What This License Is
A Washington Life license lets you sell life insurance and annuity products to people and businesses in Washington. It is issued by the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
Licensing runs through the same process as every Washington producer line — the difference is the focused Life exam.
Exam Options & Format
The Life exam is WA Life Producer (PSI): 100 (includes some unscored items) questions, 2 hr 30 min, $35 per attempt. Passing standard: 70%.
Washington also offers the combined exam (WA Life and Disability Producer Combo: 150 questions, 3 hr 15 min, $52), which licenses both lines in one sitting. If there is any chance you will sell health products later, the combined exam is usually the better value.
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Washington repealed mandatory pre-licensing education effective July 23, 2023.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 That language is out of date - the OIC's own published guidance confirms the requirement was removed.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.
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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