1.2 Maryland Producer Licensing Requirements

Pre-License Education: NOT Required (Since October 1, 2024)

Maryland repealed its pre-license education requirement effective October 1, 2024. Before that date, Maryland required 20 classroom hours per line of authority (40 hours for a combined Life & Health package). That mandate is gone.

Exam trap: This is a recent change and old practice materials still say "20 hours per line." If a question asks how many hours of pre-licensing education Maryland requires today, the answer is none/zero. The 20-hour and 40-hour figures are historical distractors.

Because there is no education gatekeeper, a candidate can schedule the exam immediately — but self-study is essential, since the exam still tests the full national + Maryland body of knowledge.

The Examination

Maryland uses a one-part exam format (in effect since October 2021 — earlier candidates sat a separate general and state portion). Everything is now combined into a single sitting.

Worked example: At a 70% cut score on 130 scored items, you may miss 39 questions and still pass (91 correct = 70%). Miss 40 and you fail. The 10 unscored pretest items are not identified and do not count toward your score, so answer all 140 items as if they count.

Note on single-line exams: If you sit only the Life Producer (series 20-27) or Accident & Health (series 20-24) exam, each is 80 scored questions (90 delivered) in 105 minutes for the same $60 fee and 70% cut (56 of 80). Most career producers take the combined exam to cover both lines in one sitting.

What the Exam Covers

The single exam blends national content with Maryland-specific law:

1. General insurance principles — risk, contract law, indemnity
2. Life insurance — products, provisions, riders, options
3. Accident & Health insurance — individual and group plans
4. Federal tax — treatment of life insurance and annuities
5. Maryland insurance regulation — the state law in this guide

The Maryland-specific portion is small relative to the national content, which is exactly why you complete the national guide first and use this guide to layer the state rules on top.

Scheduling and Exam Day

How to Schedule

1. Self-study with exam-prep materials (strongly recommended).
2. Register and pay through Prometric at prometric.com/maryland/insurance, or by phone at (800) 610-1174.
3. Choose delivery: a Prometric test center (in-person) or ProProctor online proctoring (at home).

Exam-Day Requirements

Results are reported as Pass or Fail (failing reports include diagnostic detail by content area to guide a retake). If you fail, Maryland requires you to wait four (4) days before retaking that exam, and you pay the $60 exam fee again each attempt.

After You Pass: The License Application

Passing the exam does not make you a producer — it qualifies you to apply. Apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) at nipr.com.

Application Steps

1. Pass the exam (70%+).
2. Complete a fingerprint-based background check (criminal history review).
3. Apply via NIPR within the score-validity window.
4. Pay the MIA license fee (the producer application fee).
5. Await MIA approval of the application and background results.

Score Validity

Exam trap: Don't confuse the score-validity window with the biennial renewal cycle covered in Section 1.3. They are different clocks: one governs how long a passing exam result counts toward an initial license; the other governs ongoing renewal.

Baseline Qualifications

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be competent, trustworthy, and of good character
• Pass the exam and clear the background check
• Submit the NIPR application and pay fees
• Disclose any criminal history or prior administrative actions

Lines of Authority

For this exam you pursue Life and Accident & Health lines; each line is tied to the products you may lawfully solicit and sell.