1.1 Exam Facts, Official Outline & Study Plan
Key Takeaways
The exam has 40 scored questions plus 10 unidentified pretest questions and a 1-hour time limit (DFS content outline, 2026).
A passing score is 70% of scored questions, which is 28 of 40 correct (Pearson VUE Florida candidate handbook).
The official outline weights Florida laws and eligibility at 45%, agent responsibilities at 45%, and agent licensing at 10%.
Applicants must hold a Florida 2-20 general lines license and complete a 60-hour course or 1 year of experience before licensure (s. 626.927).
Candidates may attempt the same Florida insurance exam no more than 5 times in any 12-month period (Pearson VUE handbook).
The Florida surplus lines examination is short, narrow, and statute-driven. Almost every scored item traces back to Part VIII of Chapter 626, Florida Statutes, or to a handful of cross-referenced sections on licensing, fees, trade practices, and assessments. This section gives you the verified exam facts, the official outline, and a study plan built around that outline.
Current Exam Facts
The Department of Financial Services (DFS) licenses insurance agents in Florida and contracts with Pearson VUE to deliver its licensing examinations. Pearson VUE lists this test as FLA Surplus Lines Agent (0120, 9120): 0120 is the resident surplus lines license (written 1-20) and 9120 is the nonresident license (written 91-20).
| Item | Verified fact | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official title | Florida Examination for Surplus Lines Insurance | DFS content outline, effective January 1, 2026 |
| Items | 40 scored questions plus 10 unidentified pretest questions | Content outline |
| Time | 1 hour | Content outline and Pearson VUE handbook |
| Passing score | 70% of scored questions, which is 28 of 40 | Pearson VUE Florida candidate handbook |
| Exam fee | $44, paid to Pearson VUE when you reserve | Candidate handbook |
| Retakes | Reapply and pay again; no more than 5 attempts at the same exam in 12 months | Candidate handbook |
| Score validity | A passing score is valid for 1 year for licensing | Candidate handbook |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test centers; score report printed at the center | Candidate handbook |
Pretest questions are mixed in with scored questions and are not identified, so treat every question as if it counts. If you fail, the score report includes diagnostic information. You may request a review of your most recent failed exam within 90 days by calling Pearson VUE; the review is free and lasts up to half the original testing time.
The Official Content Outline
The outline has three domains. With 40 scored items, the weights translate to roughly 18, 18, and 4 questions.
| Domain | Weight | About | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Florida laws and rules pertinent to surplus lines insurance and general administration/eligibility | 45% | 18 items | Eligible insurers, service of process, eligibility to export and policy fees, the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO), cancellation and nonrenewal notices, payment of premiums and claims, liability-claim disclosure, hurricane deductible and co-pay notices |
| II. Agent responsibilities | 45% | 18 items | Placement requirements, contents of records, reporting and filing, penalties, the surplus lines tax, the service fee and assessments, illegal dealings in premiums, the Policyholders Bill of Rights |
| III. Agent licensing | 10% | 4 items | Licensing of resident, temporary, and nonresident agents; change of address; fees and renewal; self-appointment; reportable actions; suspension and revocation |
Domain I carries the general reference 626.901 through 626.939, so any section of Part VIII can appear, including the prohibition on representing unauthorized insurers and the rules for independently procured coverage.
How to Get Licensed
- Hold an active Florida resident general lines (2-20) agent license. Surplus lines authority is layered on top of it.
- Meet the prerequisite in s. 626.927: complete an approved 60-hour course in surplus and excess lines, or document 1 year of experience working for a licensed surplus lines agent. DFS requires the course to be completed within 4 years of the application date. Members and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and their spouses are exempt from prelicensure coursework.
- Pass the Pearson VUE examination.
- Apply through DFS MyProfile. The candidate handbook lists a $50 application fee and a $5 license identification fee, and applicants are fingerprinted.
- After the license issues, appoint yourself as a surplus lines agent through DFS. The appointment fee is $150 under s. 624.501(11), and it is renewed every 24 months in your birth month.
- Register with the FSLSO. Every licensed surplus lines agent is deemed a member of the FSLSO by statute.
The handbook names the FSLSO's Surplus Lines Agents Study Material as the official study manual. FSLSO also offers a 60-hour prelicensing course.
A Study Plan That Follows the Weights
- Week 1: Domain I. Read ss. 626.913 to 626.921 in order. Build flashcards for every number: $15 million surplus, $5.4 million alien trust fund, 3 years of domicile experience, $50,000 deposit, 12.5%, 10-day form review, 45/10/20-day notices, 60-day disclosures, and 14-point type.
- Week 2: Domain II. Work tax and fee calculations until they are automatic: 4.94% tax, the current 0.03% service fee, the $2/$4 EMPA surcharge, and what counts as premium. Memorize the deadlines: 30-day filing, 45th-day quarterly affidavit, 5-year records, 30-day copy requests, and the $50 and $500 daily fines.
- Week 3: Domain III and review. Licensing has only about four items, but they are easy points: 60 hours or 1 year, 48 months, 4-month temporary licenses, 90-day nonresident transitions, and 30-day address changes.
Test-Day Strategy
Most questions reward precise recall of a statutory rule, not market judgment. When two answers look plausible, choose the one that matches the statute's exact actor and number. The test often turns on who does something (insured, retail agent, surplus lines agent, FSLSO, DFS, or OIR) and how many days that person has. With 50 items in 60 minutes you have about 72 seconds per question. Answer everything, because there is no penalty for guessing.
A candidate answers 29 of the 40 scored questions and 3 of the 10 pretest questions correctly. What is the result?
Fail, because the combined 32 of 50 is below 70%
Pass, because 29 of 40 scored items exceeds the 70% standard
Pass only if the pretest items are rescored by DFS
Fail, because at least 35 scored items are required
Which prerequisite combination satisfies s. 626.927 for a resident surplus lines license applicant?
An active health agent license plus 40 hours of general insurance education
A customer representative license plus 6 months in any insurance office
Any Florida insurance license plus a signed statement from an eligible insurer
An active Florida general lines license plus a 60-hour approved surplus and excess lines course
Based on the official weights, about how many of the 40 scored questions come from the agent licensing domain?
About 4
About 10
About 18
About 8
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.