| Virginia Bureau of Insurance | Testing Provider (Pearson VUE) |
| (804) 371-9631 | (888) 204-6272 |
| http://www.scc.virginia.gov/boi | http://www.pearsonvue.com/va/insurance |
How to Get a Virginia Insurance License
1. Start the Background Check
Applicants must apply electronically. Visit www.scc.virginia.gov/boi to submit the electronic application. An individual applicant is required to obtain a Current Criminal History Record Report from the Virginia State Police (VSP). If the applicant fails to provide a current, no more than 90 days old, criminal history record report, the Bureau will refuse licensure.
REQUEST FOR A CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD REPORT FROM THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE -You may download the request form SP-167 at www.vsp.state.va.us. When completing the form, have the report mailed back to you; not to the Bureau. For expedited service, you may also request a Virginia State Police criminal history record report for an additional fee through the following insurance industry associations: Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia, Inc. www.iiav.com, or National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors www.NAIFA-Virginia.org. When you receive the completed report, visit www.sircon.com/virginia to submit your application with the report attached.
2. Schedule and Pass a Licensing Exam
Making Exam Reservations
Licensing exams are provided by Pearson VUE. An exam fee must be paid at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, voucher or electronic check. You can make an exam reservation through the following methods:
- Online: Make an online reservation at http://www.pearsonvue.com/va/insurance at least 24 hours before the desired exam date or 5 days in advance if paying by electronic check
- Phone: (888) 204-6272
- Before calling, you must have the following:
- Legal name, address, Social Security number, daytime phone number, and date of birth
- Name of the exam
- Preferred exam date and test center location
- Before calling, you must have the following:
What to Bring
Two forms of current signature identification:
- A primary ID (photograph and signature, not expired) such as a Driver’s License or Passport
- A secondary ID (signature, not expired) such as a Debit or Credit card
Exam Procedures
- Report to the test center 30 minutes before the exam to verify identification and be photographed for the score report.
- No personal items are allowed in the testing room such as cell phones, watches, wallets, or purses.
- Studying is not allowed in the test center.
- The test administrator will provide you with materials to make notes or calculations. You may not write on these items before the exam begins or remove these items from the testing room.
- You will have the opportunity to take a tutorial that will not reduce the exam time.
Exam Format
- Each major line exam is given in a multiple-choice format.
- The exam consists of two parts:
- The general section deals with basic insurance product knowledge
- The state section deals with insurance laws, rules, and regulations, and practices that are unique to Virginia
- Each exam contains “pretest” questions that are mixed in with the scored questions and are not identified. Pretest questions may not be covered in your educational materials and do not affect your final score!
- The passing score required on each exam is 70.
- When you complete the exam, you will receive a score report marked “pass or fail”.
- Candidates who fail will receive a score report that includes a numeric score, diagnostic and re-testing information.
| Virginia Exam Information | ||||
| Exam Name | Exam Time | Scoreable Questions | Pretest Questions | Total Questions |
| Life and Annuities | 2 hrs | 90 | 15 | 105 |
| Life and Annuities and Health | 2 hrs 30 min | 140 | 10 | 150 |
3. Apply for a License
After passing the exam, apply for your license by completing an application at http://www.nipr.com. At the time of application, you must submit a current (no more than 90 days old) Criminal History Report. A Criminal History Report may be obtained from the Virginia State Police by calling (804) 674-2000 or requested online at www.vsp.state.va.us.