Tennessee insurancelicense requirements
Tennessee insurance license at a glance
- Prelicensing course
- None required
- Exam provider
- Pearson VUE
- Passing score
- 70 (scaled score)
- Exam fee
- $55 per exam
- License fee
- $50
- Fingerprints
- Required, through IdentoGO
- Continuing education
- 24 hours every 2 years
How to become an insurance agent in Tennessee
Below, you'll find the steps to a Tennessee insurance license, the exams for each line, and what it takes to keep your license active.
Requirements for Tennessee insurance producers
Contact the Tennessee insurance department
How much do insurance agents make in Tennessee?
Tennessee average insurance agent salary (all lines): $71,520
That is the mean annual wage for insurance sales agents in Tennessee 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: $80,749
- Health insurance agent: $50,056
- Property and casualty insurance agent: $43,355
Please note that salaries will vary based on experience level and local demand.
Does Tennessee require prelicensing education?
No, Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
Becoming an insurance producer in Tennessee 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) Finish a prelicensing course to prepare for the licensing exam.
- Step 2: Book your exam with Pearson VUE by visiting https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/tn/insurance.html. Exam fees are $55 per exam ($80 for a Life plus Accident and Health or Property plus Casualty combination taken online through OnVUE) and are required at booking. To reschedule or cancel, contact Pearson VUE at least 48 hours prior to your appointment or forfeit the fee. IMPORTANT NOTE: Ensure the name used for your prelicensing course, exam registration, and license application matches the name on your ID.
- Step 3: On the exam day, bring two forms of current signature ID. The primary ID must be government-issued with your photo and signature, and the secondary ID only needs to contain your signature. You need these IDs to take the exam. Pearson VUE sends your passing score to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance electronically, and you should wait 48 hours before applying.
- Step 4: Tennessee residents must get fingerprinted and undergo a background check. Schedule fingerprinting with IdentoGo at www.identogo.com using the correct ORI number: TN Insurance Producer – ORI # TN920680Z (Transaction Type – IP) TN Public Adjuster – ORI # TN920560Z TN Navigator/CAC – ORI # TN920783Z Apply for your license through NIPR at https://nipr.com/. More application details are available on the NIPR site.
If you need assistance with any of these steps or have questions about specific requirements, contact the Tennessee insurance department for the most current information.
Tennessee insurance exam information
Tennessee Life-Only Agent Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 77 Total Questions (68 scored, 9 pretest) |
| Time limit | 1 Hour and 45 Minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 71.2% (4,787 of 6,728 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Tennessee Accident and Health Agent Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 77 Total Questions (68 scored, 9 pretest) |
| Time limit | 1 Hour and 45 Minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 64.3% (2,749 of 4,273 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Tennessee Property Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 77 Total Questions (68 scored, 9 pretest) |
| Time limit | 1 Hour and 45 Minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 68.9% (1,145 of 1,662 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Tennessee Casualty Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 77 Total Questions (68 scored, 9 pretest) |
| Time limit | 1 Hour and 45 Minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 76.3% (1,245 of 1,632 first-time test takers, 2025) |
Tennessee Personal Lines Insurance Examination
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Questions | 111 Total Questions (100 questions, 11 pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 Hours |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Pass rate | 63.8% (208 of 326 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
Tennessee insurance licensing fees
- Resident new license: Insurance Producer $50; Surplus-Lines Agent $120
- Nonresident new license: Insurance Producer fee is retaliatory; Surplus-Lines Agent fee per state schedule
- Renewal fees (resident): Insurance Producer major lines: $60; limited & other LOAs: $30; Surplus-Lines Agent: $120; (nonresident renewal fees follow retaliatory schedule)
Tennessee insurance license citizenship requirements
Background check required; fingerprints required (IdentoGO) for resident licensing
Where can I apply for a resident insurance license in Tennessee?
Apply through NIPR
How can I apply for a non-resident insurance license in Tennessee?
- 1. Must be at least 18 years old.
- 2. Must provide a valid country code, mailing address, business email, and resident phone number.
- 3. Variable requires Life authority.
- 4. Must answer background questions.
- 5. Apply via NIPR.
Tennessee carrier appointments and insurance license terminations
- Required to report appointments: Yes
- Permits JIT appointments: Yes
- Initial appointment deadlines: Within 15 days of contract execution or first business submission
- Appointment rule: TN ST § 56-6-115 - notice must be filed within 15 days of contract or first application
- Can be processed via NIPR: Yes
- Fees for appointing resident or nonresident: $15
- Appoint agencies: No
- Adjuster appointments via NIPR: No
- Appointment effective date can be specified: Yes - must not be future and <15 days old
- State uses perpetual appointments: No renewal required (perpetual)
Tennessee insurance license termination details
- Terminations processed via NIPR: Yes
- Termination reasons: voluntary; inadequate production; cancelled by general agent; death; company defunct or liquidation; company indebtedness; poor policyholder services; agent moved; appointed in error; request regulatory review
- Termination date can be specified: Yes - must not be future and <15 days old
- Termination fee: $15
- Allows termination if license expired: Yes
- Not-for-cause notices may be emailed (body text allowed)
Tennessee insurance license renewals
Resident renewal period begins: 90 days before expiration ; Renewal date: Last day of birth month every 2 years based on first license issue year ; Late renewal/reinstatement allowed up to one year after expiration
Tennessee insurance license continuing education (CE) requirements
- CE total hours per period: 24 every 2 years
- CE due before license renewal date; reminders sent 45 days before expiration
- Ethics & consumer protection required: 3 hours
- Flood (NFIP): 3 hours (if property/casualty)
- LTC: 8-hour initial + 4 hours every 2 years
- Annuity: one-time 4-hour course
- CE instructors get double credit first time per course; rollover allowed up to 12 hours general credit
Tennessee 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. Tennessee requires no prelicensing course, so you can book your exam as soon as you are ready. Allow time for your fingerprint appointment too. The state gives this processing time: 15 days (paper applications).
Yes, for some exams. Tennessee candidates can test online with a remote proctor through Pearson VUE, or in person at a test center. Personal Lines exams are test center only. Online attempts are limited per exam line, so check Pearson VUE for the current limit. Further attempts must be taken at a test center.
Expect to pay $55 per exam for the exam and $50 for the license. Fingerprinting and any exam prep are extra.
No. Tennessee does not require a prelicensing course, though a course helps you prepare for the exam.
The passing score is 70 (scaled score). In 2025, 71.2% of first-time test takers passed the Tennessee life exam, according to the NAIC.
Yes. Resident applicants in Tennessee are fingerprinted through IdentoGO.
Apply through NIPR after you pass your exam.
Tennessee 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, exam provider, exam fee, license fee, fingerprints, continuing education, passing score, online exams, where to apply and processing time: pearsonvue.com
- Pass rates: NAIC state exam reports
- Average salary: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025
Compiled from official Tennessee and exam provider sources as of . Licensing rules and fees change, so confirm them with the Tennessee insurance department before you apply.
Conclusion
If you're ready to start your journey toward becoming a licensed insurance agent in Tennessee, 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?
