Ohio Insurance License

Do you want to become an insurance agent and wonder what the requirements are? Or are you already an expert at selling insure who wants to obtain a license?

If you do, then this page is obviously for you. Before you see yourself on the Ohio Department of Insurance license lookup, you should complete some steps.

At first, getting your Ohio insurance license might seem tricky. Luckily, we are here to help you understand what you need to do and what you do not.

How do I get my insurance license in Ohio?

Decide on the type of insurance license

Based on the type of insurance you intend on selling, you should get that type of insurance license. For example, you may want to get a Property and Casualty insurance license. It covers personal auto, personal homeowners, earthquake, worker’s compensation and property insurances.

It is always a good idea to have many types of insurance license. Specializing in many categories will make you more attractive as an insurance agent and offer better service to your clients.

Obtain pre-licensing education

As shown above, you should choose the license category and start completing pre-licensing courses. The state of Ohio requires to complete the following hours:

1. Life (20 hours)
2. Property (20 hours)
3. Casualty (20 hours)
4. Health (20 hours)
5. Personal lines(20 hours)

The courses are available to take both in classroom and online. Thus, which one to choose is up to you as long as you master the educational program. As of now, most folks tend to choose online courses, given the pandemic situation or quite busy schedules.

Upon your graduation, you will receive a Certificate of completion as a proof of completing the necessary hours.

Fingerprinting and Background Check

These two are among the necessary qualifications of licensure. Consequently, not completing them may have an influence on the licensing procedure. Moreover, it can entail additional delays or even rejection.

When you go to any agency to have your fingerprints taken, tell them that it is for getting an insurance license. Accordingly, they will send the results directly to the Ohio Department of Insurance.

Pass the state licensing exam

As can be seen, the time for taking the examination has come. To register for the exam, click here.

You should pay $42 for each attempt.

To pass, you should score at least 70%.

The Ohio insurance exam is not quite hard. You can easily succeed, if you do not take this responsibility lightly and prepare.

Submit the application

Once you meet all of the above-mentioned requirements, you can apply for the insurance license. Apply here.

Here you may find the contact information:

If you are looking for more detailed information, visit the official website of the Ohio Department of Insurance.

50 West Town Street
Third Floor – Suite 300
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 644-2665
Fax: (614) 644-3475

Application review

If you meet the state standards for licensure, you will get your insurance license without having any troubles. In Ohio, you will get your license from five to ten business days.

Do not forget to attach the necessary documents to avoid any delays.

Complete continuing education

It is important to highlight the importance of completing continuing education. Keep in mind, that there is a fine line between preparing for and passing the exam, and constantly learning. To put it differently, you will need to stay in touch with new market trends and working methods.

Continuing education refreshes your mind and develops your selling/business skills. Moreover, it deepens your knowledge of the insurance business, hereby making you a stronger specialist, who earns more money per year and has more clients.

In Ohio, you must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education courses. Not to forget about the ethics training, which will take three from that twenty-four hours.

In case you fail to complete this requirement upon the license expiration-date, your license can be suspended unless you complete it.

How much does it cost to get an insurance license in Ohio?

In the state of Ohio, to obtain an insurance license, you should pay these fixed fees:

• Online Application Fee: $10 (per line of authority)
• Fingerprinting Fee: $72.25 ( the price depends on the fingerprinting agency)
• Examination Fee: $42

All things considered, you will have to pay for educational courses as well. Sometimes the prices vary, depending on the professional program itself.

In some cases, you may be eligible to apply for financial aid if you are of disadvantaged background or need some help.

What disqualifies you from getting an insurance license in Ohio?

Criminal past can prevent you from getting your insurance license in the state of Ohio. If you have committed crimes in the past or been convicted of felony, especially related to financial services, business or dishonesty, you can be permanently barred from a licensure.

Holding an insurance license guarantees, that you have all the credentials to enjoy a client’s trust and respect. On the other hand, being charged of dishonesty would not have the same effect on any person.

The government wants to ensure that a highly respected and honest individual occupies this post.