Wisconsin Life & Health Insurance License Exam (2026)
Getting licensed to sell life and health insurance in Wisconsin means passing two separate exams administered by PSI on behalf of the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance (OCI): the Life Insurance exam (Series 22-01) and the Accident & Health exam (Series 22-03). Wisconsin does not offer a single combined Life & Health exam, so if you want both lines of authority you schedule and pay for each exam independently.
This guide lays out the current 2026 exam structure, the exact content outlines PSI uses to build each test, Wisconsin's prelicensing and licensing fees, the state-specific rules the exam leans on hardest, and how to move from a passing score to appointed and selling. Every fact below is checked against OCI and PSI; official links are at the end.
Exam Format at a Glance
Wisconsin splits life and health into two standalone exams. Each one is scored the same way.
| Component | Life (Series 22-01) | Accident & Health (Series 22-03) |
|---|---|---|
| Scored questions | 100 | 100 |
| Pretest (unscored) questions | 5 | 5 |
| Total questions | 105 | 105 |
| Time limit | 120 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% | 70% |
| Exam fee | $75 | $75 |
| Testing vendor | PSI | PSI |
Register through PSI's Wisconsin portal (test-takers.psiexams.com/wiins) or by phone at 888-818-5805. PSI offers both in-person testing at its test centers and remote online proctoring, so you can take either exam from home. Bring two forms of current signature ID and your prelicensing Certificate of Completion (paper or electronic) to the test center, you cannot test without the certificate.
What's on Each Exam (Real PSI Content Outlines)
The biggest mistake candidates make is studying from a generic national outline. Wisconsin weights state insurance regulation at 35% on both exams, the single largest section, so Wisconsin law (Statutes Chapter 628 and the administrative code) deserves the most study time. These topic weights come straight from the Wisconsin Candidate Information Bulletin PSI publishes.
Life Insurance exam (Series 22-01) — 100 scored questions
| Topic | Questions | % of exam |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance Regulation (general + Wisconsin) | 35 | 35% |
| General Insurance | 10 | 10% |
| Life Insurance Basics | 10 | 10% |
| Life Insurance Policies | 12 | 12% |
| Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options and Riders | 14 | 14% |
| Annuities | 10 | 10% |
| Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities | 5 | 5% |
| Qualified Plans | 4 | 4% |
Accident & Health exam (Series 22-03) — 100 scored questions
| Topic | Questions | % of exam |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance Regulation (general + Wisconsin) | 35 | 35% |
| General Insurance | 10 | 10% |
| Health Insurance Basics | 8 | 8% |
| Disability Income and Related Insurance | 8 | 8% |
| Medical Plans | 8 | 8% |
| Group Accident and Health Insurance | 8 | 8% |
| Dental Insurance | 4 | 4% |
| Medicare | 8 | 8% |
| Long-Term Care Insurance | 8 | 8% |
| Federal Tax Considerations for Health Insurance | 3 | 3% |
The 5 pretest questions are mixed in and not identified, so answer every question. They do not count against your score, but you cannot tell which ones they are.
Wisconsin Prelicensing Education: 20 Hours Per Line
Before you can sit for either exam, Wisconsin requires 20 hours of OCI-approved prelicensing education per line of authority. That means 20 hours for Life and 20 hours for Accident & Health if you want both lines. Each 20-hour course breaks down as:
- 8 hours general: Principles of Insurance, General Wisconsin Insurance Laws, and Ethics
- 12 hours line-specific: policies, terms, concepts, and line-specific law
The 8-hour general portion does not need to be repeated when you add another line within 12 months, so the efficient path to both lines is 8 (general) + 12 (Life) + 12 (Accident & Health) = 32 hours if completed back-to-back. Providers such as National Online Insurance School package the combined Life, Accident & Health course as 40 hours.
Other prelicensing rules:
- Certificate of Completion is valid for 1 year from the course final exam
- Pass the course final exam with at least 70% to earn the certificate
- Acceptable formats: self-study, classroom, or online
- Bring the certificate to the test center (paper or electronic)
Exemptions (no prelicensing required, with documentation): a two-year Wisconsin technical college degree in insurance; a four-year college degree in business with an insurance emphasis; or, for Life, holding CEBS, ChFC, CIC, CFP, CLU, FLMI, or LUTCF; for Accident & Health or Disability, holding RHU, CEBS, REBC, or HIA.
Wisconsin-Specific Laws the Exam Tests Heavily
Because Insurance Regulation is 35% of each exam, Wisconsin statutes and rules are not a footnote. They are the main event. Know these from Chapter 628 and the policy-provision statutes in Chapter 632:
| Wisconsin rule | Requirement | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Life policy grace period | At least 31 days, death benefit stays in force | Wis. Stat. s. 632.44(2) |
| Incontestability | Policy cannot be contested after 2 years in force | Wis. Stat. s. 632.46(1) |
| Misstatement of age | Benefits adjusted to the correct age | Wis. Stat. s. 632.46 |
| Replacement free-look | 30-day right to return a replaced policy for a full refund | Wis. Stat. s. 628.34; Ins 2.07 |
| Claim interest | Insurer pays interest if a life claim is not settled within 30 days | Wis. Stat. s. 628.46 |
| Guaranty association | Up to $300,000 death benefit and $300,000 cash value protection | Wis. Stat. ch. 646 |
Wisconsin uses the federal HealthCare.gov marketplace (it did not build a state-based exchange), and the exam expects you to know how BadgerCare Plus interacts with it.
BadgerCare Plus (Wisconsin's Medicaid + CHIP)
BadgerCare Plus is Wisconsin's combined Medicaid and CHIP program, and it shows up on the Accident & Health exam. Current income limits, effective February 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027 (Wisconsin DHS):
- Children and pregnant people: up to 306% of the federal poverty level (about $4,070 per month for a family of one)
- Parents and caretaker relatives: up to 100% FPL
- Childless adults: up to 100% FPL through a waiver
Wisconsin is a non-Medicaid-expansion state, but it covers childless adults up to 100% FPL through that waiver, which is why it is the one non-expansion state with no coverage gap. Subsidized HealthCare.gov plans pick up above 100% FPL. That no-gap structure is a frequent exam point, so know the 306% FPL figure for children and pregnant people and the 100% FPL figure for adults.
After You Pass: Licensing, Fingerprints, and Fees
Passing the exam is not the same as being licensed. Here is the full path from a passing score to a Wisconsin resident producer license.
- Wait 48-72 hours. Your exam score must post to NIPR before you can apply. Exam scores are valid for 6 months, so apply within 180 days of passing.
- Apply via NIPR (nipr.com). Wisconsin charges a $10 application fee plus a $75 initial license fee per line of authority for residents (per OCI). NIPR adds a small processing fee of about $5-6. The state gives you 90 days after submission to send in any required documents, or the application expires and fees are non-refundable.
- Get fingerprinted. All new resident applicants for Life, Accident & Health, Property, Casualty, and several other lines must submit digital fingerprints through Fieldprint at fieldprintwisconsin.com using code FPWIOCIINSURANCE (case-insensitive). The fingerprint fee is about $34.75, and prints are valid for 180 days.
- Get appointed by an insurance carrier and complete any product-specific training before you sell.
Total cost to get licensed (both lines)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Prelicensing course (both lines) | about $149-$300 (provider-dependent) |
| Exam fees (2 x $75) | $150 |
| Fingerprinting (Fieldprint) | about $34.75 |
| Application fee (NIPR) | $10 |
| Initial license fee (2 x $75) | $150 |
| NIPR processing fee | about $5-6 |
| Approximate total | about $500-$650 |
For context on earning potential, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $60,370 for insurance sales agents as of May 2024, with the top 25% earning above $91,150. The upfront licensing cost is modest relative to that range.
Continuing Education and Renewal
Your Wisconsin producer license renews biennially, on the last day of your birth month, every two years. The CE rules:
- 24 credit hours of OCI-approved CE every 2 years
- 3 of the 24 must be ethics (ethics is included in the 24, not on top of it)
- Courses are non-license-type-specific, any approved subject counts
- No carryover of extra credits into the next period
- No repeating a course within the same compliance period
- Resident renewal fee: $35 biennial; nonresident renewal: $70
Required product training (separate from the 24-hour CE)
Before you can sell these products, Wisconsin requires stand-alone training that also counts toward CE but must be done first:
- Long-Term Care: one-time 8-hour initial course (including 2 hours of Wisconsin-specific Medicaid and LTC info), then a 4-hour ongoing course every renewal cycle (including 1 hour of Wisconsin-specific Medicaid training).
- Annuities: a one-time 4-hour Annuity Training Best Interest course before selling, plus insurer-specific product training. Producers who took annuity training before October 1, 2022 had to complete a refresher by April 1, 2023.
- Flood: a one-time 3-hour flood and NFIP course before selling federal flood insurance.
Nonresidents who completed equivalent training in another state still owe the Wisconsin-specific Medicaid pieces for LTC.
How to Study So You Pass on the First Try
- Lead with Wisconsin law. Insurance Regulation is 35% of each exam. Spend the most time on Chapter 628 (producer licensing, unfair practices, replacement, advertising) and the Chapter 632 policy provisions above.
- Use the real content outline. Download the Wisconsin Candidate Information Bulletin from PSI and study to the published topic weights, not a generic national syllabus.
- Take timed practice exams. 100 scored questions in 120 minutes is roughly 1.2 minutes per question, so pacing matters. Drill under realistic conditions with our free Wisconsin Life & Health practice questions.
- Memorize the Wisconsin numbers. 31-day grace period, 2-year incontestability, 30-day replacement free-look, 24 CE hours every 2 years, 3 ethics hours, 20 prelicensing hours per line, 70% passing score, $75 exam fee.
- Budget 50-60 hours total. About 32-40 hours for prelicensing coursework and 15-20 hours of self-study and timed practice exams.
Common Mistakes That Cost Candidates the Exam
- Treating it as one combined exam. You must register, pay, and sit for Life and Accident & Health separately.
- Studying national material only. The 35% Wisconsin regulation section is where unprepared candidates fail.
- Forgetting your Certificate of Completion. No certificate, no test.
- Skipping BadgerCare Plus. It is the Wisconsin-specific health topic competitors underestimate.
- Ignoring the LTC and annuity training rules. You cannot sell those products without the separate training, and the exam tests it.
- Not practicing pacing. 105 questions in 120 minutes leaves little time to second-guess.
Nonresident and Reciprocity Notes
Wisconsin grants nonresident producer licenses through NIPR and honors the home-state CE requirement (a nonresident who satisfies CE in their home state is exempt from Wisconsin CE). Nonresident renewal is $70 biennial. Nonresidents who completed LTC partnership training in another state still must complete the 2-hour Wisconsin-specific Medicaid module before selling LTC in Wisconsin.
Official Sources
- Wisconsin OCI, Agent Exam Requirements: oci.wi.gov/Pages/Agents/ExamRequirements.aspx
- Wisconsin OCI, Resident License Requirements: oci.wi.gov/pages/agents/applyforalicense.aspx
- Wisconsin OCI, Continuing Education: oci.wi.gov/Pages/Agents/ContinuingEducation.aspx
- Wisconsin OCI, License Types and Fees: oci.wi.gov/Pages/Agents/TypesOfLicenses.aspx
- PSI Wisconsin exams: test-takers.psiexams.com/wiins (phone 888-818-5805)
- Wisconsin Candidate Information Bulletin (content outlines): home.psiexams.com/api/tests/YTLQVU5M/bulletins
- BadgerCare Plus FPL limits: dhs.wisconsin.gov/badgercareplus/fpl.htm
- BLS Insurance Sales Agents: bls.gov/ooh/sales/insurance-sales-agents.htm
Everything above is free to study here on OpenExamPrep, including full topic coverage, Wisconsin-specific regulations, practice questions with explanations, and AI-powered study help. Use the free path before you pay for an expensive prep course.
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