Insurance CE Requirements: Hours by State and Common Exemptions Explained

Table of Contents

Overview: How Many CE Hours Do Insurance Agents Need?

Most resident insurance producers in the U.S. are required to complete continuing education (CE) on a regular renewal cycle. A commonly cited benchmark is 24 hours every two years , often including ethics hours, though exact totals and cycles vary by state and line of authority. Many states set a 2â€‘year cycle with 24 total hours and a 3â€‘hour ethics minimum; others require different totals or annual reporting. Always verify your home state’s rules through its insurance department or official CE vendor pages [1] .

Typical CE Hour Requirements (With Examples)

While specific requirements vary, several authoritative sources illustrate the common patterns and provide concrete state examples:

Common baseline : Many states require 24 CE hours every 2 years and include a 3â€‘hour ethics requirement. This baseline is reflected in multiple state breakdowns compiled by industry publications [1] .
Georgia example : Georgia requires resident licensees with
less than 20 years
of service to complete 24 hours biennially , including 3 hours in ethics . Those with
more than 20 years
of service may complete 20 hours with the same 3â€‘hour ethics component. Certain limited lines have different totals: Credit Insurance Only and Limited Subagent Only each require 10 hours with
no ethics
; Workers Compensation Adjuster requires 20 hours through the Workers Compensation Board with
no ethics
[2] .
Maryland example : Maryland producers must complete at least 24 CE hours each renewal period , including 3 hours in ethics , and courses must align with the producer’s licensed lines. Maryland does
not
allow carryover hours; duplicate courses are not permitted within the same period or within six months. The state highlights special bail bond CE if a producer sells or negotiates bail bonds [4] [5] .

In practice, this means a life and health producer in a 24/2/3-ethics state should plan a balanced schedule of approved coursework across technical, regulatory, and ethics topics before the renewal deadline. Producers who have held a license for many years may see reduced totals in some states, similar to Georgia’s 20-hour provision after 20 years [2] . Broader industry overviews note ranges from roughly 12 to 48 hours per renewal cycle depending on the state and license type [3] .

What License Types Are Exempt from CE?

Exemptions are stateâ€‘specific and may apply to certain limited lines , specific professional statuses , or nonresident producers. Examples include:

Professional status exemption (Maryland Title + Attorney) : In Maryland, a licensee who holds only the Title line of insurance and is a Maryland attorney admitted to practice before the Maryland Court of Appeals is exempt from CE for that Title line. Any
additional
lines on the license still require CE. Nonresident licensees do not need to complete Maryland CE if their home state is reciprocal [4] .
Limited lines and special cases : States sometimes exempt or reduce requirements for certain limited or specialty lines, or provide waivers/reductions for longâ€‘tenured producers. Industry summaries note that some producers with specialty or limited lines may be
exempt
from CE depending on the state; ranges and exceptions vary widely and must be verified with the state’s official guidance [3] [1] .

Because exemptions are narrow and differ by jurisdiction, always confirm with your state insurance department or official CE vendor page before assuming an exemption applies to your license. For instance, Maryland’s exemption is specific to Titleâ€‘only licensees who are Maryland attorneys; other states may not offer a similar exemption for Title or for attorneys [4] .

Stepâ€‘byâ€‘Step: How to Determine Your CE Hours and Exemptions

Identify your state and license lines : Note your resident state, license type(s), and renewal cycle dates. Your requirements hinge on resident status and the specific lines you hold (e.g., Life, Accident & Health, Property, Casualty, Title) [1] .
Check official state guidance : Review your state insurance department’s CE page for total hours, ethics mandates, delivery formats, and carryover rules. For example, Georgia details different totals by tenure and line, plus ethics requirements and carryover caps on its official site [2] .
Confirm special conditions : Look for reductions for longâ€‘tenured licensees, limited-line adjustments, or unique addâ€‘ons (e.g., bail bond CE in Maryland for P&C producers who sell bail bonds). Maryland outlines its 24â€‘hour requirement, ethics, and special bail bond CE on official pages and PDFs [4] [5] .
Validate exemptions : If you suspect an exemption applies (e.g., Titleâ€‘only attorney in Maryland, or a limited line that may be exempt in your state), verify the exact citation and scope. Do not rely on generalizations; use the specific state’s official criteria [4] [3] .
Select approved courses : Choose courses approved by your state or its CE vendor. Maryland, for example, allows correspondence or online courses approved by the Commissioner and uses Prometric for CE management; producers can also view CE transcripts via Sircon [5] .
Track deadlines and reporting : Account for provider reporting times. Maryland advises completing CE at least 30 days before expiration, as providers have up to 10 days to report completions; missing this window can trigger late or reinstatement fees [4] [5] .

Practical Scenarios and How to Proceed

Scenario A: New P&C Producer in a 24/2/3 State You’re newly licensed in a state that follows a typical 24â€‘hour biennial model with 3 hours of ethics. Plan one compliance ethics course and two or three technical courses split across personal and commercial lines. If your state requires flood training on first renewal for P&C, include that early to avoid lastâ€‘minute crunch. State breakdowns indicate many P&C producers will encounter ethics and, in some states, floodâ€‘related training requirements, especially early in their renewal history [1] .

Scenario B: Georgia Producer with 22 Years of Tenure With more than 20 years of service, you typically complete 20 hours including 3 ethics . You can carry forward up to 50% of the biennial requirement to the next period, but ethics must be taken each period; prior ethics courses cannot satisfy the new ethics requirement. Schedule courses before the last day of your birth month in your renewal year [2] .

Scenario C: Maryland Producer Selling Bail Bonds If you hold P&C authority and sell, solicit, or negotiate bail bonds, include four hours of bail bondâ€‘related CE in your cycle, in addition to meeting the 24â€‘hour total and 3â€‘hour ethics. Complete CE 30 days before expiration to allow reporting time and avoid reinstatement fees if a course posts late [5] [4] .

Scenario D: Titleâ€‘Only Maryland Licensee Who Is a Maryland Attorney If you hold only the Title line and are admitted to practice before the Maryland Court of Appeals, you are exempt from CE for that Title line. If you add another line (e.g., Property), CE will be required for the additional line per Maryland’s rules. Keep documentation of your status in case of audit [4] .

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

Assuming carryover is allowed : Some states allow carryover; others (e.g., Maryland) do not. Always confirm. Where carryover is allowed, ethics hours often cannot satisfy the next period’s ethics requirement, even if carried forward [2] [4] .
Repeating the same course too soon : Duplicates may be disallowed in the same period (and in some jurisdictions within six months), nullifying credits. Check your state’s duplicate rules before enrolling [4] .
Relying on nonâ€‘approved courses : Ensure each course is approved by your state or its CE vendor; otherwise, hours may not count. Maryland clarifies approval and vendor processes and permits online/correspondence courses when approved [5] .
Missing reporting timelines : Providers may take days to report completions. Build buffer time before your license expiration to avoid late fees or lapses [4] [5] .

Action Plan and Next Steps

List your resident state, line(s) of authority, and renewal date.
Review your state’s insurance department CE page for total hours, ethics, carryover, and any lineâ€‘specific addâ€‘ons. For a comparative snapshot, consult stateâ€‘byâ€‘state summaries from reputable industry publications, then verify on your state site [1] .
Create a CE calendar across the cycle: schedule ethics early, then distribute technical courses quarterly to avoid bunching at the deadline.
Confirm eligibility for any reductions or exemptions relevant to your situation (e.g., tenureâ€‘based reductions in Georgia; Titleâ€‘only attorney exemption in Maryland). Document proof and keep confirmation emails and certificates [2] [4] .
Enroll only in stateâ€‘approved courses, and retain certificates for your records. Where available, use official vendor portals to monitor transcript status (e.g., Maryland references Prometric and Sircon for CE tracking) [5] .

Key Takeaways

Hours : Many states require 24 hours every 2 years with a 3â€‘hour ethics component, but ranges and cycles vary by jurisdiction and line [1] [3] .
Exemptions : Limited and specialty lines may have reduced or exempt requirements in some states; specific professional exemptions exist, such as Maryland’s Titleâ€‘only attorney exemption. Always validate locally [4] .
Compliance : Confirm duplicate course rules, carryover policies, and reporting windows to avoid forfeited credits or late fees [2] [4] [5] .