1.2 Colorado P&C Producer Licensing Requirements

Pre-License Education

Colorado requires 50 hours of pre-license education for each Property & Casualty line of authority you intend to hold. The course must be from a DOI-approved provider and can be classroom or online self-study. The certificate of completion is valid for one year — if you do not pass the exam within that window, you must retake the course.

Exam tip: Colorado treats Property and Casualty as two separate lines of authority, unlike states that issue a single combined "P&C" license. The combined 50-hour course prepares you for both, and you can sit both exams in one session.

The State Exam (Pearson VUE)

Colorado's insurance exams are administered by Pearson VUE (the prior vendor reference to Prometric is outdated — verify the current vendor on your candidate handbook). Key logistics:

Each exam has a general (national) section and a Colorado state-law section. You must score 70% overall; some test versions also require passing each section. The pre-license provider reports your course completion to Pearson VUE, and you supply the training school code when you book.

Worked example: Marisol wants both lines. She takes the combined 50-hour course, then books a single Pearson VUE session. In 240 minutes she answers the Property block (75 questions) and the Casualty block (81 questions). Because she tests both at one physical center in one session, she pays a single $41 fee — a money-saver the exam likes to test.

Scheduling and Test-Day Rules

1. Finish 50 hours of approved pre-license education.
2. Book with Pearson VUE online or by phone (1-800-275-8247), entering your training school code.
3. Choose a delivery option — a Pearson VUE test center or online proctored exam (OnVUE).
4. Bring valid government photo ID matching your registration name; a second ID may be required.
5. Receive a pass/fail score report at the end; failing means rebooking and paying again.

Retake note: A failed Colorado exam requires a new appointment and a new fee — there is no free retake. Plan around Pearson VUE availability.

Background Check

Colorado requires a fingerprint-based criminal history check for all license applicants, submitted through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the FBI. On the application you must disclose:

• Felony convictions and pending charges
• Crimes involving fraud, dishonesty, or breach of trust
• Insurance-law violations
• Disciplinary actions taken by any other state
• Material misstatements (lying on the application is itself disqualifying)

A conviction for a crime of dishonesty triggers heightened scrutiny under federal 18 U.S.C. §1033 (the insurance-fraud bar), which can prohibit someone from working in insurance without written consent.

Applying for the License

After passing, apply electronically — Colorado does not accept paper applications:

License Types and Reciprocity

• Resident licenses are for Colorado residents; non-resident licenses are for producers already licensed in another home state.
• Colorado follows NAIC reciprocity — non-residents from reciprocal states generally skip the Colorado exam, but must hold the equivalent line in good standing in their home state.

Exam trap: Reciprocity waives the exam, not the application or fee. A non-resident still files through NIPR and pays the non-resident fee ($68 per authority).

Adjusters and Related Licenses

Colorado does not require a resident independent adjuster license, which surprises candidates from neighboring states. Producers should still know the distinctions because the exam tests roles:

Exam tip: A public adjuster works for the policyholder, not the insurer — a classic distractor. Confusing the two is one of the most common state-section misses.

Temporary and Business-Entity Licenses

Colorado allows a business-entity (agency) license so a firm can receive commissions; the entity must designate a licensed individual responsible producer. A limited temporary license may be issued in narrow circumstances — for example, to the surviving spouse, next of kin, or designated person of a deceased or disabled producer so an agency book can be serviced or sold without an immediate lapse. Temporary licenses are time-limited (typically up to 180 days, sometimes extendable) and do not authorize soliciting brand-new business beyond servicing the existing book.

Worked example: A solo agent dies; her spouse receives a temporary license to keep renewing existing clients and arrange the agency's sale, but cannot pass the time limit without qualifying normally.