Massachusetts
Massachusetts insurance licensing: requirements, renewal, and agency rules
Massachusetts licenses producers and adjusters through the Division of Insurance (DOI), with applications filed through NIPR rather than a state-run portal — there's no Massachusetts-specific e-licensing system to learn.
- Renewal cycle
- Every 3 years
- CE hours
- 45 hours (3 ethics)
- Application fee
- $225
- DOI phone
- 617-521-7794
Overview
Massachusetts licenses producers and adjusters through the Division of Insurance (DOI), with applications filed through NIPR rather than a state-run portal — there's no Massachusetts-specific e-licensing system to learn. DOI runs more than ten license types, including a standalone Public Insurance Adjuster license under M.G.L. c. 175 § 172. Licenses run on a three-year term and expire in the holder's birth month, and DOI tracks status through NIPR's State Based Systems rather than mailing renewal notices.
How to get licensed
Confirm you need prelicensing education
DOI's licensing pages don't list a prelicensing-hours requirement for the standard producer lines (Life, Accident and Health, Property, Casualty, Personal Lines). Check DOI's Insurance Examinations and Continuing Education page for the current status before you schedule your exam.
Register for and pass the licensing exam
Massachusetts uses Pearson as its exam vendor. If you're pursuing Property and Casualty, note that Massachusetts requires two separate exams — passing the combined P&C Adviser exam doesn't satisfy the Producer exam requirement.
Apply for your license
The fastest path is to apply through InsureTrek — we file your Massachusetts application for the state's $225 fee, pulled from NIPR at the moment of application. Adding Property, Casualty, or Personal Lines carries an additional $75 lead paint surcharge (waived for veterans and legally blind applicants).
Track your application and license status
Massachusetts doesn't mail licenses. Check your application and license status through NIPR's State Based Systems (SBS) License Manager, linked from DOI's Individual Insurance Producer page.
Prelicensing education
Not required. DOI's licensing pages don't state an hours requirement for the standard producer lines; confirm current status on DOI's examinations and CE page before assuming none applies to your line.
Exam
Vendor: Pearson VUE.
Fees
| Fee | Initial | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Resident individual producer license Adding Property, Casualty, or Personal Lines carries an additional $75 lead paint surcharge, waived for veterans and legally blind applicants. | $225 | $225 |
| Non-resident individual producer license Same $75 lead paint surcharge applies when adding Property, Casualty, or Personal Lines. | $225 | $225 |
| Business entity – Insurance Producer (per member) Other entity classes are priced separately: Surplus Lines Broker $150/member, Insurance Adviser and Public Insurance Adjuster $66.66/member, Motor Club $200 flat, Portable Electronics $1,000 flat. | $75 | $75 |
Fees as of 2026-08-21. Fees change without much notice. When you apply through InsureTrek, we always use the current fee at the moment of application. Sources: NIPR – Massachusetts resident individual licensing, NIPR – Massachusetts non-resident individual licensing, NIPR – Massachusetts resident business licensing
Renewal & CE
Renewal window — License expires in the licensee's birth month, on a three-year renewal cycle.
Grace period: 12 months to reinstate without retesting; the late renewal fee is double the unpaid renewal fee.
Your first renewal requires 60 CE credits (including 3 ethics credits); every renewal after that requires 45 credits (including 3 ethics credits).
45 total CE hours per renewal term, including 3 ethics hours.
Producers licensed continuously since before April 4, 1983 have a grandfathered CE exemption, which is voided if any new line of authority is added after that date.
For agencies and non-residents
Agencies, appointments & DRLP
A separate Business Entity license is required, filed through InsureTrek, with a name-approval step handled directly with DOI (DOINameApproval@mass.gov) before you apply. Entities licensed as Insurance Producers must name a Designated Responsible Licensed Producer (DRLP); other entity classes don't carry that requirement. The Business Entity fee for a Producer entity is $75 per member; other entity classes range from about $67 to $1,000 per member depending on type. NIPR's electronic license-update feature doesn't support changing a DRLP — that requires filing a new Business Entity Initial Application.
Insurers appoint producers under M.G.L. c. 175 § 162S before business is transacted. Appointment terminations are governed by M.G.L. c. 175 § 162T: the insurer must notify the Commissioner within 30 days of termination, and the producer receives a copy of that notice with 30 days to respond.
Appointments — Just-in-time appointments: The insurer must file the appointment within 15 days of executing the agency contract or the first insurance application submitted, whichever comes first, under M.G.L. c. 175 § 162S. Deadlines: Termination notice to the Commissioner is due within 30 days under § 162T; the producer then has 30 days to respond to the notice.
Managing DRLPs across states? See how InsureTrek handles it →
Steps outside NIPR
Massachusetts is the longest agency filing in this set. A non-resident agency registers as a foreign entity with the Secretary of the Commonwealth first, which itself requires a name approval from the Division of Insurance and a certificate of good standing from the home state, and the license application needs certified copies attached through NIPR ALD.
- Get a certificate of good standing from your home state. Order it from the Secretary of State where the agency is domiciled.
- Appoint a Massachusetts registered agent. The agent needs a physical address in Massachusetts.
- Get name approval from the Division of Insurance. Email the unexecuted foreign entity application to DOINameApproval@mass.gov and wait for the approval letter.
- File the foreign entity registration. Fax the voucher, application, name approval letter, and certificate of good standing to the Secretary of the Commonwealth at (617) 624-3891, then wait for approval.
- Order certified copies and attach them. Order certified copies of the application of registration and the certificate of good standing, scan them, and upload them to the NIPR Attachments & Licensing Documentation (ALD) portal with the license application.
| Registered agentInsureTrek can provide one, or use your own provider. | $45 |
|---|---|
| Home-state certificate of good standingApproximate; set by your home state. | $40 |
| Foreign entity registration | $520 |
| Certified copies | $74 |
Non-residents
Massachusetts recognizes reciprocal licensing for out-of-state producers under M.G.L. c. 175 § 162O. Non-residents apply the same way as residents — through InsureTrek — since Massachusetts doesn't run its own producer portal. Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser, Public Insurance Adjuster, and Adviser licenses require supplemental documents filed directly with DOI even for non-resident applicants. If you move to Massachusetts and establish residency, you have 90 days to convert your license after terminating your prior resident-state license.
Apply for a non-resident Massachusetts license through InsureTrek, plus the state fee.
Official resources
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance — licensing
- DOI phone: 617-521-7794
Terms used on this page
Sources & disclaimer
This guide is informational and summarizes publicly available state and NIPR licensing rules as of 2026-08-22. Requirements change — verify current rules with the Massachusetts Division of Insurance or NIPR before you rely on anything here.
Official NIPR reseller · Applications filed through InsureTrek are submitted via NIPR.
- InsureTrek licensing team — Massachusetts agency filing steps — accessed 2026-08-22
- MA DOI – Frequently Asked Questions for Producers — accessed 2026-08-19
- MA DOI – How to Contact the Division of Insurance — accessed 2026-08-19
- MA DOI – Individual and Business Entity Licensing — accessed 2026-08-19
- MA DOI – Individual Insurance Producer — accessed 2026-08-19
- MA DOI – Insurance Examinations and Continuing Education — accessed 2026-08-19
- MA DOI – Producer Licensing Department — accessed 2026-08-19
- MA DOI – Resident Producer Continuing Education Announcement — accessed 2026-08-19
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 175, § 162S (full text) — accessed 2026-08-21
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 175, § 162T (full text) — accessed 2026-08-19
- Massachusetts General Laws c. 175, §§ 162G–186B — accessed 2026-08-19
- NIPR – Massachusetts non-resident individual licensing — accessed 2026-08-21
- NIPR – Massachusetts resident individual licensing — accessed 2026-08-19
- NIPR – Massachusetts state information — accessed 2026-08-19
- Pearson – Massachusetts insurance exams — accessed 2026-08-19
FAQs
How much does it cost to get an insurance license in Massachusetts?
The DOI application fee is $225 for a resident individual producer license, filed through InsureTrek. Adding Property, Casualty, or Personal Lines carries an additional $75 lead paint surcharge, waived for veterans and legally blind applicants. Pearson exam fees are separate and set by the vendor.
Do I need a prelicensing course before I can sit for the Massachusetts exam?
DOI's producer licensing pages don't list a prelicensing-hours requirement for the standard lines. Check DOI's examinations and continuing education page for the current status before you schedule your exam, since requirements can change by line.
Where do I take the Massachusetts insurance licensing exam?
Massachusetts uses Pearson as its exam vendor. If you're licensing for Property and Casualty, you'll need to pass two separate exams — the combined P&C Adviser exam doesn't count toward the Producer requirement.
How do I check my Massachusetts license or application status?
Massachusetts doesn't mail licenses or run its own e-licensing portal. Check status through NIPR's State Based Systems (SBS) License Manager, linked from DOI's Individual Insurance Producer page.
How often do I renew, and how much continuing education do I need?
Massachusetts licenses run on a three-year cycle, expiring in your birth month. Your first renewal requires 60 CE credits, including 3 ethics credits; every renewal after that requires 45 credits, including 3 ethics credits.
What happens if I miss my Massachusetts renewal deadline?
You have 12 months to reinstate without retesting, but the late renewal fee is double the unpaid renewal fee. After that window, you'll need to reapply as a new applicant.
Can I get a Massachusetts non-resident license without retaking the exam?
Massachusetts recognizes reciprocal licensing for out-of-state producers under M.G.L. c. 175 § 162O. You apply through InsureTrek the same way residents do, and NIPR lists the same $225 fee for non-residents as for residents.
Does Massachusetts license public insurance adjusters?
Yes. Massachusetts licenses Public Insurance Adjusters under M.G.L. c. 175 § 172, separate from producer licensing. Individual applicants must be 21 or older, show two or more years of qualifying experience, pass the state exam, pass a Massachusetts CORI background check, and submit a sample client contract.
See how InsureTrek handles Massachusetts licensing at scale.
Renewals, CE, and appointments tracked across every state your producers write in.