West Virginia

West Virginia Insurance Licensing Requirements

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On this page, you’ll find a comprehensive guide for becoming a licensed insurance agent in West Virginia and the state requirements. We’ll walk you through the process, and we’ll be here to answer any questions you have along the way.

The West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner requires each person selling insurance in the state to hold an insurance producer license. You will choose which line of authority you want to be licensed in: health insurance, life insurance, property and casualty insurance, or any combination of those lines.

Once you know which license you need, you’re ready to begin. In the State of West Virginia, there are 5 steps to getting your insurance license.

Step 1: Complete a Prelicensing Course

The first step is to complete a prelicensing course. A.D. Banker offers prelicensing courses that will prepare you to successfully pass the state exam on your first attempt. Our online courses can be supplemented with web classes and learning tools like flashcards and study manuals to suit your preferred learning style.

In West Virginia, potential agents must complete 20 hours of prelicensing education for each line of authority before attempting the state exam.

After completing your course, you will need to pass a Certification Exam. This demonstrates completion of the prelicensing requirement. The Certification Exam must be monitored by a disinterested third party. It cannot be a friend, a family member, or someone with a financial connection to you. After passing the Certification Exam with a 70% or greater, you will receive a Certificate of Completion. The certificate is valid for 6 months from the completion date, and you will need to take the state exam within this timeframe.

Step 2: Pass a Licensing Exam

After you finish your prelicensing course, you are now ready to take the state licensing exam. You must score 70% or higher to pass your state licensing exam.

Step 3: Get Fingerprinted

The West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner requires fingerprint impressions for all applicants for their initial resident insurance license and for those applying to add another line of authority. This applies to resident applicants applying or amending the following lines of authority: Life, Accident & Sickness, Property & Casualty, Personal Lines, Surplus Lines, and Viatical Settlement Brokers.

Applicants are required to schedule a fingerprinting appointment after successfully passing the state exam. You can register for an appointment online with Identogo or by calling 1-855-766-7746. Fingerprints will be captured by MorphoTrust at an IndetoGo Center, which electronically captures and transmits the digital fingerprints to the West Virginia State Police (WVSP) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a criminal history and a federal background check. Applicants will need to indicate that fingerprint impressions be sent to the Insurance Commission.

Step 4: Apply for a License

After passing the exam, you are ready to submit your license application and pay the application fee with the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).

Step 5: Plan for Continuing Education

Continuing education (CE) is required for all West Virginia resident insurance agents and adjusters for license renewal. The continuing education requirements for agents are generally 24 hours every 2 years, including 3 hours of ethics training. There are additional requirements to sell certain products, such as annuities, long-term care, and flood insurance.

Nonresident license holders are currently required to adhere to their home state continuing education requirements.

It’s important to stay on top of any changes to state insurance statutes and continuing education requirements, which can be found on the West Virginia OIC website.

West Virginia Licensing Exam FAQ

Where will I take the state exam?

Remote exams are available to ensure accessibility and safety. These exams require you to have a computer or laptop that is compatible with OnVUE, Pearson VUE’s remote testing platform. If you do not have a compatible computer, you must schedule an in-person exam.
Exams may also be taken in-person at a Pearson VUE testing site. Exams taken at a Pearson VUE location may include an additional provider fee.

How do I schedule my state exam?

Every insurance licensing exam is accompanied by an exam fee that must be paid by a credit or debit card, voucher, or electronic check. This fee must be paid at the time of reservation and will not be accepted at a testing center. You can schedule your state exam through Pearson VUE or by calling (800) 274-2614.

How long is the state exam?

Exam times and the number of questions vary by line of authority:

Life Producer: 2 hours with 89 questions
Health Producer: 2 hours with 91 questions
Property Producer: 2 hours with 90 questions
Casualty Producer: 2 hours with 90 questions
Property & Casualty Producer: 3.5 hours with 158 questions
Personal Lines Producer: 2.5 hours with 118 questions
Adjuster: 1 hour with 80 questions
Public Adjuster: 1 hour with 45 questions
Surplus Lines: 1 hour with 50 questions
Viatical Settlement Broker: 45 minutes with 35 questions
Workers Compensation Adjuster: 1 hour with 45 questions

What score do I need to pass?

For all insurance exams, you need to score 70% or higher to pass. Immediately after your exam, you will receive a pass or fail notification.

What happens if I fail my exam?

After completing your exam, you can log into your Pearson VUE account to obtain your diagnostic report indicating your strengths and weaknesses on the exam. You can send us a copy of this score report to curriculum@adbanker.com for our team to review and respond with personalized feedback.
You are able to immediately reschedule a new exam without a waiting period. If you would like more detailed information, or if you have any questions about the exam process, please visit Pearson VUE’s website.