# Montana insurance licensing: requirements, renewal, and agency rules

> Montana licenses insurance producers through the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI), an office of the State Auditor — Montana has no separate insura

![](/flags/mt.svg)Montana

Montana licenses insurance producers through the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI), an office of the State Auditor — Montana has no separate insurance department.

Renewal cycle

Every 2 years

CE hours

24 hours (3 ethics)

DOI phone

406-444-2040

## Overview

[Reviewed Sep 6, 2026](#sources)

Montana licenses insurance producers through the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI), an office of the State Auditor — Montana has no separate insurance department. CSI charges no state fee for a resident producer license, one of the few states that doesn't, while non-residents pay $100\. Business entity (agency) licenses are perpetual once issued, with no renewal or renewal fee. Applications route through NIPR rather than a state-specific portal, and fingerprints go directly to Montana's DOJ Criminal Records Division rather than a commercial vendor.

## How to get a Montana insurance license

1. ### Register for and pass the licensing exam  
Montana uses [Pearson VUE](https://home.pearsonvue.com/mt/insurance) as its exam vendor. You need a score of 75% or better, and your passing result is valid for one year.
2. ### Complete fingerprinting  
Montana doesn't use a commercial fingerprint vendor. Sign CSI's Applicant Rights & Consent to Fingerprint form, then mail your fingerprint card and the required fee directly to the [Montana DOJ Criminal Records Division](https://csimt.gov/steps-to-obtaining-a-resident-insurance-license/), noting the correct statute for your license type.
3. ### Apply for your license  
The fastest path is to [apply through InsureTrek](https://app.insuretrek.com/signup) — we file your Montana application — Montana charges residents no state application fee, and any NIPR transaction fee is pulled at the moment of application.
4. ### Confirm your license and note your renewal date  
Once CSI processes your application, use the [NAIC license lookup](https://external-lookup-web.prod.naic.org/license-manager) to confirm your license is active and to find your renewal date, printed on the license itself.

Prelicensing education

Not required. CSI's licensing steps go straight from the exam to the NIPR application, with no prelicensing course step for either resident or non-resident applicants.

Exam

Vendor: Pearson VUE. Passing score is 75%; exam results are valid for one year.

Fingerprinting

Required. Vendor: Montana DOJ Criminal Records Division. Fee: $30\. Submitted by mail with a signed consent form, not through a commercial vendor like IdentoGO. Include a $30 payment made out to Montana Criminal Records with your fingerprint card.

## Montana insurance license fees

| Fee                                                                                                                                                         | Initial | Renewal |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------- | ------- |
| Resident producer license                                                                                                                                   | $0      | $0      |
| Non-resident producer licenseNIPR's fee page lists a matching $100 reinstatement fee alongside the initial fee; no separately labeled renewal line appears. | $100    | $100    |
| Business entity (agency) license, residentPerpetual once issued — no renewal or renewal fee.                                                                | $0      | —       |
| Business entity (agency) license, non-residentPerpetual once issued — no renewal or renewal fee.                                                            | $100    | —       |

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 - Montana Resident Licensing (Individual)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-resident-licensing-individual), [NIPR - Montana Non-Resident Licensing (Individual)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-non-resident-licensing-individual), [NIPR - Montana Resident Licensing (Business)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-resident-licensing-business), [NIPR - Montana Non-Resident Licensing (Business)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-non-resident-licensing-business), [CSI - Insurance Licensing](https://csimt.gov/insurance/licensing/)

## Montana insurance license renewal

**Renewal window** — Montana licenses renew every two years, on the date printed on your license. That date appears in the upper right corner of your license, and the renewal window opens 90 days before expiration.

**Grace period:** Late renewal is possible up to one year after expiration. After a license goes inactive past that point, you need a new application rather than a renewal.

Standard-line CE includes 1 hour of legislative update within the 24-hour total. Your renewal date is printed on your license; confirm it and complete CE at least 30 days before that date to avoid a lapse.

**24 total CE hours** per renewal term, including 3 ethics hours.

Annuity suitability training is a one-time 4-credit requirement. Flood insurance training is a one-time 3-hour requirement. Long-term care producers need 8 hours of initial LTC training, then 4 hours every 24 months.

| Line          | Hours | Notes                                  |
| ------------- | ----- | -------------------------------------- |
| Limited Lines | 5     | Includes 1 hour of legislative update. |

## Non-resident insurance license in Montana

Montana issues non-resident producer licenses to applicants who hold an active, good-standing license in their home state, and [applying through InsureTrek](https://app.insuretrek.com/signup) costs the state's $100 fee. That's the only fee CSI charges non-residents, since Montana's own resident fee is $0.

Apply for a non-resident Montana license [through InsureTrek](https://app.insuretrek.com/signup), plus the state fee.

For the steps and fees in every state, see the [non-resident insurance license guide](/guides/non-resident-insurance-license).

## For agencies

### Agencies, appointments & DRLP

Montana requires a separate business entity (agency) license, with at least one Designated Responsible Licensed Producer named on every application. Unlike individual licenses, business entity licenses are perpetual — no renewal, no renewal fee. The application fee matches the individual structure: $0 for a resident entity, $100 for a non-resident entity.

[Managing DRLPs across states? See how InsureTrek handles it →](/product/licensing)

### Steps outside NIPR

Montana will not process an agency license application until the Secretary of State registration documents are uploaded to NIPR ALD.

1. **Appoint a Montana registered agent.** The agent needs a physical address in Montana.
2. **Register as a foreign business with the Secretary of State.** Complete the foreign business registration through the Montana SOS portal and pay the filing fee.
3. **Upload the approval to NIPR ALD.** The license application will not be processed until the SOS registration documents are in the NIPR Attachments & Licensing Documentation (ALD) portal.

__What these steps cost, on top of the state license fees above__
| Registered agentInsureTrek can provide one, or use your own provider. | $45 |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |
| Foreign business registration                                         | $90 |

## Official resources

* [Office of the Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) — licensing](https://csimt.gov/insurance/licensing/)
* DOI phone: 406-444-2040

## Terms used on this page

[All licensing terms →](/glossary)

## Sources & disclaimer

This guide is informational and summarizes publicly available state and NIPR licensing rules as of 2026-09-06\. Requirements change — verify current rules with the Office of the Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) or NIPR before you rely on anything here.

Official NIPR reseller · Applications filed through InsureTrek are submitted via NIPR.

* [CSI - Fingerprints for Insurance Licensing Purposes](https://csimt.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Fingerprints-for-Insurance-Licensing-Purposes%5F2026.pdf) — accessed 2026-08-21
* [CSI - Steps to obtaining a nonresident insurance license](https://csimt.gov/steps-to-obtaining-a-nonresident-insurance-license/) — accessed 2026-09-06
* [CSI – Insurance Licensing](https://csimt.gov/insurance/licensing/) — accessed 2026-08-19
* [CSI – Steps to obtaining a resident insurance license](https://csimt.gov/steps-to-obtaining-a-resident-insurance-license/) — accessed 2026-08-19
* [InsureTrek licensing team — Montana agency filing steps](https://insuretrek.com/state/montana) — accessed 2026-08-22
* [NIPR – Montana non-resident licensing (business)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-non-resident-licensing-business) — accessed 2026-08-19
* [NIPR – Montana non-resident licensing (individual)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-non-resident-licensing-individual) — accessed 2026-09-06
* [NIPR – Montana resident licensing (business)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-resident-licensing-business) — accessed 2026-08-19
* [NIPR – Montana resident licensing (individual)](https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/montana-resident-licensing-individual) — accessed 2026-08-19
* [Pearson VUE – Montana insurance exams](https://home.pearsonvue.com/mt/insurance) — accessed 2026-08-19

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### Managing licenses for a whole team?

InsureTrek tracks renewals, CE, and appointments across every state your producers write in — including Montana.

[Book a demo](/demo)

## FAQs

How much does a Montana insurance producer license cost?

CSI charges $0 for a resident producer license application — Montana is one of the few states with no state filing fee for residents. Non-residents pay $100\. Exam and fingerprinting fees are separate and aren't published by CSI, so check current pricing with Pearson VUE and Montana's DOJ Criminal Records Division before budgeting.

Where do I take the Montana insurance licensing exam?

Montana uses Pearson VUE. You need a score of 75% or better, and your passing result stays valid for one year — apply for your license within that window.

Do I need to be fingerprinted for a Montana insurance license?

Yes. Montana doesn't route fingerprints through a commercial vendor like IdentoGO — you sign a consent form and mail your fingerprint card directly to the Montana DOJ Criminal Records Division.

How do I look up or verify a Montana insurance license?

CSI links out to the NAIC-hosted License Manager and State Based Systems lookup tools rather than running its own lookup page; both are reachable from CSI's licensing page.

How often do I renew my Montana license, and how much CE do I need?

Montana runs a 2-year renewal cycle. Standard lines require 24 CE hours, including 3 ethics hours and 1 legislative-update hour; limited lines require 5 hours, including 1 legislative-update hour. Complete CE at least 30 days before your renewal date, printed on your license, to avoid a lapse.

Can I get a Montana non-resident license?

Yes. Apply through InsureTrek the same way residents do, for the state's $100 fee — Montana's non-resident fee, unlike its $0 resident fee.

Does my agency need its own Montana license?

Yes, a separate business entity license, with at least one Designated Responsible Licensed Producer named on the application. Once issued it's perpetual — there's no renewal or renewal fee, unlike individual licenses.

Does Montana license insurance adjusters?

Yes. Adjusters and public adjusters are separate categories — public adjusters must post a $5,000 surety bond — and crop adjusters are licensed under their own category.

## See how InsureTrek handles Montana licensing at scale.

Renewals, CE, and appointments tracked across every state your producers write in.

[Book a demo](/demo)