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US Life insurance exam

The life insurance exam, state by state, with official numbers.

The life insurance exam is a state licensing exam, not a national one. This page compares the life-line exam in five states using each state's regulator or exam-vendor documents, and links to the full guide for each.

Try the free life and health practice test Back to exam overview
42% to 49%life-line pass rates we could citeTexas 42%, Georgia 44%, New York 48.49%, Florida 49.2%
80 to 100scored questions on the life-only examGeorgia 80, Florida 85, New York and Pennsylvania 100
2 hourstypical life-only time limitPennsylvania lists 120 minutes

Life only or life and health

Many states offer a life-only exam and a combined life and health exam.

Georgia lists separate Life and Accident & Sickness exams and a combination exam. New York and Pennsylvania do the same, and Texas lists a Life Agent exam beside Life, Accident & Health. Florida lists Life and Health & Life exams. A combined exam covers both lines; pass it and you can be licensed in either line, according to the Pennsylvania booklet.

Pearson VUE — Georgia Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (October 2026) PSI — New York DFS Insurance Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 4/28/2023) PSI — Pennsylvania Insurance Department Licensing Examination Candidate Information Booklet (effective 1/22/2026) Pearson VUE — Texas Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (October 2024) Florida Insurance Examination Content Outlines (effective Jan. 1, 2026)

Format by state

Life-only exam length and fee.

  • Texas Life Agent: 120 minutes; $39.
  • Florida Life (including Annuities & Variable Contracts): 85 scored plus 10 pretest questions; 2 hours.
  • Georgia Life Agent: 80 scored plus 10 pretest questions; 2 hours; $67.
  • New York Life: 100 questions; 2 hours; 70 correct to pass; $40 per the 2023 PSI bulletin.
  • Pennsylvania Life: 100 items; 120 minutes; $45.

Fees and outlines change. Open the state guide and confirm the live fee before you book.

Pearson VUE — Texas Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (October 2024) Florida Insurance Examination Content Outlines (effective Jan. 1, 2026) Georgia Insurance Content Outlines (effective Oct. 22, 2024; Pearson VUE rev. 09/2026) Pearson VUE — Georgia Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (October 2026) NY DFS — Report on Insurance Agent Licensing Examinations (March 15, 2025) PSI — New York DFS Insurance Candidate Information Bulletin (updated 4/28/2023) PSI — Pennsylvania Insurance Department Licensing Examination Candidate Information Booklet (effective 1/22/2026) PSI — Pennsylvania Producer's Examination for Life, Accident and Health Insurance (Series 16-03 outline)

Official results

Roughly half of life-exam candidates pass.

  • Texas Life Agent, January-September 2024: 42% of 26,981 graded attempts.
  • Florida Life, 2024: 49.2% of 15,413 candidates.
  • Georgia Life Agent, April-June 2026: 44% of 2,241 graded attempts.
  • New York Life, 2024 (English): 48.49% of 8,034 examinees.
  • Pennsylvania: no pass-rate report found.

These come from different periods and different counting rules, so use them as a range rather than a ranking.

Pearson VUE / TDI — Texas Examination Pass Rates, January-September 2024 Florida DFS — 2024 Annual Report of Florida Insurance Examinations Pearson VUE — Georgia Insurance Pass Rates, April-June 2026 NY DFS — Report on Insurance Agent Licensing Examinations (March 15, 2025)

Passing standard

70 is the common passing mark, counted differently by state.

Georgia reports the percentage of questions answered correctly and requires 70%. New York needs 70 of 100 correct on the life exam. Pennsylvania lists a 70% minimum score. Florida requires 70% of total questions. Texas uses a scaled score of 70, which is not the same as 70% correct.

Pearson VUE — Georgia Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (October 2026) NY DFS — Report on Insurance Agent Licensing Examinations (March 15, 2025) PSI — Pennsylvania Insurance Department Licensing Examination Candidate Information Booklet (effective 1/22/2026) Pearson VUE — Florida Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (2024) Pearson VUE — Texas Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (October 2024)

FAQ

Quick answers

Is there one national life insurance exam?

No. State insurance regulators license producers, and each state sets its exam and passing standard. Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York and Pennsylvania each publish their own handbook or bulletin.

How many questions are on the life insurance exam?

It depends on the state: Georgia lists 80 scored plus 10 pretest, Florida 85 scored plus 10 pretest, and New York and Pennsylvania 100 questions or items for the life-only exam. Texas lists a 120-minute time limit without a count we could verify.

How hard is the life insurance exam?

Official reports show about 42% to 49% of life-exam attempts passing in Texas, Georgia, New York and Florida for the periods linked above. See the pass-rate guide for how to read these figures.

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