How long does it take to get a life insurance license in New York?

A practical estimate is 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how quickly you finish the required 20-hour approved course, obtain a PSI exam appointment, and receive DFS application approval. New York requires the exam to be passed within 2 years before the license application.

How much does a New York life insurance license cost?

Using TPG's advertised $149 course price, budget $222 to $262 before optional materials: $149 for the course, $33 for one PSI exam attempt, and a $40 or $80 resident application fee depending on license duration. NIPR does not list fingerprinting for the standard New York Life/Accident & Health Agent license. Verify current fees before paying.

Which New York license should I get for selling final expense and term life?

The New York Life Producer (Life-Only) license is the minimum required to sell life insurance, including final expense and term/whole life. If you also want to sell Medicare Supplement or under-65 health, you can either take a combined Life & Health course up front or add the Health line later. TPG agents typically start Life-Only and add Health when they are ready.

How much does it cost to get an insurance license in New York?

For a resident life-only license, the fixed government and testing fees are $73 to $113 for one attempt: a $33 PSI exam plus a $40 or $80 application fee. Add the price of a DFS-approved 20-hour course. With TPG's advertised $149 course, that is $222 to $262 before optional materials or retakes.

What is the cheapest way to get a New York insurance pre-licensing course?

Compare providers on the official New York DFS prelicensing provider list and confirm the exact life-only course is approved before paying. Compare total price, required instructional format, practice exams, refund terms, and support rather than choosing from an advertisement alone.

New York Life Insurance License Requirements 2026: 20 Hours, $33 Exam

Q: Do I need to be a New York resident to get a New York life insurance license?

No. First-time nonresident individual applicants can apply through NIPR when they hold the requested lines in good standing in their home state. Confirm any retaliatory fee shown for your home state before submitting.

20 hours of pre-licensing, 100-question state exam, ~$262 all-in. Here is the exact path.

Verified against the New York Department of Financial Services on July 20, 2026.

Free New York Licensing Roadmap

A printable step-by-step PDF covering pre-licensing, application requirements, the PSI Services LLC exam, and what to do the week your license arrives.

20 hrs

Pre-licensing hours

100 Qs

Exam questions

70%

Passing score

~$262

Total cost estimate

Typical timeline: Varies by course, testing availability, and state review

Path options: Life only: 20 hours; Accident & Health only: 20 hours; combined Life, Accident & Health: 40 hours

5 Steps to Get Licensed in New York

Use this as a practical roadmap. Your state may allow or require a different order for education, examination, application, and fingerprinting.

1
Complete pre-licensing education
Complete the education required for your license type through an approved provider. Course format and completion time vary by state and provider.
Start the JustInsurance Course
2
Schedule your New York state exam
Register through PSI Services LLC, the testing partner for the New York Department of Financial Services. Use the provider's current portal to confirm available testing formats and appointments.
Schedule with PSI Services LLC Visit New York Department of Financial Services
3
Pass the New York life insurance exam
Review the testing provider's current identification, arrival, and remote-testing rules before exam day. Use the official content outline to guide your preparation.
Retake policy: A new exam appointment and $33 fee are required for each attempt; confirm current scheduling rules with PSI.
4
Submit your license application
After passing, file your application through NIPR or your state's online portal and follow the documentation requirements for your license type.
5
Get appointed with carriers
A license alone does not authorize work for every carrier or product. The Price Group can assist with carrier contracting, subject to carrier approval and applicable state requirements.

Want this written out as a printable checklist?

New York Licensing Cost Breakdown

Everything you can expect to pay to get fully licensed in New York.

Item	Cost
State-approved pre-licensing course	$149
New York state exam fee	$33
License application fee	$80
Estimated total	~$262

Course prices and government fees can change. Verify the course on the state-approved provider list and confirm current fees before paying.

How much does a New York insurance license cost in 2026?

For a resident life-only license, the current fixed testing and application fees total $73 to $113 for one exam attempt. PSI lists the New York insurance exam at $33. DFS charges a $40 application fee when the license will be issued for one year or less and $80 when it will be issued for more than one year.

Add the cost of a DFS-approved 20-hour prelicensing course. Using the $149 course price promoted by TPG, the estimated total is $222 to $262 before optional materials or retakes.

NIPR's current New York resident requirements do not list fingerprinting for the standard Life/Accident & Health Agent license; its fingerprint list applies to specific other license types. Applicants with disclosure items may still need supporting documents, so follow the instructions generated for your application.

New York life insurance exam: format, questions, and passing score

The New York Life Insurance Agent/Broker exam is PSI series 17-51. The published outline lists 100 questions and a two-hour time limit. The state reports that 70 correct answers are required to pass.

The outline covers general life insurance concepts and New York insurance regulation. Use the current PSI content outline as the study checklist because topic weighting can change.

Each attempt requires a new $33 exam fee. Confirm current availability and retake scheduling directly in the PSI portal.

How many hours of pre-licensing are required in New York?

New York DFS requires at least 20 hours of approved prelicensing education for life-only authority, 20 hours for accident and health only, or 40 hours for combined life, accident and health authority.

Before enrolling, verify the provider and exact course on the DFS prelicensing provider list. A general exam-prep product is not automatically the same as a state-approved prelicensing course.

How long does it take to get a New York insurance license?

A practical planning estimate is 2 to 4 weeks, but New York does not promise that turnaround. Your timeline depends on course pace, PSI appointment availability, and DFS application review.

Step 1: complete the approved 20-hour life course. Step 2: schedule and pass PSI series 17-51. Step 3: submit the resident application through NY LINX. Step 4: use the DFS producer search to confirm issuance and print the license.

DFS requires the applicable exam to be passed within two years before the license application, so do not let a completed exam expire while waiting to apply.

New York license fees at a glance

Approved prelicensing course: provider price varies; TPG currently advertises a $149 option. PSI exam: $33 per attempt. Resident application: $40 for a license period of one year or less, or $80 for more than one year.

For applicable renewals, New York requires 15 CE credits. The current rule includes at least one hour each of New York insurance law, ethics and professionalism, and diversity, inclusion, and elimination of bias. Confirm the requirements for your license class on the DFS CE page.

Official New York licensing sources

Use these government and examination-provider pages to confirm requirements before paying or applying.

New York DFS: Life, Accident & Health Agent and Broker Licensing — education hours, application fees, license period, and application steps
PSI: New York Life Insurance Agent/Broker exam outline (17-51) — 100 questions and two-hour exam outline
NIPR: New York resident individual requirements — current fees, application rules, and license-type-specific fingerprinting list
New York DFS: Continuing education requirements — 15-credit renewal requirement and required topics

Just got your New York Life Producer license? Here is your next step.

A license is only the first step. The Price Group is a remote-first insurance agency that gives newly licensed New York agents access to final expense leads, carrier contracting, daily live training, and a telesales system. Apply below and we will set up a call to walk you through how it works.

License term

2 years

CE hours per renewal

15 hrs (1 ethics)

Official CE rules

Reciprocity

First-time nonresident applicants apply through NIPR and must hold the requested lines in good standing in their home state.

The TPG perspective

Selling Insurance in New York

What the New York insurance market actually looks like for new agents, from a remote-first agency that writes business here every week.

New York is a regulated market with strict suitability rules, which works in a trained agent's favor: prospects expect professional, compliant presentations, and the carriers we represent are built for that bar. A New York Life Producer license covers final expense, term, and whole life statewide.

TPG New York agents work AI-powered leads across New York City, Long Island, Westchester, the Capital Region, Buffalo, and Rochester. We focus on telesales, which fits the state well because in-home appointments across the five boroughs are slow and expensive. Compliance training, replacement rules, and Regulation 60 paperwork are covered in onboarding so you don't learn them by getting a chargeback.

Ready to start writing business in New York?

New York Licensing FAQ

Quick answers to the most common questions about getting licensed in New York.

Why agents choose The Price Group

Once you are licensed, the next decision is who you go to market with. The Price Group is built for life insurance agents who want a real system, not an MLM.