Montana Seal

Montana

state commissioner

Troy Downing

STATE phone
(406) 444-2040
STATE LICENSE DIVISION ADDRESS

Office of the Montana State Auditor

Address

840 Helena Avenue

Helena, Montana, 59601

Appointments & Terminations

Required to report appointments?

Yes

Permits Just-in-time (JIT) appointments?

Yes

Initial appointment deadlines

Within 15 days of contract execution

Initial appointment deadline rule

JIT appointments permitted. Appointments must be submitted within 15 days of the date the agent/agency contract is executed

Can be processed via nipr?

Yes

Fees for appointing a resident agency or individual?

No fees

Fees for appointing a nonresident agency or individual?

No fees

Appoint agencies?

Yes

Agency appointment covers affiliated producers?

Yes

Adjuster appointments via NIPR?

No

Appointment effective date can be specified?

Yes

Appointment effective date rule

Required and is the date supplied on transaction. Must not be in the future and must be less than 15 days old.

State requires appointment renewal?

No, perpetual

Appointment renewal fee

No fees

Licenses require appointment or affiliation?

No

State terminates appointment if license expires?

Yes

Terminations processed via NIPR?

Yes

Termination reasons

Voluntary termination; inadequate production; death; company defunct or liquidation; company indebtedness; poor policyholder service; agent moved; appointed in error; request regulatory review

Termination Effective date rule

Required and is the date supplied on transaction. Must not be in the future and must be less than 15 days old

Termination notes

After 30 days of compliance renewal cycle, if CE is not submitted, the appointments are canceled

Termination fee

No fee

Allows carriers to terminate the appointment if license has expired?

No

Can a not-for-cause termination notice be emailed?

Email notices are permitted

If email is allowed, can notice be in body text?

Within the email body text

Licensing

Initial individual new license fee

Resident New License Insurance Producer: $0
Resident New License Surplus Lines Producer: $50
Nonresident New License Insurance Producer: $100
Nonresident New License Surplus Lines Producer: $50

License renewal fee

Resident Renewal Insurance Producer: $0 Resident Renewal Surplus Lines Producer: $100 Nonresident Renewal Insurance Producer: $50 Nonresident Renewal Surplus Lines Producer: $100

When does the resident individual producer license renewal period begin?

90 days before expiration

What is the resident individual producer license renewal date?

Last day of birth month every 2 years based on year of birth

Late renewal or reinstatement period for resident individual producer license?

Late renewal allowed up to one year after expiration

When does the nonresident individual producer license renewal period begin?

90 days before expiration

What is the nonresident individual producer license renewal date?

Last day of birth month every 2 years based on year of birth

Late renewal or reinstatement period for nonresident individual producer license?

Late renewal allowed up to one year after expiration

Are individuals required to list their county as part of the address?

No

What addresses are required for individual license maintenance?

Residence, Business, and Mailing

State individual licenses include

Managing General Agent, Third Party Administrator, Risk Retention Group, Viatical Settlement Broker, Motor Club Agent, Consultant, Purchasing Group, Insurance Producer, Surplus Lines Producer, Health Service Corporation, Public Adjuster, Adjuster, Crop Adjuster, Reinsurance Intermediary Broker, Funeral, Premium Finance Company, Temporary Producer, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Property and Casualty Insurer, Surety Bail, Joint Underwriter Organization, Life and Disability Insurer, Navigator, Certified Application Counselor, Certified Exchange Producer, Temporary Surety Bail

State recognizes a licensing exemption for nonresident commercial lines producers with multistate contracts?

Yes

State broker license rule

Included in Producer License Class. Insurers are not required to appoint Brokers per NAIC PLMA

Broker license notes

An insurance producer must be appointed by an insurer before the producer claims to be a representative or producer of that insurer. The following activities do not require an appointment: a. a producer may obtain and present a quotation from an insurer who has not appointed him or her; or b. the insurer may bind coverage on temporary insurance before the execution of an agency contract and policy issuance, if the insurer consents

Requires pre licensing courses?

No

Prelicense education requirement

Background Check Required?

Yes – General background check

Fingerprints Required?

Yes, for Resident Licensing

Fingerprint Submission Details

Taken at exam site.

State Pre-Licensing Exam Website

Pearson VUE

How Long are State Pre-Licensing Exams Active?

One Year

Citizenship requirement details

Non-citizens of the U.S. must show proof of U.S. work authorization.

Where to apply for resident license?

NIPR Gateway

What Transactions are Retaliatory Fees Applied to?

None

Submit Partial License Renewals through NIPR?

No

Has Personal Lines LOA?

No

Deadline to report personal data changes (address, name change, phone number, etc.)

A licensee must notify the Commissioner in writing of a change of address or business email address within 30 days. Contact Change Request supported via NIPR Gateway.

Name Change Form

Individual and Business Entities can process via NIPR

Travel license notes

Montana honors state reciprocity for travel licenses that fall under major lines of authority.

Agency

Can a sole proprietor be licensed as an entity?

Yes

DRLP must have active state license

Yes

DRLPs must cumulatively cover all LOAs in application

No

Agency Licensing renewals

90 days prior to expiration until expiration date. Late renewal ends one year after expiration date.

Agency License required?

Yes

Affiliations: Indicates if producers selling on behalf of/through an entity must be formally affiliated with that entity and if the entity must notify the department of changes

All producers selling on behalf of or through a business entity are affiliated.

Branch office

Main license meets requirements

Deadline to report key business entity changes (address, dba, phone, email, etc.)

A licensee must notify the Commissioner in writing of a change of address or business email address within 30 days. Contact Change Request supported via NIPR Gateway.

Adjuster

Requires adjuster license?

Yes

Offers designated home state?

Yes

Reciprocity states

AK, AL, AR, AZ, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, LA, ME, MI, MN, MS, NC, NH, NM, NV, OK, OR, RI, SC, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, WY

Which states require an exam for reciprocity?

CA, HI, NY, PR

Independent adjuster LOAS

No LOA required

Independent adjuster fees

Licensing Fee: $50 Reinstatement Fee: $50 Renewal Fee: $100 Late Renewal Fee: $200

Independent adjuster exam required?

Yes

Speciality adjuster renewal date

Biennially, on the first day of the birth month. Odd birthdays will have odd renewal years. Even birthdays will have even renewal years.

Public Adjuster Renewal Period

Biennially, on the first day of the birth month, in alternating years. Odd birthdays will have odd renewal years. Even birthdays will have even renewal years.

Public Adjuster Details

Public Adjusters are required to post surety bond of $5000.

Public Adjuster LOAs

Public Adjuster

Public adjuster fees

Licensing Fee: $50 Reinstatement Fee: $50 Renewal Fee: $100 Late Renewal Fee: $200

Public adjuster exam required?

Yes

Emergency adjuster details

No license is required in the event of catastrophe. Refer to the instructions issued at the time of the catastrophe announcement.

Specialty Adjuster

Crop Insurance Adjuster

Specialty Adjuster Fees

Licensing Fee: $50 Reinstatement Fee: $50 Renewal Fee: $100 Late Renewal Fee: $200

Specialty Adjuster Exam Required?

Yes

Specialty Adjuster Renewal Period

Biennially, on the first day of the birth month. Odd birthdays will have odd renewal years. Even birthdays will have even renewal years.

DHS Exam Required?

Yes

Address change request through NIPR?

Yes

Continuing Education

Total hours per renewal period

24

Renewal period

2 years

CE due before license renewal date?

Yes

License renewal date is

Last day of birth month

License renewal year based on...

Year of birth

When is the CE due?

Prior to license expiration.

How long before expiration does state send CE reminder?

90 days prior to expiration date

How long before expiration does state send CE reminder?

90 days prior to expiration date

Exemptions to CE

What if a producer missed the renewal date?

You can reinstate your license within 12 months of its lapse in Montana. After that, you’ll need to reapply.

CE instructors get credit for teaching courses?

Yes

Ethics requirements

3 hours ethics, 1 hour Montana statutes

Flood-specific CE requirements

3 hours of NFIP course

LTC-specific CE requirements

8-hour initial certification, with 4 hours of LTC-specific training every two years

Annuity-specific CE requirements

One-time, 4-hour course

Adjusters

Unless exempt, adjusters must complete 24 CE hours every 2 years. The CE must include: 3 hours of ethics and 1 hour covering changes in Montana insurance statutes and administrative rules.

Additional line of business requirements

Producers licensed only in surety bail bonds, prepaid legal insurance, or limited lines credit must complete only 5 CE hours per cycle in the subjects of credit life, credit disability, insurance law, or ethics. This includes the Montana insurance law and administration credit. Viatical settlement brokers must complete CE that covers the subjects of life insurance, viaticals, and ethics.

Regulatory Updates

Montana Implements New Transaction Type to Process Primary Name Updates

Effective October 18, 2024, Montana will Implement new transaction types to process Name Change (Demographics) updates.

Montana List of Eligible Surplus Lines Companies

On June 24, 2024, Montana provided a list of eligible Surplus Lines companies. Please see the attachment for more information.

Montana to Add New License Class Called Temporary Surety Bail

Effective January 1, 2024, Montana will add a new offering called Temporary Surety Bail - New offering requirements: - Temporary Surety Bail has no fee - Exam required before submitting application - License expires after 12 months if applicants is approved - Must be 21 years of age - Amendment applicants deferred for fingerprint check after 1 year - Reapplications deferred for fingerprint check 

Montana Summarizes its Continuing Education Program Changes

Effective November 1, 2023, Montana provides an update to their course reporting for CE providers such that they can report an approved course as a classroom and webinar course.  Please see attached document for more information.

Montana Limited Lines Travel Agent License

For Residents and Nonresidents 2023 MT H.B. 591(NS) (Effective 10/1/2023) - LIMITED LINES: TRAVEL AGENT - Added travel administrator licensing requirements.MT ST 33-17-212 (Effective 1/1/2024) - Per 2023 MT H.B. 62(NS) - REFERENCES - Revised the effective date only. MT ST 33-17-241 (Effective 5/9/2023) - Per 2023 MT H.B. 567(NS) - INDIVIDUAL NONRESIDENT LICENSE REQUIREMENTS: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS - Revised the navigator training requirement information. MT ST 33-17-242 (Effective 5/9/2023) - Per 2023 MT H.B. 567(NS) - CONTINUING EDUCATION - Revised the Commissioner's responsibility with regard to navigator training requirements. MT ST 33-17-1401 (Effective 10/1/2023) - Per 2023 MT H.B. 591(NS) - LIMITED LINES: TRAVEL AGENT - Added the "limited lines travel insurance producer," "travel administrator," and "travel insurance" definitions. MT ST 33-17-1402 (Effective 10/1/2023) - Per 2023 MT H.B. 591(NS) - 1) WHO MUST BE LICENSED - Added "limited lines travel insurance producer" as another license type. 2) LIMITED LINES: TRAVEL AGENT - a) Added limited lines travel insurance producer licensing requirements. b) Deleted travel retailer registry requirements. MT ST 33-17-1404 (Effective 10/1/2023) - Per 2023 MT H.B. 591(NS) - LIMITED LINES: TRAVEL AGENT - a) Revised the applicability and enforcement information. b) Deleted information mentioning "unfair trade practices" and penalties.

Montana Eliminates the Insurance Advisory Council for Education Course Review

Effective October 1, 2023, Montana will eliminate the Insurance Advisory Council for education course review. See attachment for full details.

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