How Do I Get an Insurance License in Wisconsin?

Depending on what type of insurance agent you want to be or what types of policies you need to sell, you will need to choose what type or types of insurance licenses you need to get. After you’ve determined which licenses you need, you must now take your Wisconsin insurance pre-license education courses. The next step after completing all of your pre-license coursework is to take the insurance exam. You will take one exam for each line of insurance you wish to carry. Wisconsin requires that all insurance license applicants provide fingerprints prior to licensing. Giving your fingerprints will initiate a background check. If you have any prior misdemeanors or felonies, this may affect the outcome of your licensing efforts. Once you have completed your exams and fingerprinting, you are now ready to apply for your license. If you have more than one line of authority that you have passed the exam for, be sure to apply for all of those lines. Once you have submitted your application and have filled all the other requirements, your license application will be reviewed by the state. Your background check will also be reviewed. For more information on this topic, call the Department of Insurance at (614) 644-2665 or email the License Department.

How Do I Get a State Adjuster License in Wisconsin?

The State of Wisconsin does not offer a Resident Insurance Adjuster License and does not require a license to practice insurance claims adjusting within the state.

How do I renew my insurance license in Wisconsin?

Resident licenses expire every two (2) years on the last day of the licensee’s birth month. It is possible that licensees may be given longer than the required minimum of twenty-four (24) months. Agent licenses are available to renew sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date of the license. The State of Wisconsin requires that resident individual licensees complete twenty-four (24) credit hours of continuing education every two-year renewal period. Three (3) hours must be in the subject of ethics. Credits cannot include the same course taken repeatedly in one reporting period. After you have completed you may renew your Wisconsin insurance license online by using the <a href="https://www.nipr.com/license_form.htm">National Insurance Producer Registry</a> (NIPR). <a href="https://agentsync.io">AgentSync</a> can also help with the renewal process. Upon renewal, a fee of $35 must be paid.

How do I renew my non-resident insurance license in Wisconsin?

Non-resident licenses expire every two years on the last day of the licensee’s birth month (e.g. if you are born on May 5th, your license expires on May 31st). For any non-residential licensure to be issued, there must be an old reciprocal license in the holder’s given home state. Partial renewals are not allowed. It is possible that licensees may be given longer than the required minimum of 24 months. Renewals by paper are uncommon, therefore it is suggested that any renewals for non-resident licenses in Wisconsin be submitted online by using the <a href="https://www.nipr.com/license_form.htm">National Insurance Producer Registry</a> (NIPR). <a href="https://agentsync.io">AgentSync</a> can also help with the renewal process. Upon renewal, a fee of $70 must be paid.

How Do I renew My Non-Resident Adjuster License in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin Non-resident adjuster license renewal is required of all license-holders every two (2) years before the expiration date. A Non-resident who is licensed as a public insurance adjuster in another state that requires the applicant to submit to an examination as a condition of licensure is exempted from the examination requirements of Wisconsin. Please note: DHS Partial renewals are not allowed. Non-Resident applicants must be licensed for the same license type and lines of authority to be eligible for online submission. Additionally, Non-Resident Adjusters in Wisconsin are only required to complete the Continuing Education (CE) requirements of their DHS. Additionally, a Non-Resident who is licensed as a public insurance adjuster in another state that has reciprocity agreement with Wisconsin is exempt from additional examination. There is a $75 renewal fee, which can be paid directly via the NIPR. For more information, contact Wisconsin’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI).

How Do I Renew My Adjuster License In Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is one of 16 states that do not license insurance adjusters. This means you can legally adjust claims in your state without a license, but only in said state. To adjust in the state of Wisconsin, you will need to obtain a Designated Home State (DHS) license. You will go through that state’s (Wisconsin or otherwise) licensing process, testing, and compliance regulations and their license will act as your resident, or home state license. If youre looking to become an insurance adjuster in a non-licensing state like Wisconsin, the Florida 70-20 DHS License is the next best thing for the following reasons: The state offers the quickest turnaround time after you submit your documents. The Florida 70-20 license is reciprocal with most states. A Florida DHS license is good for 4 years. This is not to say this is the only way to obtain a DHS license, it is simply the easiest. Many of the licensing states offer DHS licenses. So be sure to do additional research to find the best fit. For more information, contact Wisconsin’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI).

Wisconsin

state commissioner

Nathan Houdek

STATE email

ociagentlicensing@wisconsin.gov

STATE phone

(608) 266-8699

STATE LICENSE DIVISION ADDRESS

Office of the Commissioner of Insurance

Visit State Website

Appointments & Terminations

Required to report appointments?

Yes

Permits Just-in-time (JIT) appointments?

Yes

Initial appointment deadlines

Within 15 days of contract execution or first business submission; Earlier of the two

Initial appointment deadline rule

JIT appointments permitted. Appointment must be submitted within 15 days of the date the agent/agency contract is executed or the first piece of business is submitted to the carrier. The appointment submission deadline is the earlier of the two dates

Can be processed via nipr?

Yes

Fees for appointing a resident agency or individual?

$16

Fees for appointing a non resident agency or individual?

$30

Appoint agencies?

Adjuster appointments via NIPR?

Appointment effective date can be specified?

Yes

Appointment effective date rule

Required and is the date supplied on transaction. Must be less than 15 days old.

State requires appointment renewal?

Yes

Appointment renewals via

Via NIPR Portal

When is the state renewal period?

Jan. 5, 2024 until March 15, 2024

Appointment renewal fee

Intermediary (Agent) Individual Resident: $16 Intermediary (Agent) Individual Non-Resident: $30

Terminations processed via NIPR?

Yes

Termination reasons

Voluntary termination; inadequate production; death; company defunct or liquidation; company indebtedness; cancelled; cancelled for cause; company merger; revoked; suspended for compliance

Termination date can be specified by carrier?

Yes

Termination Effective date rule

Effective date is required and must not be in the future and must be less than 30 days old. Date effective is date supplied on transaction

Termination fee

No fee

Licensing

Initial individual new license fee

Resident New License Insurance Producer major lines: $10.00 Resident New License (Variable Life/Variable Annuity, Travel, Crop, Surety, Legal Expense, Attorney Title): $75.00 (per LOA) Resident New License Surplus Lines Broker $100.00 Non Resident New License Insurance Producer $75.00 (per LOA) Non Resident New License Surplus Lines Broker $100.00

License renewal fee

Wisconsin: Intermediary (Producer) Individual Renewal Fee: $35.00 Employee Benefit Plan Administrator Renewal Fee: $100.00 Life Settlement Broker (Viatical Settlement) Renewal Fee: $250.00 Managing General Agent Individual Renewal Fee: $35.00 Reinsurance Intermediary Broker Renewal Fee: $35.00 Reinsurance Intermediary Manager Renewal Fee: $35.00 Surplus Lines Renewal Fee: $100.00 Public Adjuster Renewal Fee: $50.00 Navigator Individual Renewal Fee: $35.00 Nonresident: Intermediary (Producer) Individual Renewal Fee: $70.00 Reinstatement Fee: $140.00 Employee Benefit Plan Administrator Renewal Fee: $100.00 Life Settlement Broker Renewal Fee: $250.00 Managing General Agent Individual Renewal Fee: $70.00 Reinsurance Intermediary Broker Renewal Fee: $70.00 Reinsurance Intermediary Manager Renewal Fee: $70.00 Surplus Lines Renewal Fee: $100.00

When does the resident individual producer license renewal period begin?

60 days before expiration

What is the resident individual producer license renewal date?

Last day of birth month every 2 years based on year of first state license issue

When does the nonresident individual producer license renewal period begin?

60 days before expiration

What is the nonresident individual producer license renewal date?

Last day of birth month every 2 years based on year of first state license issue

Can a producer use a P.O. Box in their resident or business address?

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

What addresses are required for individual license maintenance?

Residence, Business, and Mailing

State individual licenses include

Life Settlement Broker, Life Accident & Health, Property And Casualty, Surplus Lines, Public Adjuster, Reinsurance Intermediary Manager, Reinsurance Intermediary Broker, Temporary Producer, Intermediary (Producer) Individual, Employee Benefit Plan Administrator, Managing General Agent Individual, Navigator Individual, Temporary Insurance Intermediary, Warranty Plan

State broker license rule

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

Requires pre licensing courses?

Yes

Study method requirements

Supervised instruction, monitored self-study, or verifiable self-study

Submission of completion certificate rule

The commissioner will accept an official transcript or grade report as proof of the satisfactory completion of credit courses. Certificate of pre-licensing education must be provided to each student in hard copy or electronically. The commissioner will not accept attendance at a pre-licensing course based on a student audit of the course.

How long is the pre licensing certification valid?

Pre-licensing education certificates of completion are valid for 1 year from the date of issuance.

Exemptions to pre licensing requirements

Pre-license education is not required of an individual who: I. is applying for a limited line insurance license for credit, legal, crop, surety, travel, title or other limited line insurance; II. has completed a 2-year Wisconsin vocational school degree in insurance and has submitted evidence of this with the application; III. has completed a 4-year college degree in business with an emphasis in insurance and has submitted evidence of this with the application; IV. is applying for a reinsurance intermediary or managing general agent limited line license; V. is applying for an original resident license and: (1) held a license in another state within the previous 12 months for each line being applied for; and (2) submits a letter of clearance (no more than 90 days old); VI. is applying for a nonresident license; VII. is applying for a life line and provides evidence of currently holding any of the following professional designations or successor designations: (1) CEBS; (2) ChFC; (3) CIC; (4) CFP; (5) CLU; (6) FLMI; or (7) LUTCF; VIII. is applying for an accident and health line and provides evidence of currently holding any of the following professional designations or successor designations: (1) RHU; (2) CEBS; (3) REBC; or (4) HIA; or IX. is applying for the property, casualty or personal lines P&C lines and provides evidence of currently holding any of the following professional designations or successor designations: (1) AAI; (2) ARM; (3) CIC; or (4) CPCU. The exempt applicant must submit an exemption request with all supporting documentation as prescribed by the Commissioner. An applicant who is exempt from pre-licensing education must submit a Pre-licensing Exemption Form and official documentation supporting the exemption. a. See https://bit.ly/3hHJpNa for the exemption form. b. The exemption form may be: I. faxed to the Agent Licensing Section at (608)267-9451; II. emailed to ociagentlicensing@wisconsin.gov; III. submitted electronically via the OCI website; or IV. mailed to: Agent Licensing Section P.O. Box 7872 Madison, WI 53707-7872

Background Check Required?

Yes – Full criminal history

Fingerprints Required?

Yes, for Resident Licensing

Fingerprint Submission Details

Taken through FieldPrint

Where to apply for resident license?

NIPR Gateway

What Transactions are Retaliatory Fees Applied to?

None

Submit Partial License Renewals through NIPR?

Has Personal Lines LOA?

Personal Lines Property & Casualty

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

Each intermediary must notify the Commissioner within 30 days in the Commissioner-prescribed manner of any change in the intermediary's name, residence address, contact email address, business address, or mailing address. Contact Change Request supported via NIPR Gateway.

Agency

Can a sole proprietor be licensed as an entity?

DRLP must have active state license

Yes

DRLPs must cumulatively cover all LOAs in application

Agency Licensing renewals

60 days prior to expiration date until Feb. 15th of the next even-numbered year.

Agency License required?

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

Branch office

Main license meets requirements

Adjuster

Requires adjuster license?

Only Public Adjusters

Offers designated home state?

DHS exam required?

N/A

Reciprocity states

None

Independent adjuster renewal date

Biennially, on the last day of the month the license was issued.

Continuing Education

Total hours per renewal period

Renewal period

2 years

License renewal date is

Last day of birth month

License renewal year based on...

Year of first license issuance

When is the CE due?

Prior to license expiration.

How long before expiration does state send CE reminder?

60 days prior to expiration date

Exemptions to CE

What if a producer missed the renewal date?

Licensee has one year to satisfy all CE requirements and pay reinstatement fee.

CE instructors get credit for teaching courses?

Yes

Ethics requirements

Flood-specific CE requirements

3 hours of NFIP course

LTC-specific CE requirements

8-hour initial certification including 2 hours specific to Wisconsin Medicaid and LTC, with 4 hours of LTC-specific training every 2 years including 1 hour specific to Wisconsin Medicaid and LTC

Annuity-specific CE requirements

One-time, 4-hour course

For more from agentsync

https://agentsync.io/blog/individual-producers/insurance-continuing-education-wisconsin

Regulatory Updates

Wisconsin Agent Appointment Renewal Invoices for 2023

The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI) will process all company appointments electronically through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). The appointment renewal invoice will include all resident / nonresident appointment renewals. The 2023 Wisconsin appointment renewal dates are 1/5/2024 - 3/15/2024. Appointments added after 1/1/2024 will be associated with the 2024 renewal date period. Please see attached for more informaiton.

Wisconsin Sets 2023 Appointment Renewal Dates

The 2023 Wisconsin appointment renewal dates are 1/5/2023 - 3/15/2023. Appointments added after 1/1/2023 will be associated with the 2024 renewal date period

OCI Posts Administrative Actions for June 2022

The OCI holds the responsibility of enforcing insurance laws in Wisconsin. Every month, they publish the administrative actions taken against individuals and companies.

Wisconsin’s Best Interest Law Announcement

On April 15, 2022, Wisconsin released the Best Interest Law (2021 Wis. Act 260). This law revised the annuity suitability standards to better protect consumers of the annuity products. These changes will take effect on Oct 1, 2022.

Wisconsin Shares Changes to their Annuity Training Requirements

Vermont outlines some changes to how one may satisfy annuity continued education requirements in Vermont.

NASAA Updates IAR CE Member Adoption list on its Website

NASAA provides an updated version of the IAR CE Member Adoption list on its website.

Wisconsin Alerts Insurance Agents to the Dangers of Selling Certain Non-Insurance Investment Products

Licensed insurance agents may be targeted to sell unregistered securities to self directed retirement accounts. In some cases, agents may be told that these non-securities products do not need to be sold through a securities broker or a dealer. The selling of these products violate insurance law and put the license at risk.

FAQs

How Do I Get an Insurance License in Wisconsin?

Depending on what type of insurance agent you want to be or what types of policies you need to sell, you will need to choose what type or types of insurance licenses you need to get. After you’ve determined which licenses you need, you must now take your Wisconsin insurance pre-license education courses. The next step after completing all of your pre-license coursework is to take the insurance exam. You will take one exam for each line of insurance you wish to carry.

Wisconsin requires that all insurance license applicants provide fingerprints prior to licensing. Giving your fingerprints will initiate a background check. If you have any prior misdemeanors or felonies, this may affect the outcome of your licensing efforts. Once you have completed your exams and fingerprinting, you are now ready to apply for your license. If you have more than one line of authority that you have passed the exam for, be sure to apply for all of those lines. Once you have submitted your application and have filled all the other requirements, your license application will be reviewed by the state. Your background check will also be reviewed.

For more information on this topic, call the Department of Insurance at (614) 644-2665 or email the License Department.
How Do I Get a State Adjuster License in Wisconsin?
How do I renew my insurance license in Wisconsin?

Resident licenses expire every two (2) years on the last day of the licensee’s birth month. It is possible that licensees may be given longer than the required minimum of twenty-four (24) months. Agent licenses are available to renew sixty (60) days prior to the expiration date of the license.

The State of Wisconsin requires that resident individual licensees complete twenty-four (24) credit hours of continuing education every two-year renewal period. Three (3) hours must be in the subject of ethics. Credits cannot include the same course taken repeatedly in one reporting period.

After you have completed you may renew your Wisconsin insurance license online by using the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). AgentSync can also help with the renewal process.

Upon renewal, a fee of $35 must be paid.
How do I renew my non-resident insurance license in Wisconsin?

Non-resident licenses expire every two years on the last day of the licensee’s birth month (e.g. if you are born on May 5th, your license expires on May 31st). For any non-residential licensure to be issued, there must be an old reciprocal license in the holder’s given home state. Partial renewals are not allowed. It is possible that licensees may be given longer than the required minimum of 24 months.

Renewals by paper are uncommon, therefore it is suggested that any renewals for non-resident licenses in Wisconsin be submitted online by using the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). AgentSync can also help with the renewal process.

Upon renewal, a fee of $70 must be paid.
How Do I renew My Non-Resident Adjuster License in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin Non-resident adjuster license renewal is required of all license-holders every two (2) years before the expiration date. A Non-resident who is licensed as a public insurance adjuster in another state that requires the applicant to submit to an examination as a condition of licensure is exempted from the examination requirements of Wisconsin.

Please note: DHS Partial renewals are not allowed.

Non-Resident applicants must be licensed for the same license type and lines of authority to be eligible for online submission. Additionally, Non-Resident Adjusters in Wisconsin are only required to complete the Continuing Education (CE) requirements of their DHS. Additionally, a Non-Resident who is licensed as a public insurance adjuster in another state that has reciprocity agreement with Wisconsin is exempt from additional examination.

There is a $75 renewal fee, which can be paid directly via the NIPR.

For more information, contact Wisconsin’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI).
How Do I Renew My Adjuster License In Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is one of 16 states that do not license insurance adjusters. This means you can legally adjust claims in your state without a license, but only in said state.

To adjust in the state of Wisconsin, you will need to obtain a Designated Home State (DHS) license. You will go through that state’s (Wisconsin or otherwise) licensing process, testing, and compliance regulations and their license will act as your resident, or home state license.

If youre looking to become an insurance adjuster in a non-licensing state like Wisconsin, the Florida 70-20 DHS License is the next best thing for the following reasons:
The state offers the quickest turnaround time after you submit your documents.
The Florida 70-20 license is reciprocal with most states.
A Florida DHS license is good for 4 years.

This is not to say this is the only way to obtain a DHS license, it is simply the easiest. Many of the licensing states offer DHS licenses. So be sure to do additional research to find the best fit.

For more information, contact Wisconsin’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI).