What This License Is
A Massachusetts Life, Accident & Health license lets you sell life insurance, annuities, accident, and health products to people and businesses in Massachusetts. It is issued by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance.
The path is one of the simpler ones in the country: no pre-licensing course, no fingerprints — register with Pearson VUE, pass the exam(s) for your line(s), and apply through NIPR.
Eligibility Requirements
You must be at least 18 and of good character; Massachusetts reviews your background through the application's written disclosure questions rather than fingerprints. A criminal history involving fraud, dishonesty, or breach of trust can lead to denial — answer every disclosure completely, because misrepresentation is itself grounds for denial.
Exam Options & Format
Pearson VUE administers Massachusetts producer exams as of July 22, 2026 — in person at Pearson test centers (online proctoring was discontinued with the transition). Each exam is $37 per attempt.
For both Life and Health lines of authority you take two exams: the Life Producer exam (Series 16-51) and the Accident, Health or Sickness Producer exam (Series 16-52). Each is 90 questions (80 scored + 10 pretest), split between a 50-question general section and a 30-question Massachusetts section.
What It Costs
Massachusetts keeps upfront costs low — no pre-licensing course, no fingerprint fee. Budget the per-exam fees plus the license fee at application:
Passing Score
You need a scaled score of 70 to pass, with results reported at the test center. Aim for a consistent 80% on practice exams before you schedule — that buffer is the best predictor of a first-attempt pass.
If You Pass — and If You Don't
If you pass: wait about 48–72 hours for your score to transmit, then apply online through NIPR (nipr.com). Your passing score is valid for 12 months — apply within that window or you retake the exam. There is no fingerprinting in Massachusetts; the background review runs off the application's disclosure questions, so answer them completely and honestly.
If you don't pass: there is no waiting period and no attempt limit — re-register with Pearson VUE and pay the $37 fee again.
Keeping Your License Active
Important CE details: 45 CE credits each 3-year cycle (60 in the FIRST cycle after original licensure), including 3 hours of Massachusetts Approved Ethics (MAE). Renewal is birthday-based, every 3 years. P&C and Personal Lines producers selling NFIP flood insurance need a one-time 3-hour flood course.
Massachusetts runs on a 3-year, birthday-based license cycle. Each cycle requires 45 CE credits — except your first cycle after original licensure, which requires 60 credits. Every cycle must include 3 hours of Massachusetts Approved Ethics (MAE) coursework.
CE administration moved to Pearson VUE alongside the exam transition, so course lookups and credit banking now run through Pearson/SBS rather than Prometric.
Quick Reference
Official Links
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