Life insurance license — Alabama

Alabama does two things differently to almost every other state, and both catch out agents who licensed somewhere else first.

The exam is not run by Pearson VUE or PSI. It is administered through the University of Alabama. If you go looking for an Alabama insurance exam on the usual vendor sites you will not find one.

Fingerprints only count if they come from Fieldprint. The Department is unambiguous: it can only use prints processed through Fieldprint, at fieldprintalabama.com. Prints taken at a police station, or through another vendor for another state, are wasted money. Do this after you pass the exam and at least a day before you apply.

The steps, in order

1. Study. The Department's producer requirements page sets out the exam, the fingerprints and the fee, and does not list a pre-licensing education requirement. Confirm with ALDOI if a provider tells you otherwise — they have a course to sell.
2. Pass the exam. Through the University of Alabama. $50 for a single producer exam; $75 for the combined Life and Health.
3. Fieldprint, and only Fieldprint. After the exam, a day before you apply.
4. Apply online. $80 for the producer licence.
5. Get appointed — and watch this fee. Alabama charges a $40 Notice of Appointment fee per insurer. That is per carrier, not once. An agent contracted with six carriers pays it six times, and it is the line item that surprises people who budgeted $80 and stopped.

What it costs

| Item | Cost | Paid to | | --- | --- | --- | | Exam | $50, or $75 combined L&H | University of Alabama | | Fingerprinting | Varies | Fieldprint | | Producer licence | $80 | Alabama DOI | | Notice of appointment | $40 per insurer | Alabama DOI |

The $80, the $40-per-insurer appointment fee and the Fieldprint-only rule are first-party from the Department. Confirm the exam fees, which are quoted per exam and change.

After you're licensed

Twenty-four hours of continuing education every two years, three of them ethics. You must have the hours completed and posted before you can complete the online renewal — the renewal form will not let you finish otherwise.

There is a 30-day grace period after expiry, during which you can still renew by paying a $50 late fee on top of the renewal. Use it as an emergency exit, not a plan: the grace period covers the licence, not your appointments, and re-papering carrier appointments costs more than $50 in lost writing days.