Montana insurancelicense requirements
Montana insurance license at a glance
- Prelicensing course
- None required
- Exam provider
- Pearson VUE
- Passing score
- 75 (scaled score)
- Exam fee
- $65 per exam
- License fee
- $0 state fee
- Fingerprints
- Required
- Continuing education
- 24 hours every 2 years
How to become an insurance agent in Montana
Below, you'll find the steps to a Montana insurance license, the exams for each line, and what it takes to keep your license active.
Requirements for Montana insurance producers
Contact the Montana insurance department
How much do insurance agents make in Montana?
Montana average insurance agent salary (all lines): $78,070
That is the mean annual wage for insurance sales agents in Montana 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: $81,659
- Health insurance agent: $52,177
- Property and casualty insurance agent: $43,844
Please note that salaries will vary based on experience level and local demand.
Does Montana require prelicensing education?
No, Montana does not require any insurance pre-licensing education. We highly recommend taking a course on your own to prepare for the state's licensing exam.
How do I get my insurance license in Montana?
Becoming an insurance producer in Montana 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 (optional): Consider completing a prelicensing course to better prepare for your licensing exam.
- Step 2: Schedule your exam with Pearson Vue online at www.pearsonvue.com or call (800) 274-8906 at least 24 hours before your desired date. To change or cancel, notify Pearson Vue at least 48 hours in advance to avoid losing your fee. Montana requires fingerprinting. Complete the Applicant Rights and Consent to Fingerprint Form and email it to csiapplicantrights@mt.gov, then mail a fingerprint card and the $30 fee to Montana Criminal Records (MTDOJ). For more information, visit the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance's website.
- Step 3: Arrive at the test center 30 minutes early on exam day. Bring two forms of ID (one with a photo) and ensure both have your signature. You must meet these ID requirements to take the exam. The computerized exam is scored immediately after completion of both parts.
- Step 4: Wait up to three business days for your exam results to be sent to the NIPR Online System. Apply for your license via NIPR at https://nipr.com/. For detailed licensing information, visit the Department of Insurance at http://csimt.gov/insurance/licensing
If you need assistance with any of these steps or have questions about specific requirements, contact the Montana insurance department for the most current information.
Montana insurance exam information
Montana Life Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 96 Total Questions (86 scored, 10 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 75 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 37.8% (306 of 809 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Montana Accident and Health Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 102 Total Questions (92 scored, 10 pretest) |
| Time limit | 135 minutes |
| Passing score | 75 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 51.4% (265 of 516 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Montana Property Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 92 Total Questions (82 scored, 10 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours |
| Passing score | 75 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 53.7% (209 of 389 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Montana Casualty Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 97 Total Questions (87 scored, 10 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Passing score | 75 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 74.2% (276 of 372 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
Montana insurance licensing fees
- Initial license fees: Resident Insurance Producer $0; Resident Surplus Lines $50; Nonresident Insurance Producer $100; Nonresident Surplus Lines $50
- Renewal fees: Resident Insurance Producer $0; Resident Surplus Lines $100; Nonresident Insurance Producer $50; Nonresident Surplus Lines $100
Montana insurance license citizenship requirements
Non-citizens must show proof of U.S. work authorization
Where can I apply for a resident insurance license in Montana?
Apply through NIPR
How can I apply for a non-resident insurance license in Montana?
- 1. Must hold an active and in good standing resident license in your home state.
- 2. Variable requires FINRA CRD number.
- 3. Must answer background questions.
- 4. May add lines of authority to an existing active license.
- 5. Apply via NIPR and pay $100 plus NIPR processing fees.
Montana carrier appointments and insurance license terminations
- Required to report appointments: Yes
- Permits JIT appointments: Yes
- Initial appointment deadline: Within 15 days of contract execution
- Appointment effective date can be specified: Yes
- Can be processed via NIPR: Yes
- Fees for appointing resident or nonresident agency/individual: No fees
- Appoint agencies: Yes
- Agency appointment covers affiliated producers: Yes
Montana insurance license termination details
- Termination reasons: Voluntary termination; inadequate production; death; company defunct/liquidation; company indebtedness; poor policyholder service; agent moved; appointed in error; request regulatory review
- Termination effective date rule: Must not be in the future and less than 15 days old
- Terminations processed via NIPR: Yes
- Email notice allowed for not-for-cause terminations
Montana insurance license renewals
Resident and Nonresident renewal: Last day of birth month every 2 years ; Late renewal/reinstatement: Up to 1 year ; Specialty/Public Adjusters: Biennial, first day of birth month
Montana insurance license continuing education (CE) requirements
- CE total hours: 24 per 2-year period
- Ethics: 3 hours; Montana statutes: 1 hour
- Flood (NFIP): 3 hours
- LTC: 8-hour initial + 4 hours every 2 years
- Annuity: one-time 4-hour course
- Adjusters: 24 CE hours every 2 years including 3 ethics and 1 Montana statute hour
- Surety bail, prepaid legal, limited lines credit: 5 CE hours per cycle
- Check CE transcripts: https://sbs.naic.org/solar-external-lookup/license-manager
Montana 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. Montana requires no prelicensing course, so you can book your exam as soon as you are ready. Allow time for your fingerprint appointment too. After you pass, you have 1 year to apply.
Yes. Montana candidates can test online with a remote proctor through Pearson VUE, or in person at a test center.
Expect to pay $65 per exam for the exam and $0 state fee for the license. Fingerprinting and any exam prep are extra.
No. Montana does not require a prelicensing course, though a course helps you prepare for the exam.
The passing score is 75 (scaled score). In 2025, 37.8% of first-time test takers passed the Montana life exam, according to the NAIC.
Yes. Resident applicants in Montana are fingerprinted.
Apply through NIPR after you pass your exam.
Montana 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: csimt.gov
- Exam provider, exam fee, fingerprints, passing score, online exams and where to apply: pearsonvue.com
- License fee and time to apply after passing: nipr.com
- Continuing education: csimt.gov
- Pass rates: NAIC state exam reports
- Average salary: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
Compiled from official Montana and exam provider sources as of . Licensing rules and fees change, so confirm them with the Montana insurance department before you apply.
Conclusion
If you're ready to start your journey toward becoming a licensed insurance agent in Montana, 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?
