California uses separate Life, Accident & Health or Sickness, and combined Life, Accident & Health or Sickness examinations. Although the content and length vary by license type, each exam is based on California\u2019s License Examination Objectives and follows PSI testing procedures. Understanding the exam structure, testing options, and preparation process before scheduling can make it easier to know what to expect on exam day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This guide covers the California Life, Accident & Health or Sickness, and combined producer licensing exams administered through PSI. The exam format, number of questions, and time limits vary by license type, and each exam is based on the applicable California License Examination Objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the exam structure varies by license type, every candidate follows the same general testing process. Understanding the exam format, question style, and licensing requirements can help improve exam readiness and reduce surprises on exam day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our California Exam Prep Course includes the required 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course, comprehensive exam preparation, exam-style practice questions, practice exams, instructional videos, and student support designed to help candidates prepare with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The California insurance exam:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To learn more about the licensing process, review our California Insurance License Requirements<\/a> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start by confirming which licensing exam applies to you and deciding how you want to test. California offers in-person testing at the CDI test center in Los Angeles and authorized PSI testing centers, as well as PSI remote proctoring. Once your preparation is at a consistent level, create a PSI account and choose an available testing option, date, and appointment time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Use this checklist before booking:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a step-by-step approach to studying efficiently and improving weaker areas before test day, review our Fastest Way to Pass the California Insurance Exam<\/a> article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The California insurance exam is multiple-choice and timed. The number of scored questions and time limit depend on the license type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PSI may also include 1 to 10 unscored experimental questions. These questions are not identified during the exam and do not affect the final score, but they are completed within the allotted exam time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A score of 60% is required to pass the Life, Accident & Health or Sickness producer exams covered in this guide. Exam results are displayed on screen after the exam, and PSI also emails a score report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The exam is based on the California License Examination Objectives and covers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The exam measures how well these topics are understood and applied under exam conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n California no longer requires the previous 20-hour product-specific pre-licensing courses for Life and Accident & Health or Sickness applicants. However, the required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course must be completed before the license can be issued and may be completed before or after the exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Candidates should still prepare thoroughly for the state exam. California encourages applicants to study the applicable License Examination Objectives, and an exam prep course that follows those objectives and includes exam-style questions and timed practice exams can provide a more structured approach to preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scheduling is handled by PSI. After selecting the appropriate exam, candidates can choose an available testing option, date, and appointment time through the PSI registration system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before scheduling the exam, candidates should be comfortable with the exam format, question style, and time limits. Waiting until consistently performing well on practice exams can improve confidence and reduce the likelihood of paying additional exam fees because of a retake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Effective preparation combines understanding the tested material with practice applying it to exam-style questions. Use the applicable California License Examination Objectives to organize your study and make sure you cover the subjects tested for the license you are pursuing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A focused approach includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n An insurance exam simulator<\/a> can help you apply what you have studied, work with varied question formats, and evaluate your performance under timed conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n National Online Insurance School recommends averaging at least 80% on 100-question timed practice exams, with consistent performance across different subjects and question sets, before taking the state exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Candidates testing in person must present a current, unexpired government-issued photo ID with a signature. The name on the ID must match the name used during exam registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before an in-person appointment for check-in and identification verification. Candidates who arrive late will not be admitted and will forfeit the examination fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The California insurance exam can be taken at the California Department of Insurance test center in Los Angeles, at an authorized PSI testing center, or through PSI remote online proctoring. Candidates who need testing accommodations should arrange them before the exam appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The California insurance exam can be challenging because candidates must understand insurance concepts and apply them to multiple-choice questions with similar answer choices and precise wording. A score of 60% is required to pass the producer exams covered in this guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For a closer look at exam difficulty and preparation, review our How Hard Is the California Insurance Exam?<\/a> article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The combined Life, Accident & Health or Sickness exam contains 150 scored questions. The Life exam and the Accident & Health or Sickness exam each contain 75 scored questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n PSI may also include 1 to 10 unscored experimental questions. These questions are not identified during the exam and do not affect the final score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The exam time depends on the license type. The combined Life, Accident & Health or Sickness exam allows 3 hours 15 minutes. The Life exam and the Accident & Health or Sickness exam each allow 1 hour 45 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A score of 60% is required to pass the California Life, Accident & Health or Sickness, and combined Life, Accident & Health or Sickness producer exams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n California allows multiple attempts, but there is a limit. An applicant who fails the same examination type 10 times is barred from taking that examination again for 12 months from the date of the last failed attempt. Each new attempt requires re-registration and payment of the applicable examination fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The California insurance exam can be taken at the California Department of Insurance test center in Los Angeles, at an authorized PSI testing center, or through PSI remote online proctoring. Available testing options, dates, and appointment times are selected when scheduling through PSI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No. California no longer requires the previous 20-hour product-specific pre-licensing courses before taking the state licensing exam. However, the required 12-hour Ethics & California Insurance Code course must be completed before the license can be issued and may be completed before or after the exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Candidates should still prepare thoroughly for the state exam. An exam prep course that follows the applicable California examination objectives and includes exam-style questions and timed practice exams can provide a more structured and complete approach to preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Preparing for the California insurance exam starts with understanding the tested material, following the applicable examination objectives, and using practice questions to identify areas that need additional review. Timed practice exams can then help you evaluate your readiness before test day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Explore our California Exam Prep Course<\/a> to prepare with structured study materials, exam-style questions, practice exams, and the required 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course. You can also review the California Insurance License Requirements<\/a> for the complete licensing process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The California insurance exam is administered through PSI and requires a 60% passing score for Life, Accident & Health or Sickness, and combined producer exams. Depending on the license type, the exam includes 75 or 150 scored questions and allows 1 hour 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes. Prepare with the applicable California License Examination Objectives, varied exam-style questions, review of missed answers, and 100-question timed practice exams, aiming for at least 80% before test day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3610"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3610"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3610\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4423,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3610\/revisions\/4423"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3610"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3610"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalonlineinsuranceschool.com\/insurance-license-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3610"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Before Scheduling the California Insurance Exam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
California Insurance Exam Format<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Is Covered on the California Insurance Exam?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Do You Need a Course to Take the California Insurance Exam?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Schedule the California Insurance Exam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Prepare to Pass the California Insurance Exam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What to Expect on Exam Day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How hard is the California insurance exam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How many questions are on the California insurance exam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How long is the California insurance exam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What score is needed to pass the California insurance exam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How many times can you take the California insurance exam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Where do you take the California insurance exam?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Is pre-licensing education required in California?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Next Step: Prepare for the California Insurance Exam<\/h2>\n\n\n\n