find your NPN
- 2.Sign in to NIPR's LicenseHub. Sign in as an individual with your NPN or Social Security number and your date of birth. Open LicenseHub
- 3.Start the application. Choose Producer, then Initial, then Non-Resident. Pick California, then your lines: Life, plus Accident & Health if you hold it. Each state is its own application.
- 4.Confirm your details. Check your addresses, contact information and five years of work history, then answer the background questions. If you answer yes to any, you'll upload supporting documents through NIPR after you submit.
- 5.Pay and submit. Pay the state fee plus NIPR's $5.60 by card or electronic check. Fees aren't refunded, so double-check the state and lines before you pay. In California, that's $193.60 for Life & Health.
- 6.Fingerprints, if asked. Unless your home state is exempt, California needs two fingerprint cards and a $72 Capital Live Scan fee, plus whatever the local site charges to take your prints. California won't review your application until the background results come back.
- 7.Watch your email. Most states review applications in 7 to 10 days. Once your license is issued, you can print it from the state's licensing site.
- 8.Get appointed before you sell. Make sure your carriers have appointed you in California before you write business there.
- 9.Keep it active. Renew through NIPR before it expires. Most states open renewals 60 to 120 days ahead, and most accept your home state's continuing education for nonresident licenses.
Official links
Live in California? See how to get your resident license →
Fees and rules change. Check NIPR before you pay. Last checked November 2026.