LicenseReady, by RingReady
The life insurance exam, state by state.
The life insurance licensing exam is written and priced by each state, so the question count, the time limit, the passing score, the fee, and the testing vendor all change at the state line. The table below carries the verified specs for 49 states plus the District of Columbia. We sell study materials and practice exams for that exam, the first 20 study questions are free, and the full License Pass is $149, yours until you pass.
About 62% of first-time life exam takers pass nationally (NAIC, latest published data).
Every state's exam at a glance
Scored questions, time, passing score, exam fee, and vendor for the life line in each state. Tap a state for its full requirements, outline, and free sample questions.
This table scrolls sideways. Swipe it to see the Pass at, Exam fee, and Vendor columns.
| State | Scored questions | Time | Pass at | Exam fee | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 125 | 150 min | 87 correct of 125 | $50 | state-run |
| Alaska | 90 | 135 min | a scaled 70 | $89 | Pearson VUE |
| Arizona | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $50 | PSI Exams |
| Arkansas | 100 | 150 min | 70% | $50 | PSI Exams |
| California | 75 | 90 min | 60% | $55 | PSI Exams |
| Colorado | 80 | 120 min | scaled, not published | $41 | Pearson VUE |
| Connecticut | 75 | 120 min | 70% | $65 | Pearson VUE |
| Delaware | 90 | 135 min | scaled, not published | $90 | Pearson VUE |
| District of Columbia | 80 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $75 | Pearson VUE |
| Florida | 85 | 120 min | 70% | $44 | Pearson VUE |
| Georgia | 80 | 120 min | 70% | $67 | Pearson VUE |
| Hawaii | 85 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $75 | Pearson VUE |
| Idaho | 75 | 120 min | not published | $65 | Pearson VUE |
| Illinois | 81 | 125 min | a scaled 70 | $92 | Pearson VUE |
| Indiana | 80 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $69 | Pearson VUE |
| Iowa | 77 | 120 min | not published | $44 | Pearson VUE |
| Kansas | 84 | 90 min | 70% | $57 | Pearson VUE |
| Kentucky | 50 | varies | 70% | $50 | state-run |
| Louisiana | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $36 | PSI Exams |
| Maine | 75 | 105 min | a scaled 70 | $55 | Pearson VUE |
| Maryland | 80 | 105 min | 70% | $62 | Prometric |
| Massachusetts | 80 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $37 | Pearson VUE |
| Michigan | 100 | 120 min | 72% | $41 | PSI Exams |
| Minnesota | 75 | 120 min | 70% | $45 | PSI Exams |
| Mississippi | 60 | 120 min | 65% | $50 | Pearson VUE |
| Missouri | 90 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $32 | Pearson VUE |
| Montana | 86 | 120 min | a scaled 75 | $65 | Pearson VUE |
| Nebraska | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $43 | PSI Exams |
| Nevada | 80 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $37 | Pearson VUE |
| New Hampshire | 100 | 120 min | not published | $59 | PSI Exams |
| New Jersey | 83 | 210 min | 70% | $38 | PSI Exams |
| New Mexico | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $75 | PSI Exams |
| North Carolina | 55 | 75 min | a scaled 70 | $45 | Pearson VUE |
| North Dakota | 110 | 150 min | 70% | $67 | PSI Exams |
| Ohio | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $49 | PSI Exams |
| Oklahoma | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $38 | PSI Exams |
| Oregon | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $45 | PSI Exams |
| Pennsylvania | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $45 | PSI Exams |
| Rhode Island | 80 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $80 | Pearson VUE |
| South Carolina | 75 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $59 | Pearson VUE |
| South Dakota | 75 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $85 | Pearson VUE |
| Tennessee | 68 | 105 min | a scaled 70 | $55 | Pearson VUE |
| Texas | 80 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $39 | Pearson VUE |
| Utah | 100 | 120 min | not published | $32 | Prometric |
| Vermont | 100 | 120 min | not published | $52 | Prometric |
| Virginia | 90 | 120 min | not published | $35 | Prometric |
| Washington | 100 | 150 min | 70% | $38 | PSI Exams |
| West Virginia | 78 | 120 min | a scaled 70 | $84 | Pearson VUE |
| Wisconsin | 100 | 120 min | 70% | $75 | PSI Exams |
| Wyoming | 85 | 120 min | not published | $96 | Pearson VUE |
Verified against official vendor handbooks and state materials. Specs change; always confirm with your testing vendor when you book. New York is not currently covered by RingReady.
Common questions
How many questions are on the life insurance exam?
It depends on the state. Most life only exams run between 50 and 125 scored questions, and many states add a handful of unscored pretest questions. The table on this page lists the exact count for your state.
What score do you need to pass the life insurance exam?
Thirty seven of the fifty exams we cover pass at 70, either 70 percent correct or a scaled 70. Alabama writes the same bar as a count, 87 correct of 125. California passes at 60 percent, Michigan at 72 percent, Mississippi at 65 percent, and Montana at a scaled 75. Seven states publish no number at all, and two publish a scaled score with no life specific mark. Your state's row has its value.
How hard is the life insurance exam?
About 62% of first-time life exam takers pass nationally (NAIC, latest published data). The agents who pass on the first try are usually the ones who practiced with exam style questions until the real thing felt familiar.
Who runs the life insurance exam?
States contract national testing vendors. Pearson VUE runs 27 of the exams we cover, PSI Exams runs 17, Prometric runs 4, and two states run their own program. Your state's row lists its vendor, and you register through that vendor's site.
Can I practice with real exam questions?
No legitimate prep company uses real exam questions, they are protected by candidate agreements. What good prep does, ours included, is write original practice questions from each state's official exam outline so the style, difficulty, and topics match.
What RingReady is, and is not
RingReady sells study materials and practice exams for the life insurance licensing exam. We are not a state-approved prelicensing education provider, and practicing here does not by itself satisfy any state's education requirement.
If your state requires prelicensing education, you must complete it with an approved provider; your state insurance department publishes the approved list. What we do is make sure that when you sit down for the real exam, the questions feel familiar.
Walk in already knowing the exam.
Practice questions written to every section of your state's official outline, full timed practice exams matched to the real format, and a mastery map that shows exactly what to study next.
A free placement plus free practice questions. No card to start.