Start Your Insurance Career by Getting Licensed in the Golden State
If you want to sell life insurance, health insurance, disability income insurance, Medicare-related products, annuities, or other personal insurance products in California, you will likely need what most people call a California life and health insurance license.
California’s official terminology is a little more specific. The state generally refers to Life-Only Agent authority and Accident and Health Agent authority. The combined exam is commonly listed as Life, Accident & Health or Sickness.
That means students searching for a “life and health license” are usually looking for the combined California path that allows them to sell both life insurance and health-related insurance products.
This guide explains how to get licensed, including California’s required 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course, PSI exam details, fees, fingerprinting, application steps, continuing education, and study resources.
California has a major prelicensing rule change that students need to understand. Effective January 1, 2026, California repealed the old 20-hour line-specific prelicensing education requirement for several producer license types, including life and accident and health or sickness. However, California still requires applicants to complete 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code before the license can be issued. CDI also states that the insurance license exams did not change because of this law.
TESTivity does not replace California’s required 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course. For that required course, we recommend Achievable.me. Once the required course is handled, TESTivity helps you prepare for the California life and health insurance exam itself.
GetTheLicense.org Recommends the TESTivity Platinum Study Package–California L&H Edition
93% pass rate · Video, Mind Maps, Audio, Textbook, Learning Games, Flashcards, Cheat Sheet, Exam Simulator & AI Tutor · Pass guarantee included
Quick Facts About the California Life and Health License
| Requirement | California L&H Information |
|---|---|
| State regulator | California Department of Insurance |
| Testing vendor | PSI Services LLC |
| Common student phrase | California life and health insurance license |
| California terminology | Life-Only Agent and Accident and Health Agent |
| Combined exam | Life, Accident & Health or Sickness |
| Required ethics course | 12 hours of Ethics and California Insurance Code |
| Old 20-hour line-specific prelicensing requirement | Repealed for life and accident and health or sickness producer applicants effective January 1, 2026 |
| Combined exam questions | 150 |
| Combined exam time limit | 3 hours |
| Life-only exam | 75 questions, 1.5 hours |
| Accident and Health or Sickness exam | 75 questions, 1.5 hours |
| Producer exam passing score | 60% |
| Common filing fee | $188 |
| Common exam fee | $55 |
| Renewal cycle | Generally two years |
| CE requirement | Generally 24 hours every two-year license term, including 3 hours of ethics |
CDI lists the Life, Accident & Health or Sickness exam as 150 questions with a 3-hour time limit. The separate Life exam and Accident & Health or Sickness exam each have 75 questions with a 1.5-hour time limit. All producer license examinations require a 60% score to pass.
How to Get a California Life and Health Insurance License in 5 Steps
Step 1: Choose Life, Health, or Both
Before you begin studying, decide which authority you actually need.
If you want to sell life insurance only, you may pursue a Life-Only Agent license.
If you want to sell health-related products, disability income insurance, accident coverage, sickness coverage, or similar products, you may pursue Accident and Health Agent authority.
If you want to sell both life and health products, many students pursue the combined route by taking the Life, Accident & Health or Sickness exam.
CDI states that applicants may take one examination and apply for a “full Life Agent” license by selecting both the Life-Only Agent and Accident and Health Agent license types when scheduling the examination and filing the application. Applicants checking both license types pay one fee.
For a wider overview of California license types, see Insurance Licensing in California: Complete Guide to License Types and Requirements.
Step 2: Complete California’s Required 12-Hour Ethics and California Insurance Code Course
California changed its prelicensing education rules, but the required ethics/code course still matters.
Effective January 1, 2026, California removed the old 20-hour line-specific prelicensing education requirement for life and accident and health or sickness producer applicants. However, California still requires 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code before a license can be issued. CDI’s current PSI bulletin also reminds candidates to review current educational objectives and study material.
That means your California life and health licensing path has two separate study needs:
- The required California ethics/code course
- Preparation for the California life and health insurance exam
TESTivity does not currently offer California’s required 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course. For that requirement, we recommend Achievable.me.
After that required course is handled, TESTivity helps you prepare for the licensing exam with practice questions, exam simulation, flashcards, audio, video, mind maps, learning games, an AI Tutor, and final review tools.
California’s rule change removes one old education requirement, but it does not magically turn the licensing exam into a sleepy paperwork parade. The exam still has teeth.
Step 3: Study for the California Life and Health Insurance Exam
The California life and health exam tests a wide range of insurance concepts. It is not enough to memorize a few definitions and hope the rest behaves.
A strong study plan should cover:
- General insurance concepts
- Insurance contracts
- Life insurance basics
- Types of life policies
- Policy provisions, options, and riders
- Beneficiaries and ownership
- Annuities
- Federal tax considerations
- Accident and health insurance basics
- Medical expense insurance
- Disability income insurance
- Long-term care concepts
- Group health insurance
- Medicare and related products, where applicable
- California laws and regulations
- Ethics and producer responsibilities
California’s exam objectives are the blueprint. TESTivity is the toolset that helps you actually learn, review, practice, and retain what those objectives cover.
For exam-focused help, see How to Pass the Insurance Licensing Exam in California.
Why Exam Prep Matters in California
California gives candidates flexibility by not requiring mandatory prelicensing hours. But flexibility can become a trap if it leads to scattered studying.
The California life and health insurance exam is a content-heavy multiple-choice exam. You are not just memorizing definitions. You need to recognize policy language, understand how coverages work, identify exclusions and conditions, and apply insurance law to exam-style scenarios.
That is why TESTivity uses a multi-tool study system instead of relying on one flat textbook.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package includes:
Step 4: Schedule and Pass the California Life and Health Exam Through PSI
California insurance licensing exams are administered through PSI Services LLC. The combined Life, Accident & Health or Sickness exam is listed by CDI as 150 questions with a 3-hour time limit. The separate Life and Accident & Health or Sickness exams are each listed as 75 questions with a 1.5-hour time limit. Producer exams require a 60% passing score.
California Life and Health Exam Options
| Exam | Questions | Time Limit | Passing Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life, Accident & Health or Sickness | 150 | 3 hours | 60% |
| Life | 75 | 1.5 hours | 60% |
| Accident & Health or Sickness | 75 | 1.5 hours | 60% |
Most students who want full life and health authority take the combined Life, Accident & Health or Sickness exam rather than taking Life and Accident & Health separately.
TESTivity Tip
Do not study life insurance and health insurance as if they are two separate boxes locked in different rooms. The combined exam can move from life policy provisions to annuity concepts, then into health policy clauses, disability income, group coverage, and California law. TESTivity’s multi-tool system helps you build flexible recall across topics.
Step 5: Submit Fingerprints and Apply for Your California Life and Health License
After passing the exam and completing required education, you will move into the application and fingerprinting stage.
California’s application process uses the official license types. If your goal is both life and health authority, make sure your exam registration and application reflect both Life-Only Agent and Accident and Health Agent authority. CDI specifically states that applicants may take one examination and apply for the combined “full Life Agent” license by selecting both license types when scheduling the PSI exam and when filing the license application.
The general California L&H application flow looks like this:
- Decide whether you need life, accident and health, or both.
- Complete California’s required 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course.
- Study for the California life and health exam.
- Schedule the correct exam through PSI.
- Pass the exam.
- Submit fingerprints through the required California process.
- Submit the license application and select the correct license types.
- Wait for CDI to review and issue the license.
Make sure the license authority you select matches your career goal. Accidentally applying for only one line when you meant to apply for both is the licensing equivalent of packing for the beach and landing in the mountains.
California Life and Health License Fees
California licensing fees can change, so applicants should always confirm current fees with CDI before applying. CDI’s current licensing fee schedule lists the following fees for major producer license types, including Life-Only Agent and Accident and Health Agent licenses:
| Fee Type | Current CDI Amount |
|---|---|
| Filing fee | $188 |
| Examination fee | $55 |
| Renewal fee | $188 |
| Late renewal fee | $282 |
CDI states that filing fees are not refundable.
A realistic budget should include:
- California license filing fee
- Exam fee
- Fingerprinting fee
- Required 12-hour ethics/code course
- Optional exam-prep materials
- Any additional product-specific training, if applicable later
Fingerprinting and Background Check Requirements
California requires unlicensed resident insurance license applicants to submit fingerprints as part of the background review process. Fingerprints are used for review through the California Department of Justice and the FBI.
For California life and health applicants, the practical fingerprinting rule is simple: do not leave it until the end of the road and then wonder why the gate will not open.
Fingerprinting delays can slow license issuance. Keep any confirmation records, ATI number, and Live Scan documentation. Make sure your identifying information matches your application.
California Life and Health License Application Process
California’s life and health licensing process is easier when you remember that “life and health” is student language, while CDI uses more precise license names.
If you want broad life and health authority, make sure you select both:
- Life-Only Agent
- Accident and Health Agent
CDI states that applicants may take one examination and apply for a “full Life Agent” license by selecting both the Life-Only Agent and Accident and Health Agent license types when scheduling the exam and filing the new license application.
Common Application Mistakes
Avoid these common tripwires:
- Taking the wrong exam for the authority you want
- Applying for only Life when you meant Life and Accident & Health
- Applying for only Accident & Health when you meant both
- Forgetting the required California ethics/code course
- Waiting too long to complete fingerprints
- Assuming the repeal of the old 20-hour requirement means no study is needed
California Life and Health License Renewal and Continuing Education
California insurance producer licenses generally renew every two years. Life agents and accident and health or sickness agents must complete a minimum of 24 continuing education hours for the license type, including 3 hours of ethics CE training, during each two-year license term.
California also has additional product-specific training requirements in certain areas.
For example, agents who sell annuities or long-term care insurance may need additional initial and ongoing training. These requirements can matter after licensing depending on the products you plan to sell.
Practical Renewal Tip
Do not wait until the last week of your renewal period to figure out CE. California CE is manageable, but procrastination can turn a simple renewal into a tiny administrative thunderstorm.
California-Specific L&H Licensing Quirks
1. California Uses Different Terminology Than Students Usually Search
Most students search for a California life and health insurance license. California’s official terms include Life-Only Agent and Accident and Health Agent. The combined exam is listed as Life, Accident & Health or Sickness.
This page uses both sets of terms so students can understand the official process without getting lost in bureaucratic fog.
2. The Old 20-Hour Line-Specific Requirement Was Repealed
Effective January 1, 2026, California repealed the old 20-hour line-specific prelicensing education requirement for life and accident and health or sickness producer applicants. However, the 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code requirement still applies before license issuance.
3. The California L&H Exam Did Not Become Easier
CDI’s PSI candidate bulletin states that candidates should review current educational objectives and study material, and California’s producer exams still require a 60% score to pass.
In plain English: the required-hour rule changed, but the exam is still the exam.
4. Applicants Seeking Both Lines Must Select Both Lines
CDI explains that applicants can take one exam and apply for a “full Life Agent” license by selecting both Life-Only Agent and Accident and Health Agent license types when scheduling the exam and filing the application.
5. Product-Specific Training May Apply Later
Selling products such as annuities or long-term care insurance may require additional training. Do not assume your general life and health license automatically completes every product-specific requirement.
How to Study for the California Life and Health Insurance Exam
The California life and health exam covers a lot of material. It rewards students who understand concepts, practice questions, and review weak areas. It punishes the “I skimmed a PDF once and feel lucky” strategy.
A better study plan works in layers.
Layer 1: Build the Foundation
Start with a structured study manual. Learn the big categories first: life insurance, health insurance, annuities, policy provisions, underwriting, taxes, group coverage, and California law.
Layer 2: Drill the Vocabulary
Life and health insurance has a huge vocabulary set. You need to know terms such as:
- Beneficiary
- Insurable interest
- Cash value
- Grace period
- Reinstatement
- Waiver of premium
- Accidental injury
- Sickness
- Elimination period
- Probationary period
- Coordination of benefits
- Preexisting condition
- Annuity accumulation period
- Annuitization
- Suitability
Flashcards are especially useful here because many exam questions turn on precise definitions.
Layer 3: Practice Exam-Style Questions
Reading is not the same as being ready. Practice questions teach you how the exam phrases concepts, how distractors are written, and which details matter.
The TESTivity Exam Simulator helps students practice under exam-style conditions so the real exam feels less like a surprise ambush from the insurance goblin.
Layer 4: Reinforce Weak Areas
If you keep missing annuity questions, do not reread the entire course randomly. Target annuities. If health policy provisions are causing trouble, focus there. If California law keeps tripping you, isolate it.
TESTivity’s AI Tutor, practice questions, flashcards, and readiness tools are designed to help identify and repair weak spots.
Layer 5: Review Before Test Day
In the final 24 hours, shift from heavy learning to clean review. Use the cheat sheet, flashcards, light practice questions, and summary tools. Do not overload your brain with brand-new topics at the last minute.
Why Students Fail the California Life and Health Exam
Students usually fail because their study method does not match the exam.
Common reasons include:
- Underestimating the amount of vocabulary
- Confusing life policy provisions
- Mixing up riders and options
- Struggling with annuity concepts
- Forgetting health policy clauses
- Ignoring California-specific law
- Memorizing definitions without application
- Failing to practice enough exam-style questions
- Assuming the 2026 prelicensing change made the exam easy
- Using only one study method
The California life and health exam is not impossible. It just needs structured repetition. TESTivity is built around that idea: read it, hear it, see it, practice it, drill it, map it, review it.
Related TESTivity Study Tools
Once your California ethics course is handled through Achievable, use TESTivity to prepare for the life and health exam:
- Insurance Exam Prep Course: TESTivity Platinum Study Package
- Insurance Exam Practice Questions / Exam Simulator
- Insurance Exam Study Guide / Study Manual
- Insurance Exam Flashcards
- Insurance Exam Audio Course
- Insurance Exam Video Course
- AI Insurance Exam Tutor
- Insurance Exam Cheat Sheet
- Insurance Exam Mind Maps
- Insurance Exam Learning Games
TESTivity California Life and Health Exam Prep
Getting a California life and health insurance license is not just about completing forms. You need to understand the material well enough to answer questions under exam pressure.
That is what TESTivity is built for.
TESTivity helps students prepare using a multi-modal study system instead of forcing everything through one giant textbook tunnel. You can read the material, hear it, watch it, practice it, drill it, map it, and review it until the concepts start locking into place.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package Can Help You:
- Learn the material with a structured online study manual
- Practice with exam-style questions
- Build confidence with the exam simulator
- Review definitions with flashcards
- Reinforce concepts with audio lessons
- Watch difficult topics explained in video
- Organize related concepts with mind maps
- Use learning games for repetition
- Ask questions with the AI Tutor
- Finish with the Test Day Cheat Sheet
California requires the 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course before a license can be issued. We recommend Achievable.me for that requirement.
Then use TESTivity to prepare for the California life and health insurance exam.
Ready to PASS Your California L&H Insurance Exam? Start the TESTivity Platinum Study Package
93% pass rate · Video, Mind Maps, Audio, Textbook, Learning Games, Flashcards, Cheat Sheet, Exam Simulator & AI Tutor · Pass guarantee included
Frequently Asked Questions About the California Life and Health Insurance License
About This California L&H Insurance License Guide
GetTheLicense.org creates insurance licensing guides for students preparing for state insurance exams across the United States. Our goal is to make licensing requirements easier to understand and to help future insurance professionals choose the right study path.
This California life and health guide is based on current information from the California Department of Insurance, including examination details, licensing fees, continuing education rules, and license terminology. Because state licensing rules can change, applicants should always verify final requirements with the California Department of Insurance before applying, scheduling an exam, or purchasing required education.
About the author
Matt Williams
Matt Williams has been teaching insurance pre-licensing curriculum for over 20 years and has helped thousands of people pass their exams on their first attempt. Matt holds Life & Health, Property & Casualty, and Adjuster insurance licenses along with the Series 7, 8, 24, 63, and 65 FINRA/NASAA designations, and the CLU, ChFC, and CFP® professional credentials. He is a certified trainer in adult education and the founder of TESTivity.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package is built around exactly this map: video lessons weighted to the actual exam outline, mind maps that show how coverage types relate to each other, a full-length exam simulator that mirrors the California PSI format, and a pass guarantee. Built by the people who teach the exam — used by the candidates who pass it!
Ready to Prepare for the California Life and Health Exam?
A California life and health insurance license can open the door to a career helping people protect families, income, health, retirement plans, and financial futures across the Golden State.
First, make sure you complete California’s required 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code course. We recommend Achievable.me for that requirement.
Then, prepare for the exam with TESTivity.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package gives you a full exam-prep toolkit: study manual, practice questions, exam simulator, flashcards, audio, video, mind maps, learning games, AI Tutor, and Test Day Cheat Sheet.
Use Achievable for California’s required ethics course. Use TESTivity to prepare for the life and health exam.
Put yourself on the fast track to pass your California life and health licensing exam with the TESTivity Platinum Study Package
93% pass rate · Video, Mind Maps, Audio, Textbook, Learning Games, Flashcards, Cheat Sheet, Exam Simulator & AI Tutor · Pass guarantee included
📋 Official California L&H Insurance Licensing Resources
To ensure absolute accuracy when registering for your exam and filing your application, we recommend utilizing these official state materials alongside your TESTivity Platinum Study Package.
Instant PDF Downloads
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California L&H Insurance Candidate Information Bulletin (PDF)
Direct mirror hosted by GetTheLicense.org -
California Life Insurance Licensing Exam Content Outline (PDF)
Official exam breakdown and topic weighting -
California Health Insurance Licensing Exam Content Outline (PDF)
Official exam breakdown and topic weighting
Official Portals & Live Verification
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California Department of Insurance (CDI)
For resident agent regulations and fee schedules -
PSI California L&H Insurance Licensing Exam Page
To schedule your exam, find test centers, or check live updates