Arkansas Seal

Arkansas

state commissioner

Alan McClain

STATE phone
(501) 371-2750
STATE LICENSE DIVISION ADDRESS

Arkansas Insurance Department

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

Initial appointment deadline rule

Appointments 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

Can be processed via nipr?

Yes

Fees for appointing a resident agency or individual?

$20

Fees for appointing a nonresident agency or individual?

$60

Appoint agencies?

Yes

Agency appointment covers affiliated producers?

No

Adjuster appointments via NIPR?

No

Appointment effective date can be specified?

Yes

Appointment effective date rule

Required and may not be backdated more than 15 days, be in the future, or precede effective date of appointee license.

State requires appointment renewal?

Yes

Appointment renewals via

Via NIPR Portal

When is the state renewal period?

June 1, 2024 until June 30, 2024

Appointment renewal fee

Resident: $10 Non resident: $60

Fees are retaliatory?

Yes

Appointment Terminated if license expires?

Yes

Terminations processed via NIPR?

Yes

Termination reasons

Voluntary termination; inadequate production; cancelled by general agent; death; company defunct or liquidation; company indebtedness; poor policyholder service; agent moved; appointed in error; cancelled; cancelled for cause; company merger; revoked; suspended for compliance

Termination date can be specified by carrier?

No

Termination Effective date rule

Not required (ignored) and is the date transaction is processed by the state

Termination fee

$10

Licensing

Initial individual new license fee

Resident New License Insurance Producer: $0 (when exam is required) Resident New License Insurance Producer: $70 (when exam is not required) Resident New License Surplus Lines Producer: $1,035 Non Resident New License Insurance Producer: $70 Non Resident New License Surplus Lines Producer: $1,035

License renewal fee

Resident Renewal Insurance Producer: $70 Resident Renewal Surplus Lines Producer: $60 Non resident Renewal Insurance Producer: $70 Non resident Renewal Surplus Lines Producer: $60

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 first state license issue

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 first state license issue

Late renewal or reinstatement period for nonresident individual producer license?

Late renewal allowed up to one year after expiration

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

For individual's business address only

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

Title Agent, Risk Retention Group, Life Settlement Broker, Consultant, Insurance Producer, Life Settlement Provider, Surplus Lines Producer, Life and Disability, Adjuster, Crop Adjuster, Property and Casualty Insurer, Navigator, Certified Application Counselor, IPA Guide, Life Settlement Producer, Reinsurance Intermediaries Broker, Exchange Producer, Purchasing Group Broker

Appointment Terminated if license expires?

Yes

State broker license rule

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

Broker license notes

To obtain a broker's license, an applicant must comply with the same licensing requirements as a producer

Requires pre licensing courses?

Yes

Study method requirements

Before taking the examination, the applicant for an agent, or broker license must complete at least 20 hours of classroom instruction or electronic instruction taught by authorized instructors.

Submission of completion certificate rule

The applicant must submit a copy of the original pre-licensing education completion certificate, discussed in AR ADC 054.00.31 Appendices 3(A-E), to the exam vendor at the scheduled testing time.

How long is the pre licensing certification valid?

Pre licensing must be taken no more than 2 years before taking the license exam.

Exemptions to pre licensing requirements

An applicant for a new or additional line of authority will be exempt from the following requirements if the requirements were successfully completed within 2 years of the date of filing the application for the new or additional line: a. 5 hours of state insurance laws and rules; and b. 1 hour if ethics. The following applicants are exempt from pre-license education: a. consultant; b. surplus lines broker; and c. nonresident producer or adjuster from a state that engages in reciprocal licensing with Arkansas.

Background Check Required?

Yes – General background check

Fingerprints Required?

Not Required

Where to apply for resident license?

NIPR Gateway

What Transactions are Retaliatory Fees Applied to?

Appointment

What Determines the Retaliatory Fee?

Resident State Fees

Submit Partial License Renewals through NIPR?

No

Has Personal Lines LOA?

Yes

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

Every licensee must notify the Commissioner, in writing, of any change in his/her mailing or residence address within 30 days of the change. Contact Change Request supported via NIPR Gateway.

Penalty for failure to timely report personal data changes

Failure to notify the Commissioner will result in a $25 fee, payable to the Arkansas Insurance Department Trust Fund.

Agency

Can a sole proprietor be licensed as an entity?

No

DRLP must have active state license

Yes

DRLPs must cumulatively cover all LOAs in application

No

Agency Licensing renewals

90 days prior to expiration date until September 30th (annually)

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

Yes

Branch office

Main license meets requirements

Adjuster

Requires adjuster license?

Yes

Offers designated home state?

Yes

DHS exam required?

Yes

Reciprocity states

AK, AL, AZ, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IN, KY, LA, ME, MI, MN, MS, MT, 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

Property, Casualty, Workers' Compensation

Independent adjuster fees

Licensing Fee (without CE): $120 Licensing Fee (with CE): $140 Late Fee: $240

Independent adjuster exam required?

Yes

Independent adjuster details

Late renewals are allowed up to 12 months after the license expiration date. Non residents are required to be CE compliant to renew

Speciality adjuster renewal date

Biennially, on the individual's birthday.

Continuing Education

Total hours per renewal period

24

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?

90 days prior to month of birth

Exemptions to CE

Individuals who are at least 60 years old and licensed prior to July 1, 2003, exemption must be requested. Individuals who have been actively licensed for at least 15 consecutive years, prior to July 1, 2003, exemption must be requested. Newly licensed individuals are exempt for the initial license period. After the first renewal of the license, CE shall be due on the licensee’s birth date biennially. Title agents instead must complete 6 hours with 1 hour of ethics annually by their birthday.

What if a producer missed the renewal date?

Licensee has one year from the date of your missed renewal to bring your license back to good standing. In the meantime, the state automatically terminates any carrier appointments in the state, and will need to pay a late licensure fee. If one is also behind on your CE requirements, there is an additional fee.

Ethics requirements

3

Flood-specific CE requirements

3 hours of NFIP course

LTC-specific CE requirements

8-hour initial certification, with 4 hours of LTC-specific training each renewal cycle thereafter

Regulatory Updates

Arkansas 2024 Company Appointment Renewals for Insurance Producers

On March 5, 2024, Arkansas issued a bulletin identifying dates related to 2024 company appointment renewals for insurance producers. See attachment. 

Arkansas Adding New Non Uniform Question for All Renewal Applicants

Effective March 15, 2024, Arkansas will be adding a new NUQ required for renewal of all license classes.

Arkansas Issues Bulletin Concerning Release of Criminal Investigations

Arkansas issues bulletin concerning release of criminal investigations. See attachment for full details.

Arkansas 2023 Company Appointment Renewals

Arkansas has released their 2023 Company Appointment Renewal dates. The renewal dates are 6/1/2023 - 6/30/2023. Electronic Termination Deadline is 5/24/2023 and the paper deadline is 5/1/2023

Arkansas Clarifies Producers Best Interest Standards

The Commissioner issues the reminder that the best interest of the producer is outlined in Section 6 of Arkansas Rule number 82. Expand to view Section 6 in the original announcement.

Arkansas Announces 2022 Company Renewal Dates

Arkansas announces that the renewal period is between 6/1/22 - 6/30/22.

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.

Arkansas finalizes their Pre-license Requirements Pertaining to Adjusters and Producers

Arkansas has finalized the required course of instruction requirements for adjusters and producers.

FAQs