Colorado insurancelicense requirements
Colorado insurance license at a glance
- Prelicensing course
- 50 hours per line
- Exam provider
- Pearson VUE
- Exam fee
- $41 for up to two exams
- License fee
- $44 per line of authority
- Continuing education
- 24 hours every 2 years
How to become an insurance agent in Colorado
Below, you'll find the steps to a Colorado insurance license, the exams for each line, and what it takes to keep your license active.
Requirements for Colorado insurance producers
Contact the Colorado insurance department
How much do insurance agents make in Colorado?
Colorado average insurance agent salary (all lines): $85,540
That is the mean annual wage for insurance sales agents in Colorado in the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 survey.
Estimates by line, from Achievable's May 2026 salary research (not BLS figures):
- Life insurance agent: $112,325
- Health insurance agent: $57,992
- Property and casualty insurance agent: $50,229
Please note that salaries will vary based on experience level and local demand.
Does Colorado require prelicensing education?
Colorado requires producer licensing candidates to take and complete a state-approved prelicensing course of 50 hours per line of authority. You will also need to apply for your license with the state insurance department and register for the state licensing exam. Make sure to register for all 3 (prelicensing course, license application, state exam) using the personally identifiable information exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID. Discrepancies will delay the licensing process.
How do I get my insurance license in Colorado?
Becoming an insurance producer in Colorado requires passing a state-mandated insurance exam in the specific line or lines you wish to specialize in, as well as completing the following steps:
- Step 1: Complete a prelicensing course approved by the Department of Insurance and pass the Certificate Exam. Achievable will process your Certificate of Completion within 2 business days, although this may be delayed for proctor validation. Once approved, download and print your certificate from your Achievable account. The certificate is valid for one year, and Achievable will report your completion to the state.
- Step 2: Schedule your exam with Pearson VUE at https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/co/insurance.html or by calling 800-274-2616. Provide the training provider code (Achievable’s code is 50801) when booking. Exams are taken at a Pearson VUE test center. Pay the exam fee at the time of reservation. All pre-licensing requirements must be met for your exam scores to be valid. Scores are valid for one year, and you must submit your license application within this timeframe. Check your score report by logging into Pearson VUE.
- Step 3: On the day of your exam, bring two forms of signature ID. The primary ID must be government-issued (e.g., driver’s license, passport, military ID) and include your name, photograph, and signature. The secondary ID must include your name and signature and may be a debit or credit card or a U.S. Social Security card. Without these, you will not be permitted to take the exam. Results will be available immediately after the exam.
- Step 4: Apply for your license online through NIPR at https://nipr.com/ or Sircon at https://www.sircon.com/landingPages/states/colorado/content.jsp. Submit your application within one year of passing your exam.
If you need assistance with any of these steps or have questions about specific requirements, contact the Colorado insurance department for the most current information.
Colorado insurance exam information
Colorado Life Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 90 Total Questions (80 scored, 10 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 67.6% (3,952 of 5,844 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Colorado Accident and Health Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 91 Total Questions (80 scored, 11 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 65.6% (2,297 of 3,501 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Colorado Property Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 85 Questions (75 scored, 10 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 73.4% (1,474 of 2,008 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Colorado Casualty Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 91 Total Questions (81 scored, 10 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 69.1% (1,397 of 2,022 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Colorado Personal Lines Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 113 Questions (104 scored, 9 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours and 15 minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 66.3% (277 of 418 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Pass rates are for first-time test takers, from the NAIC's state exam reports. Each rate shows its year, and it is the most recent NAIC figure we have for that exam.
Additional requirements
Colorado insurance licensing fees
- Initial individual fees: Resident Producer $44 per LOA, Resident Surplus Lines $141, Nonresident Producer $68 per LOA, Nonresident Surplus Lines $291
- Renewal fees: Resident Producer $27, Resident Surplus $134, Nonresident Producer $43, Nonresident Surplus $284
Colorado insurance license citizenship requirements
Proof of citizenship required - must comply with state requirements including address and licensing disclosures
How can I apply for a non-resident insurance license in Colorado?
- 1. Must be at least 18 years old.
- 2. Equivalent resident authority required.
- 3. Mailing address must be either your residence address or a personal P.O. Box. Must provide a valid country code and business email.
- 4. Must not have any serious regulatory actions on your record. Must answer background questions.
- 5. Apply via NIPR and pay $68 plus NIPR processing fees. Variable requires CRD; surplus requires P&C.
Colorado carrier appointments and insurance license terminations
- Required to report appointments: No, Registry
- Appointment exemptions: Only required for bail bonds agents; registry maintained for state requests
- Initial appointment deadlines/rules: Bail bonds prior to solicitation
- Can be processed via NIPR: No
- Appointment fees: Resident $0, Nonresident $0
- Appointment effective date can be specified: Yes
- State renewal period: No, perpetual
Colorado insurance license termination details
- Termination reasons: Cancelled; cancelled for cause (registry state)
- Termination effective date: Date supplied on transaction, must not be in the future
- Carriers cannot terminate solely because license expired
Colorado insurance license renewals
License valid for 2 years ; Renewal period begins 90 days before expiration ; Renewal date: Last day of birth month every 2 years based on year of first state license issuance
Colorado insurance license continuing education (CE) requirements
- Total CE hours per renewal: 24 hours (not required in your first renewal cycle)
- CE due before license renewal date: Yes
- Ethics requirement: 3 hours
- Major lines: 18 hours in major lines, 3 hours miscellaneous
- Flood CE: 3 hours NFIP course
- LTC CE: 8-hour initial + 4 hours per renewal cycle
- Annuity CE: One-time 4-hour course
- Limited/restricted licenses may be exempt from full 24 hours
- Adjusters CE: 24 hours biennially
- CE rollover allowed up to 12 hours if earned within 120 days
Colorado insurance license FAQs
There is no set timeline: most of it depends on how long you study and how soon you can book an exam. Start with the prelicensing requirement: 50 hours per line. After you pass, you have 1 year to apply. The state gives this processing time: Under 5 business days.
No. Colorado insurance exams are taken in person at Pearson VUE test centers.
Expect to pay $41 for up to two exams for the exam and $44 per line of authority for the license. Any exam prep is extra.
Yes. Colorado sets this requirement: 50 hours per line.
Apply through Sircon or NIPR after you pass your exam.
Colorado requires 24 hours every 2 years to keep your license active.
For what an agent does, the types of insurance and how multi-state licensing works, see our guide to insurance licensing by state.
Sources
- Prelicensing: doi.colorado.gov
- Exam provider, exam fee, license fee, continuing education, online exams, where to apply and time to apply after passing: pearsonvue.com
- Processing time: pearsonvue.com
- Pass rates: NAIC state exam reports
- Average salary: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
Compiled from official Colorado and exam provider sources as of . Licensing rules and fees change, so confirm them with the Colorado insurance department before you apply.
Conclusion
If you're ready to start your journey toward becoming a licensed insurance agent in Colorado, Achievable's license exam prep covers each major line: Life & Health insurance license exam prep, Property & Casualty license exam prep, and Personal Lines license exam prep. Our comprehensive study materials and practice exams are designed to help you pass your licensing exam on the first attempt.
Interested in insurance licensing in other states?
