Florida Life & Health Exam Overview
Key Takeaways
- The 2-15 Life, Health & Variable Annuity state exam has 165 questions (150 scored, 15 unscored pretest), a 2-hour-45-minute limit, and requires 105 correct (70%) to pass.
- Florida requires 60 hours of state-approved pre-licensing education for the 2-15 license; the 2-40 Health Only and 2-14 Life Only licenses require 40 hours each.
- Pearson VUE administers the exam in-person only at a physical test center for a $44 fee per attempt; OnVUE remote proctoring ended February 16, 2024.
- The pre-licensing certificate is valid for 4 years, and the license must be renewed every 2 years by the last day of the licensee's birth month.
- Continuing education is 24 hours every 2 years (dropping to 20 hours after 6 years licensed), always including the mandatory 5-hour Law & Ethics Update course.
About the Florida 2-15 Exam
Welcome to OpenExamPrep's FREE Florida Life & Health prep guide. The Florida Life, Health & Variable Annuity examination (license code 2-15) is built and scored by Pearson VUE under contract to the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS). It is a state-law overlay on top of the national insurance fundamentals you already know, so roughly a quarter of the items are pure Florida statute, rule, and procedure.
Exact 2-15 Exam Specs
Memorize these numbers cold — examiners reword them constantly:
| Spec | 2-15 Value |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 165 (150 scored + 15 unscored pretest) |
| Time limit | 2 hours 45 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% — 105 of 150 scored items correct |
| Format | 4-option multiple choice, computer-delivered |
| Fee | $44 per attempt, paid at scheduling |
| Delivery | In-person Pearson VUE center only |
| Results | Pass/fail on screen immediately |
The 15 pretest questions are unscored items the vendor is trialing for future exams; they are scattered randomly and look identical to scored items, so answer every question. Do not leave blanks — there is no wrong-answer penalty, so a guess is strictly better than a skip.
Florida License Codes You Must Distinguish
Florida uses numeric series codes rather than "Life" or "Health" labels. The exam tests whether you can match an activity to the correct code:
| Code | License | Pre-License Hours | Exam Questions / Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-15 | Life, Health & Variable Annuity | 60 | 165 / 2h45m |
| 2-14 | Life, including Annuities & Variable | 40 | 100 / 2h |
| 2-40 | Health only | 40 | 100 / 2h |
| 2-18 | Limited Health (HMO/employer-group) | 40 | 100 / 2h |
Trap: Candidates assume the state exam mirrors the course final. Both happen to be 165 questions for 2-15, but they are separate hurdles — passing the school's final lets you sit; only the Pearson VUE result counts toward licensure.
Effective February 16, 2024 — No Remote Testing
Florida discontinued OnVUE online proctoring. Every insurance licensing exam — including 2-15 — must be taken in person at a brick-and-mortar Pearson VUE center. Plan travel to a center accordingly; there is no at-home option and no exception for distance or disability scheduling beyond standard ADA accommodations requested in advance.
Pre-Licensing Education & Applicant Eligibility
Florida law (Section 626.7351, Florida Statutes) requires state-approved coursework before you may sit. Choose a DFS-approved provider — credit from an unapproved school is void.
Course Mechanics
| Requirement | 2-15 Detail |
|---|---|
| Total hours | 60 (vs. 40 for 2-14, 2-40) |
| Module quizzes | Each passed at 70%+ |
| Course final | 165 questions, 70% to pass |
| Certificate validity | 4 years from completion |
| Proctoring | Final must be monitored/affirmed per provider rules |
A worked timing example: the state 2-15 exam gives 165 minutes of total seat time (2h45m) for 165 questions — roughly 60 seconds per item. Budget ~45 seconds for recall items and bank the surplus for multi-step suitability or guaranty-association math. Flag-and-return is allowed; do a full first pass, then revisit flagged items.
Who May Apply
| Requirement | Standard |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Residency | Bona fide Florida resident (or qualifying nonresident via reciprocity) |
| Work status | U.S. citizen or legal alien authorized to work |
| Background | Electronic fingerprints + DFS character/criminal review |
Felony convictions can bar licensure: a felony involving moral turpitude or a financial-services crime triggers permanent disqualification under s. 626.611, while other felonies impose waiting periods (commonly 7, 15, or permanent) under DFS rules.
Step-by-Step Licensing Sequence
- Finish the 60-hour course and pass the proctored final at 70%+.
- Submit fingerprints through the DFS-approved vendor (MorphoTrust/IdentoGO) — results route directly to DFS.
- Schedule with Pearson VUE (online or 888-274-2020) and pay the $44 fee by card, voucher, or e-check at booking.
- Test in person, photo ID matching your registration exactly; pass at 105/150.
- Apply through DFS MyProfile, pay the license fee, and upload required documents.
- Receive the 2-15 license, valid until renewal in your birth-month cycle.
Trap: Fingerprints expire if you do not apply within a set window (currently 12 months); stale prints force a re-scan and re-fee. Sequence fingerprinting close to your application, not years ahead.
Renewal, Continuing Education & Florida Market Context
Continuing Education (CE) Rules
Florida ties appointment renewal to CE compliance. Failure to complete CE leads to suspension, then cancellation of appointments.
| Licensure Tenure | Total CE / 2 Years | Mandatory Law & Ethics |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 years | 24 hours | 5-hour Law & Ethics Update |
| 6+ years | 20 hours | 5-hour Law & Ethics Update |
| 25+ years + CLU/ChFC/etc. | Reduced per DFS rule | Still requires the update |
Key CE nuances tested on the exam:
- The Law & Ethics Update is a specially-designated course; a generic ethics class does not satisfy it.
- Dual-line (Life and Health) agents may split elective hours but the Law & Ethics requirement is singular, not doubled.
- Excess hours generally carry forward, but you may not repeat the same course for credit inside one 2-year cycle.
Product-Specific Training (Often Confused with CE)
| Training | Trigger | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Annuity suitability | Before selling annuities | One-time 4-hour Best Interest / suitability course |
| Long-Term Care (initial) | Before selling LTC | 8 hours |
| Long-Term Care (ongoing) | After initial | 4 hours every 24 months |
| Variable contracts | Before variable sales | FINRA registration (SIE + Series 6/7) in addition to 2-15 |
Trap: A 2-15 license alone does not authorize variable-annuity or variable-life securities sales. The variable product requires a parallel FINRA registration (SIE plus Series 6 or 7) and a registered-rep affiliation; the state license only covers the insurance element.
Why Florida State Content Matters
Florida is the third-largest U.S. insurance market (population over 22 million) with an outsized retiree and Medicare population, heavy annuity and long-term-care sales, and a dual-regulator structure: DFS licenses and disciplines producers, while the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) approves rates and policy forms. Expect questions separating these two agencies' powers.
What This Guide Covers
| Chapter | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Florida regulation, DFS/OIR authority, licensing & CE |
| 2 | Florida life insurance law & the Guaranty Association |
| 3 | Florida health insurance & group/individual rules |
| 4 | Ethics, prohibited practices, penalties |
| 5 | Annuities, variable contracts, senior suitability |
| 6 | Long-term care & Medicare supplement rules |
Key DFS Contacts
| Resource | Detail |
|---|---|
| DFS Agent Licensing | myfloridacfo.com/division/agents |
| DFS Consumer Helpline | 1-877-693-5236 |
| Pearson VUE scheduling | 888-274-2020 |
Remember: No remote testing. Budget a trip to a physical center, bring matching photo ID, and aim for 105 correct of the 150 scored items. Now begin Chapter 1: Florida Insurance Regulation & Licensing.
How many scored questions must a candidate answer correctly to pass the Florida 2-15 state exam?
As of February 16, 2024, how must the Florida 2-15 licensing exam be taken?
How many hours of state-approved pre-licensing education does Florida require for the 2-15 Life, Health & Variable Annuity license?
Which continuing-education element must every Florida resident producer complete regardless of total CE hours required?