How to Get an Insurance License in Tennessee: 2026 Step-by-Step
Published September 29, 2026. Last reviewed September 29, 2026. By Ridge & Valley Editors.
Summary: To become a licensed insurance producer in Tennessee, you pass a state exam through Pearson VUE, complete a fingerprint background check through IdentoGO, wait 48 hours after the exam, and apply online through NIPR with a $50 fee. Pre-licensing coursework is required only for title insurance. Once licensed, you complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, including 3 hours of ethics, and an insurer must appoint you before you can do business on its behalf.
East Tennessee’s population growth has created steady demand for licensed agents and customer service representatives. Here is the process as described by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI) for resident producers who need an exam.
Step 1: Choose your line of authority
Most new producers pursue property and casualty (auto, home, business) or life and health (life, annuities, health). Your line of authority determines which exam you take. According to TDCI, pre-licensing coursework is required only for the title insurance line, which requires at least 30 hours through an approved provider. For other lines, a prep course is optional but most candidates take one.
Step 2: Schedule and pass the exam
Tennessee’s testing vendor is Pearson VUE. You can schedule online or by phone at (800) 274-4957. All applicants must pass the written examination for their line of authority.
Step 3: Get fingerprinted
Tennessee requires a fingerprint-based background check through IdentoGO. TDCI advises completing fingerprinting at least two business days before you submit your license application. Your prints are checked against Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and FBI records.
Step 4: Apply through NIPR
Submit your application and the $50 filing fee online through NIPR. TDCI notes that you must wait 48 hours after your exam before submitting the application electronically, so the state has time to receive your results.
Step 5: Get appointed
A license lets you hold yourself out as a producer, but to sell on behalf of an insurance company you must be appointed by that company. TDCI notes that the appointing insurer files the appointment notice within 15 days.
After you are licensed: continuing education
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Ongoing CE | 24 credit hours every two-year renewal period |
| Ethics | 3 of the 24 hours must be ethics |
| Flood (property and casualty producers) | One-time 3-hour flood insurance course, which counts toward the 24 hours for one period |
| Annuities (life producers) | One-time 4-hour annuity training course before selling annuities, effective January 1, 2024 |
| Repeating a course | Allowed for credit only after two years |
Tips from the field
- Give the Tennessee-specific law section of the exam its own study time; it covers rules that general national material does not.
- Schedule fingerprinting early so it does not hold up your application.
- Keep copies of every CE certificate. Providers are required to report completions to the state, but your own records help if something is missing.
- If you are joining an agency, ask which insurers will appoint you and how long appointments usually take.
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Insurance Producer Licensing Procedure with Exams
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Continuing Education Requirements
- Pearson VUE, Tennessee Insurance