West Virginia
West Virginia insurance licensing: requirements, renewal, and agency rules
West Virginia licenses agents and adjusters through the Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC), with applications routed through NIPR rather than a state portal.
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- CE hours
- 24 hours (3 ethics)
- Application fee
- $50
- DOI phone
- 304-558-0610
Overview
West Virginia licenses agents and adjusters through the Offices of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC), with applications routed through NIPR rather than a state portal. Producer and adjuster licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month on a two-year cycle, while business entity licenses renew annually by June 30 and surplus lines licenses by May 31. The OIC administers its licensing exam only in person through Pearson VUE — there's no remote testing option. Adjuster licensing was restructured in 2021 under House Bill 4502 into three distinct license types rather than one general adjuster license.
How to get licensed
Confirm your prelicensing course
West Virginia requires a course completion certificate for exam-eligible lines (life, accident & health, property, casualty), and you must bring a physical copy to your exam. The certificate expires six months after the completion date, so time your course close to your exam date. Confirm current hour requirements for your line with an OIC-approved provider.
Register for and pass the licensing exam
West Virginia uses Pearson VUE, and testing is in person only — there's no remote option. You can reach Pearson VUE's West Virginia candidate line at 1-800-274-2614.
Complete fingerprinting
New applicants for most lines need a background check through IdentoGO (service code 228NS5, $47.25). Fingerprint results are valid for 60 days, and you don't need to refile them to renew an existing license.
Apply for your license
The fastest path is to apply through InsureTrek — we file your West Virginia application for the state's $50 fee, pulled from NIPR at the moment of application.
Line up a carrier appointment
A West Virginia license doesn't let you transact business until an insurer appoints you. Under W. Va. Code § 33-12-18, the insurer must notify the OIC within 15 days of signing your agency contract or receiving your first application.
Prelicensing education
Required for exam-eligible lines (life, accident & health, property, casualty); variable annuity, personal lines, and credit don't require the exam or a prelicensing certificate.
Exam
Vendor: Pearson VUE. West Virginia offers in-person testing only; there is no remote/online proctoring option.
Fingerprinting
Required. Vendor: IdentoGO. Fee: $47.25. Service code 228NS5. Results are valid 60 days and apply only to new applications, not renewals.
Fees
| Fee | Initial | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Resident producer license Covers all producer lines of authority on one application; there's no per-line charge and no fee to add a line later. | $50 | $50 |
| Non-resident producer license | $50 | $50 |
| Adjuster license (company, independent, or public) | $50 | $50 |
| Surplus lines producer license Renews annually by May 31 rather than on the two-year cycle. | $200 | $200 |
| Bail bondsman license (professional or surety) | $200 | $200 |
| Business entity license Renews annually by June 30. | $200 | $200 |
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 – West Virginia Resident Licensing, Individual, NIPR – West Virginia Resident Licensing, Business, NIPR – West Virginia Non-Resident Licensing, Individual
Renewal & CE
Renewal window — Producer and adjuster licenses expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month. Business entity licenses expire annually on June 30, and surplus lines licenses expire annually on May 31.
Grace period: A license stays active for 7 days past its expiration date. After that, a late renewal fee applies — $50 for residents, $100 for non-residents.
Up to 6 hours of CE completed beyond the minimum carry forward into the next two-year cycle as general credit; ethics hours don't carry forward as ethics credit. CE providers have 30 days to report your completion to the OIC, so finish courses well before your renewal deadline rather than at the last minute.
24 total CE hours per renewal term, including 3 ethics hours.
Producers licensed only for credit, surety, travel, title, crop, and/or car rental — alone or in any combination — are exempt from CE, though the license still must be renewed every two years.
For agencies and non-residents
Agencies, appointments & DRLP
Agencies and other business entities need a separate West Virginia business entity license, filed through InsureTrek for a $200 fee and renewed annually by June 30. Every business entity must name at least one Designated Responsible Licensed Producer (DRLP) holding a West Virginia resident or non-resident license in a class equivalent to the entity's own. Adjusting firms are licensed the same way, under W. Va. Code § 33-12B-8, even though the entity itself carries no lines of authority.
Insurers must notify the OIC of a new agent appointment within 15 days of executing the agency contract or receiving the producer's first application, under W. Va. Code § 33-12-18. The Commissioner then has 30 days to verify the producer's eligibility, and an insurer can appoint across an entire holding-company system in a single filing. The insurer pays a $25 appointment processing fee per agent, and the same $25 applies to each annual appointment renewal, both set in W. Va. Code § 33-3-13.
Appointments — Deadlines: Terminations, for cause or without, must be reported to the OIC within 30 days of the effective date under [W. Va. Code § 33-12-25](https://code.wvlegislature.gov/33-12-25/). The insurer must also mail the producer a copy of the notice, and the producer has 30 days after receiving it to file written comments with the OIC.
Managing DRLPs across states? See how InsureTrek handles it →
Non-residents
Non-residents apply through InsureTrek for the same $50 fee residents pay ($200 for surplus lines or bail bonds). West Virginia matches your name, birth date, license number, state of residence, Tax ID, and NPN against the NIPR producer database before issuing a license, so keep those records current in your resident state. Non-resident bail bondsman applicants must be fingerprinted through IdentoGO at both initial application and every two-year renewal.
Apply for a non-resident West Virginia license through InsureTrek, plus the state fee.
Official resources
- West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner — licensing
- DOI phone: 304-558-0610
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 West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner or NIPR before you rely on anything here.
Official NIPR reseller · Applications filed through InsureTrek are submitted via NIPR.
- NIPR – West Virginia non-resident licensing (individual) — accessed 2026-08-19
- NIPR – West Virginia resident licensing (business) — accessed 2026-08-19
- NIPR – West Virginia resident licensing (individual) — accessed 2026-08-19
- OIC – Adjuster FAQs — accessed 2026-08-19
- OIC – Contact List — accessed 2026-08-19
- OIC – Licensing — accessed 2026-08-19
- OIC – Resident Producer Continuing Education Requirements — accessed 2026-08-19
- Pearson VUE – West Virginia insurance exams — accessed 2026-08-19
- W. Va. Code § 33-12-18 — accessed 2026-08-19
- W. Va. Code § 33-12-25 — accessed 2026-08-19
- W. Va. Code § 33-3-13 – License fees — accessed 2026-08-21
FAQs
How much does it cost to get an insurance license in West Virginia?
The OIC's application fee is $50 for most producer license types. Add the IdentoGO fingerprinting fee ($47.25) and the Pearson VUE exam fee, which isn't published up front — check current pricing when you register.
Do I need a prelicensing course before I can sit for the West Virginia exam?
Yes, for exam-eligible lines — life, accident & health, property, and casualty. You need a course completion certificate to bring to your exam, and it expires six months after you complete the course, so schedule your exam soon after finishing prelicensing.
Where do I take the West Virginia insurance licensing exam?
Pearson VUE administers West Virginia's exam, and it's in person only — there's no remote testing option. Register at pearsonvue.com/us/en/wv/insurance.html or call 1-800-274-2614.
How long does a West Virginia insurance license last?
Producer and adjuster licenses run on a two-year cycle, expiring on the last day of your birth month. Business entity licenses renew annually by June 30, and surplus lines licenses renew annually by May 31.
How much continuing education do I need in West Virginia?
Most producers need 24 CE hours per two-year cycle, including 3 hours of ethics. If you're licensed only for credit, surety, travel, title, crop, or car rental lines, you're exempt from CE, though you still have to renew your license on time.
What happens if I miss my West Virginia renewal deadline?
Your license stays active for 7 days past expiration. After that, a late fee applies — $50 for residents, $100 for non-residents — on top of your regular renewal fee.
Does West Virginia license insurance adjusters?
Yes, as three separate license types since a 2021 restructuring: company adjuster, independent adjuster, and public adjuster. Company and independent adjusters can add crop and workers' compensation authority; public adjusters carry property & casualty only.
See how InsureTrek handles West Virginia licensing at scale.
Renewals, CE, and appointments tracked across every state your producers write in.