Virginia
Virginia insurance licensing: requirements, renewal, and agency rules
Virginia licenses producers through the State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance, routing applications electronically rather than through a standalone state portal.
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- CE hours
- 16 hours (3 ethics)
- Application fee
- $15
- DOI phone
- 804-371-9631
Overview
Virginia licenses producers through the State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance, routing applications electronically rather than through a standalone state portal. The state runs a just-in-time appointment model under Va. Code § 38.2-1833: an agent can sell and solicit before a formal appointment is on file, with the insurer given 30 days to file it. Renewal runs on a two-year cycle keyed to birth year parity, agents born in even years renew in even years, odd-year births in odd years, both by the end of the birth month. There's no renewal grace period; a lapsed license can only be reinstated within 12 months, at double the renewal fee.
How to get licensed
Confirm whether prelicensing education applies to you
Most Virginia lines, including Life and Annuities, Health, Property and Casualty, and Personal Lines, require only the exam, not prelicensing hours. The exception is Title producers, who must complete a 16-hour prelicensing course and pass the Title exam within one year of finishing it.
Register for and pass the licensing exam
Virginia uses Prometric as its exam vendor, linked directly from the Bureau of Insurance's licensing page. Review Prometric's candidate materials before scheduling; confirm the current exam fee when you register, since Virginia's own pages don't publish it.
Complete fingerprinting
Virginia requires a fingerprint-based criminal history check through Fieldprint, which runs $34.95 and covers both Virginia State Police and FBI checks. Fingerprints must be no more than 90 days old when you submit your application, unless you already have a valid set on file from the past 12 months.
Apply for your license
The fastest path is to apply through InsureTrek — we file your Virginia application for the state's $15-per-line-of-authority fee, pulled from NIPR at the moment of application. The $15 is charged per qualification, so a two-line application costs $30.
Wait for approval
The Bureau of Insurance processes most complete applications in a minimum of 15 business days. Applications flagged for a criminal history record can take 30 to 60 business days.
Prelicensing education
Not required. Only Title producers need prelicensing hours in Virginia. Every other major line, including Life and Annuities, Health, Property and Casualty, and Personal Lines, goes straight to the exam.
Exam
Vendor: Prometric. The Bureau of Insurance doesn't publish an exam fee; check the current amount when you register with Prometric.
Fingerprinting
Required. Vendor: Fieldprint. Fee: $34.95. Fingerprints must be no more than 90 days old at the time you submit your application.
Fees
| Fee | Initial | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Resident producer license (per line of authority) The renewal fee is set by statute between $10 and $20 per line of authority; the SCC's fee page doesn't publish the exact current renewal amount. | $15 | — |
| Non-resident producer license (per line of authority) | $15 | — |
| Business entity license (per line of authority) | $15 | — |
| Managing General Agent license | $500 | — |
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: SCC Bureau of Insurance – Lines of Authority & Application Fees, NIPR – Virginia Resident Licensing, Individual, NIPR – Virginia Non-Resident Licensing, Individual
Renewal & CE
Renewal window — Licenses expire at the end of the licensee's birth month, on a two-year cycle keyed to birth year parity: agents born in even-numbered years renew in even-numbered years, agents born in odd-numbered years renew in odd-numbered years.
Grace period: Virginia has no renewal grace period. A license that lapses can be reinstated within 12 months by submitting a renewal application, completing outstanding CE, and paying a reinstatement fee equal to double the normal renewal processing fee. After 12 months, reinstatement is no longer available.
No more than 75% of your required CE hours can come from courses sponsored by an insurance company or agency, and the same course can't be credited twice within one two-year cycle.
16 total CE hours per renewal term, including 3 ethics hours.
The Commission can waive renewal and CE requirements for agents on active military service or facing documented hardship, such as long-term illness, if the waiver is requested before the renewal deadline.
| Line | Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Two or more license categories | 24 | At least 8 of the 24 hours must come from each category held. |
| Public Adjuster | 24 | — |
For agencies and non-residents
Agencies, appointments & DRLP
Virginia requires a separate business entity license for any agency operating as an LLC, corporation, or partnership; sole proprietors selling alone don't need one. Every agency must name a Designated Licensed Producer, an officer, director, member, or partner holding the relevant qualifying license, and report any change in that role within 30 days. The business license costs $15 per line of authority, and the entity must also register with the SCC Clerk's Office within 90 days of getting the agency license or the license terminates.
Insurers pay the Commission an appointment processing fee of $7 to $25 per agent, set within that range by the Bureau. Virginia's just-in-time model means an agent doesn't have to wait for the appointment to be filed before selling.
Appointments — Just-in-time appointments: Under Va. Code § 38.2-1833, an agent may sell policies and solicit applications before being formally appointed. The insurer then has 30 calendar days from the agent's first submitted application or policy to reject the business or notify the Commission of the appointment. Deadlines: Appointments renew annually unless the insurer files a termination notice with the Commission by June 30 of the prior year (Va. Code § 38.2-1834). When an insurer terminates an agent for cause, it must notify the Commission within 30 calendar days and then notify the agent within 15 calendar days after that (Va. Code § 38.2-1834.1).
Managing DRLPs across states? See how InsureTrek handles it →
Non-residents
Virginia accepts non-resident applications for Insurance Producer, Limited Lines Producer, Surplus Lines Broker, Consultant, Public Adjuster, and Viatical Settlement Broker, at the same $15-per-qualification fee residents pay. Eligibility is checked against the NIPR Producer Database (name, date of birth, license number, resident state, and NPN) rather than a separate reciprocity statute. Apply through InsureTrek. Virginia only licenses public adjusters among non-resident adjuster types; applicants whose home state doesn't license adjusters at all and need Virginia as their designated home state can't apply electronically and must contact the Bureau of Insurance directly at (804) 371-9631 or agentlicensing@scc.virginia.gov.
Apply for a non-resident Virginia license through InsureTrek, plus the state fee.
Official resources
- Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance — licensing
- DOI phone: 804-371-9631
Terms used on this page
Sources & disclaimer
This guide is informational and summarizes publicly available state and NIPR licensing rules as of 2026-08-21. Requirements change — verify current rules with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance or NIPR before you rely on anything here.
Official NIPR reseller · Applications filed through InsureTrek are submitted via NIPR.
- NIPR – Virginia Non-Resident Adjuster Licensing, Individual — accessed 2026-08-19
- NIPR – Virginia Non-Resident Licensing, Individual — accessed 2026-08-19
- NIPR – Virginia Resident Licensing, Business — accessed 2026-08-19
- NIPR – Virginia Resident Licensing, Individual — accessed 2026-08-19
- SCC Bureau of Insurance – Applying for an Agency Virginia Insurance License — accessed 2026-08-19
- SCC Bureau of Insurance – Applying for an Individual Virginia Insurance License — accessed 2026-08-19
- SCC Bureau of Insurance – Continuing Education Requirements — accessed 2026-08-19
- SCC Bureau of Insurance – Licensed Agent — accessed 2026-08-19
- SCC Bureau of Insurance – Lines of Authority & Application Fees — accessed 2026-08-19
- Va. Code § 38.2-1825.1 – Renewal application and fee — accessed 2026-08-19
- Va. Code § 38.2-1833 – Appointment of agents — accessed 2026-08-19
- Va. Code § 38.2-1834 – Duration of appointment; renewal — accessed 2026-08-19
- Va. Code § 38.2-1834.1 – Notice of termination — accessed 2026-08-19
- Va. Code § 38.2-1866 – Continuing education requirements — accessed 2026-08-19
FAQs
How much does it cost to get an insurance license in Virginia?
The Bureau of Insurance charges a nonrefundable $15 processing fee per line of authority, so a single-line application is $15 and a two-line application is $30. On top of that, budget for Prometric's exam fee and Fieldprint's $34.95 fingerprinting fee. The Bureau doesn't publish the exam fee itself, so confirm it when you register.
Do I need a prelicensing course before I can take the Virginia exam?
Not for most lines. Life and Annuities, Health, Property and Casualty, and Personal Lines producers go straight to the exam. Title producers are the exception: they need a 16-hour prelicensing course and must pass the exam within a year of completing it.
Where do I take the Virginia insurance licensing exam?
Virginia uses Prometric, not Pearson VUE or PSI. Register and review candidate materials at prometric.com/virginia/insurance.
How long does it take to get licensed in Virginia?
The Bureau processes most complete applications in a minimum of 15 business days. If your background check flags a criminal history record, processing can take 30 to 60 business days instead.
Can I sell before my insurer files my appointment?
Yes. Virginia runs a just-in-time appointment model under Va. Code § 38.2-1833: you can sell and solicit before the appointment is on file, and your insurer then has 30 days from your first application or policy to file the appointment or reject the business.
What happens if my Virginia license lapses?
There's no grace period. If you miss your renewal deadline, the license terminates automatically, but you can reinstate within 12 months by reapplying, completing any outstanding CE, and paying double the normal renewal fee. After 12 months, reinstatement is no longer available and you'd need to start over.
How much continuing education do I need in Virginia?
Single-category licensees need 16 CE hours per two-year cycle, including 3 ethics hours. Hold two or more categories and you need 24 hours total, with at least 8 hours from each category. No more than 75% of your hours can come from company-sponsored courses.
Does Virginia license non-resident agents without retaking the exam?
Yes. Non-residents apply through InsureTrek for the same $15-per-qualification fee, and eligibility is checked against your resident-state license data rather than requiring a new Virginia exam. Public Adjuster is the only adjuster category Virginia offers non-residents.
See how InsureTrek handles Virginia licensing at scale.
Renewals, CE, and appointments tracked across every state your producers write in.