North Dakota Life and Accident & Health Producer License at a Glance
To sell life and accident & health insurance in North Dakota you must pass two separate exams - the Life exam and the Accident & Health exam - clear a fingerprint-based background check, and apply for your license through NIPR. The North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department regulates producers, and PSI Services LLC administers the exams.
North Dakota does not require an approved pre-licensing course before you test, and neither the Department nor PSI endorses specific study materials. How you prepare is entirely your call.
Exam Format and Scoring
Each exam (Life and Accident & Health) is 110 scored multiple-choice items, split into 40 state-specific (product and laws) items and 70 general items, with a 150-minute time limit. You need 70% to pass - that's 77 correct out of 110.
On top of the 110 scored items, PSI mixes in 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions used to develop future exams; they don't count toward your score. Your pass/fail result appears on screen immediately and a score report is emailed to you, with a diagnostic breakdown if you don't pass.
Remote Proctoring Has Ended
As of April 24, 2026, North Dakota no longer offers remote online proctored exams. All exams are now taken in person at a PSI testing location. ND PSI sites include two in Bismarck (PSI at 120 N. 3rd Street, and the North Dakota Safety Council), Minot State University in Minot, and the Fargo Training and Testing Center. You may also test at PSI centers in other states.
Fingerprint Background Check
All resident applicants must submit fingerprints for a state and national criminal history records check run through the ND Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the FBI (ORI ND920382Z). You complete a Criminal History Record Check Request form and pay two separate fees: a $40 BCI processing fee and, if you use PSI's LiveScan service, a $29 PSI fee.
The convenient route is to be fingerprinted by LiveScan at the Bismarck (120 N. 3rd St) or Fargo PSI test centers - you can do it during regular testing hours, even on the day of your exam, and PSI mails the signed consent form, fingerprint card, and the $40 BCI payment to the Department for you. The $40 BCI fee must be a company check, personal check, money order, or cashier's check payable to the North Dakota Attorney General (no credit cards or cash).
Applying for Your License
Once you've passed both exams and submitted fingerprints, apply online through NIPR using the NAIC Uniform Application. The initial resident producer license fee is $100, plus a small NIPR transaction fee. A passing exam score is valid for one year, so apply within that window.
If you answered 'yes' to any background question, submit your written statement and the corresponding official court documents (court website printouts are not accepted) through the NIPR Attachments Warehouse, by email to ndlicensing@nd.gov, or by mail to the Department. Adding a line of authority to an active license later carries no fee.
Renewal and Continuing Education
North Dakota licenses renew biennially and expire on the last day of your birth month. You can renew up to 90 days before expiration through NIPR; the renewal filing fee is $25 plus a transaction fee. The Department sends a renewal notice to your email on file, but you're solely responsible for renewing on time. Report any name or address change within 30 days.
Continuing education is 24 hours per two-year cycle, of which 3 hours must be ethics. If your license expires, you may reinstate within one year through NIPR if you're CE-compliant; after that a non-resident must reapply.
Moving to North Dakota Already Licensed?
If you held a resident license in your previous home state within the last 90 days, you're exempt from the North Dakota exam requirements for the lines on that license - just submit a resident license application. You cannot hold an active resident license in another state at the same time, so cancel the old one first. If you already hold an active North Dakota non-resident license, submit the application with no fee.
What to Expect on Test Day
Arrive 30 minutes early and bring one valid, current, government-issued photo ID with your name, signature, and photograph (driver's license, state/national ID, passport, passport card, military ID, or permanent resident card). No temporary IDs are accepted.
PSI provides scratch paper and a pencil, which you return at check-out. No reference materials, calculators, phones, or other electronic devices are allowed. Cancel or reschedule at least two days before your appointment to avoid forfeiting the fee.
What the Life and A&H Exams Cover
Each exam splits 40 state-specific (product and laws) items from 70 general items. On the Life exam, the heaviest general areas are Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options & Riders (20 items), Types of Life Insurance Policies (14), Life Insurance Basics (13), Annuities (8), and General Insurance Concepts (8). The 40 state items center on ND life and annuity law, solicitation and advertising rules, standard policy provisions, and the Guaranty Association.
On the Accident & Health exam, the biggest general buckets are Medical Plans (15), Accident & Health Insurance Basics (13), Individual A&H Policy Provisions (12), Disability Income (7), General Insurance Concepts (7), and Specialized Health for Qualified Individuals - Medicare/Medicaid/LTC (6). The 40 state items cover ND A&H policy provisions, HIPAA, Medicare supplement and long-term care rules, and mandated benefits.
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