1.2 Kansas Producer Licensing Requirements

No Mandatory Pre-License Education

Unlike many states, Kansas does not require pre-license education to sit for a Life or Accident & Health producer exam. There is no mandatory hour count, no state-approved course you must finish first, and no certificate of completion to upload.

That freedom is a double-edged sword: the exam still tests the full national curriculum plus Kansas law, so most candidates self-study or take an optional prep course. KID neither requires nor endorses any specific provider.

Exam Tip: A question may state "Kansas requires 40 hours of pre-licensing." That is false — Kansas has no pre-license education mandate. Do not confuse pre-license education (none) with continuing education after licensure (18 hours, covered in 1.3).

Who Needs a License

A producer (agent) license is required for anyone who sells, solicits, or negotiates insurance for compensation. The three lines of authority most relevant to this exam:

• Life — life insurance and annuities.
• Accident & Health (or Sickness) — health, disability income, and long-term care insurance.
• Life, Accident & Health — the combined credential covering both.

Clerical staff who merely process paperwork without soliciting do not need a license, but anyone who discusses coverage terms or recommends a product does.

The Examination

Kansas licensing exams are delivered by Pearson VUE (Pearson Professional Assessments), in person at testing centers and online via OnVUE remote proctoring.

The combined exam (code 12-KS-05) therefore delivers 154 total questions (140 scored + 14 pretest) in a 150-minute (2.5-hour) window, while each single-line exam delivers 100 total (84 scored + 16 pretest).

Key format facts:

• Passing score is 70% on every line — the most-tested logistics number.
• Each exam mixes unscored pretest questions in with the scored items; you cannot tell which is which, so answer every question.
• Questions are multiple choice, closed book, with an on-screen calculator.
• Each exam splits into a general (national) section and a Kansas state section covering Chapter 40 law and KID rules.
• Results are pass/fail and delivered immediately at the test center.

Exam Tip: Memorize the 70% passing standard. Distractor answers of 65% or 75% appear frequently. Also note the combined exam has 140 scored questions — the "154 total" figure you may hear includes the 14 pretest items.

Scheduling and cancellation

Reserve a seat online through the Pearson VUE Kansas insurance page or by phone. To avoid forfeiting the exam fee, reschedule or cancel at least 48 hours before the appointment; later changes or no-shows forfeit the fee. Bring two forms of valid ID — a government-issued photo ID plus a second ID with a matching signature — and the name must exactly match your registration, or you will be turned away.

Background Check (Fingerprinting)

First-time, previously unlicensed applicants must submit fingerprint impressions so KID can run a Kansas state criminal-history check and an FBI national check. Fingerprinting is scheduled through the vendor at metro testing locations (Overland Park, Topeka, Wichita) for a separate fee paid at capture.

Note: A criminal record does not automatically disqualify an applicant. KID weighs the nature of the offense, time elapsed, and evidence of rehabilitation. Failing to disclose a conviction, however, is itself grounds for denial — honesty on the application matters more than the record alone.

Tax Clearance — Unique to Kansas

Kansas adds a step few other states use: before a resident license is issued, the applicant must obtain a tax clearance certificate from the Kansas Department of Revenue confirming no outstanding state tax obligations.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Worked example: A candidate passes the Life exam at 78%, completes fingerprinting, but never emails the tax clearance. Her application stays incomplete — a passing score and clean background are not enough; the tax clearance is a hard prerequisite to issuance in Kansas.

Resident vs. Non-Resident at Application

Who applies as a resident versus a non-resident changes the steps:

A Kansas resident is someone whose principal place of residence or business is in Kansas. The exam may test the idea that a producer who moves to Kansas must convert to a Kansas resident license rather than keep operating on a non-resident credential.

Common Application Traps

• Confusing pre-license education (none in Kansas) with continuing education (18 hours after licensure).
• Assuming a passing exam alone produces a license — the tax clearance and background check are independent requirements.
• Forgetting that the name on the ID must match the registration exactly, or the candidate is turned away and forfeits the fee.
• Believing a minor criminal record is an automatic bar — KID reviews case-by-case, but non-disclosure is itself disqualifying.

Exam Tip: When a scenario lists steps out of order, the testable sequence is exam → fingerprints → tax clearance → NIPR application → email clearance to KID → license issued. Tax clearance is the step unique to Kansas.