Getting Your Washington Life & Health License
A Washington Life & Health license lets you sell and service life insurance, annuities, and accident & health (disability) products across the state. The process is straightforward: pass one combined PSI exam, submit your application and fingerprints, and you're typically licensed within two to four weeks.
To qualify you must be at least 18, be trustworthy and competent, be a Washington resident, and have a Social Security Number or FEIN. There's no sponsorship requirement.
Washington's regulator is the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) - led by an elected Insurance Commissioner rather than a 'Department of Insurance.' On the exam, references to 'the Commissioner' point to that office and its broad statutory powers under RCW Title 48.
Pre-Licensing Education: Not Required
Washington repealed mandatory pre-licensing education effective July 23, 2023. You can register and sit for the exam without completing any approved course first - this applies to the full-line producer exams including Life & Disability and Property & Casualty.
One caution: PSI's candidate bulletin still carries an older line stating pre-licensing is required for full-line licenses. That language is out of date - the OIC's own published guidance confirms the requirement was removed. Trust the OIC.
'Not required' is not 'not recommended.' The combined exam is 150 scored questions across a heavy block of Washington-specific law plus national content, and you need 70% to pass. A structured prep course is still the smart play.
The Life & Health Exam (the Life & Disability Producer Combo)
Washington's Life & Health exam is the Life & Disability Producer Combo, administered by PSI. It's a combined exam of 150 scored, four-option multiple-choice questions, and you get 195 minutes (3 hours, 15 minutes).
On top of the 150 scored items, PSI mixes in up to ~10 unscored experimental questions (about 10% of the count). They aren't labeled and they do count against your time, so pace accordingly.
You need 70% to pass. You can test at a PSI center or remotely via PSI's online proctoring. Your score appears on screen immediately and an emailed report follows; if you fail, the report includes a diagnostic breakdown of your weak areas.
Scheduling and Exam Fees
Register and schedule directly with PSI at test-takers.psiexams.com/waoic or by phone at (855) 205-5825. The combined exam fee is $55, paid when you book (credit, debit, or other accepted methods - fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable).
You can reschedule or cancel without forfeiting your fee if PSI receives notice at least 2 days before your appointment. Miss the appointment, arrive late, or show up without proper ID and you forfeit the fee.
After you pass, you have 180 days to submit your complete application package (application, fees, fingerprints, and any conviction documentation) or you'll have to retake the exam.
Fingerprints and Background Check
Washington residents submit fingerprints electronically through IdentoGO by IDEMIA (about $49.25, which covers the rolling fee and background check). When you schedule, select 'Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner' as the receiving agency. The Washington State Patrol forwards results directly to the OIC - you won't get a copy.
The sequencing is unusual: you do NOT fingerprint before the exam, and per an FBI requirement you must submit your license application BEFORE scheduling your fingerprint appointment. Pass the exam, file the application, then book IdentoGO. Your license won't issue until the OIC has your background results.
Non-residents have no fingerprint requirement.
Applying for Your License
Once you've passed, file your producer license application online through NIPR or the OIC portal at insurance.wa.gov. Your license fee ($55) is paid as part of the application. The application captures your conviction documentation and routes everything to the OIC's licensing unit.
After review and approval (typically a couple of weeks), your license is issued. Remember the 180-day clock from your exam pass date - submit the full package inside that window.
What It Costs
Because Washington dropped pre-licensing, mandatory costs are lean: roughly $159.25 to get licensed - $55 exam (PSI) + $49.25 fingerprints (IdentoGO) + $55 license fee (NIPR/OIC).
Optional prep (a TESTivity course, practice exams, study manual) sits on top - and with 150 scored questions and heavy Washington statute content, it's a worthwhile investment.
Continuing Education and Renewal
Washington resident producers complete 24 credit hours of CE every two-year cycle, including 3 hours of ethics. There are no category restrictions on the remaining 21 hours - you can take approved courses in any subject.
Two product-specific training gates apply on the Life & Disability side. To sell long-term care, you need a one-time 8-hour LTC course plus a 4-hour LTC refresher every renewal period (the 8 hours can count toward your 24). To sell annuities, you need a one-time 4-hour annuity suitability course.
Licenses renew biennially on the last day of your birth month. Renew through NIPR or the OIC portal ($55 per line); finish CE before you submit. There's a 60-day grace period after expiration (with a late fee) and reinstatement is possible within 12 months.
Washington-Specific Life & Disability Topics
The Washington state section leans on OIC authority, licensing and appointment rules, replacement and policy-illustration regulations, and unfair-practices statutes (RCW 48.30). On the disability/health side, expect Medicare Supplement rules, long-term care, HIPAA, the Affordable Care Act, HCSCs and HMOs, and group health continuation.
Remember the terminology: Washington's combined exam is 'Life and Disability,' where Disability covers the full accident-and-health body of content - disability income, medical plans, Medicare, Medicaid, senior products, and federal tax treatment of life and health insurance.
Anchor your studying on the regulatory backbone first - it's tested directly and embedded inside the product questions.
Quick Reference
Official Links
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