1.3 License Maintenance and Continuing Education
Key Takeaways
- New Hampshire requires 24 hours of continuing education every 2-year license term, including at least 3 hours of ethics.
- No more than 10 of the 24 CE hours may be in the ethics category.
- CE must be completed 60 days before license expiration to avoid penalty; the license term ends the last day of the licensee's birth month.
- First-time resident renewals who passed the NH exam and non-resident producers in good standing are exempt from NH CE.
- Under RSA 400-A the Commissioner may fine violators up to $2,500 per violation, plus suspension, revocation, or restitution.
License Term and Renewal Cycle
New Hampshire uses a biennial (2-year) license term tied to the producer's birth month.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| License term | 2 years (biennial) |
| Expiration date | Last day of the licensee's birth month, every 2 years |
| CE completion deadline | 60 days before expiration |
| Selling during a lapse | Not permitted — authority ends at expiration |
Because the cycle is anchored to your birth month, two producers licensed the same day can have different expiration dates. There is no grace period for selling: once a license lapses, all transactions must stop until it is reinstated.
Continuing Education Requirements
Resident producers must complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) each 2-year term.
| CE category | Hours |
|---|---|
| Total CE required | 24 |
| Ethics – minimum | 3 |
| Ethics – maximum counted | 10 |
| General / electives | balance (14–21) |
Key CE rules
- CE must be completed 60 days prior to expiration to avoid penalty
- A course may not be taken more than once in the same reporting period for credit
- Excess credits do not carry forward to the next term
- The state charges $1.00 per credit hour for reporting completions
Worked example: A producer takes 12 ethics hours and 12 general hours. Only 10 ethics hours count, so the producer is credited with 22 of the 24 needed and is short by 2 hours — a common trap. The fix: keep ethics between 3 and 10 and fill the rest with approved general courses.
Exam Tip: The ethics rule is a range: at least 3, at most 10. Answers that say "exactly 3" cover only the minimum; the maximum-counted figure (10) is the more frequently missed value.
CE Exemptions
| Exemption | Who qualifies | CE required? |
|---|---|---|
| First-time renewal | Resident licensees who passed the NH exam and are renewing for the first time | No |
| Non-resident | Non-resident producers in good standing in their home state | No NH CE |
The non-resident exemption reflects reciprocity: NH relies on the home state's CE compliance, so a Maine resident producing in NH satisfies CE through Maine. If the home-state license lapses or the producer is not in good standing, the exemption is lost.
CE Reporting Through SBS
Approved CE providers — not individuals — submit completion records to State Based Systems (SBS), which then reports compliance to NHID.
- Providers transmit completions electronically; you should verify credits are posted before the deadline
- The $1.00 per credit hour state reporting charge applies
- Do not assume completion equals compliance until the hours appear in SBS
Product-Specific Training (Recap)
| Training | Hours | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Flood (NFIP) | 3 | One-time |
| LTC Partnership – initial | 8 | One-time |
| LTC Partnership – ongoing | 4 | Every renewal period |
| Annuity Best Interest | per course | One-time (effective Feb 16, 2024) |
These product trainings are separate from the 24-hour CE total; completing LTC training does not reduce the 24 general CE hours owed.
Exam Tip: Distinguish CE (24 hrs/biennial) from product training (flood/LTC/annuity). Product training is event-driven (before selling a product), while CE is calendar-driven (each renewal).
Adjuster CE Requirements
Adjusters follow different totals than producers:
| Adjuster type | Total hours | Ethics hours |
|---|---|---|
| Public adjusters | 15 | 3 |
| Workers' compensation adjusters | 24 | 3 (adjuster-approved) |
Workers' comp adjusters specifically need 10 hours in workers' compensation courses and the balance in multi-line adjuster courses, including the 3 adjuster-approved ethics hours.
Disciplinary Authority (RSA 400-A)
The Commissioner may discipline licensees for statutory violations. Grounds include violating insurance law, fraud or dishonest practices, misappropriation of premium or client funds, misrepresentation, failure to complete CE, criminal conviction, and adverse administrative action in another state.
| Action | Description | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Warning | Written warning for a minor offense | None |
| Fine | Monetary penalty per violation | Up to $2,500 per violation |
| Probation | License continues under conditions | Varies |
| Suspension | Temporary loss of license | Up to 12 months |
| Revocation | Permanent loss of license | Permanent |
| Restitution | Repay harmed consumers | Full amount |
Administrative process: (1) NHID investigates a complaint; (2) issues a notice of proposed action; (3) holds a hearing if requested; (4) issues a written decision; (5) the licensee may appeal to Superior Court.
Required Notifications
Producers must notify NHID of a change of business or residence address, name change, administrative action by another state, and criminal charges or convictions — generally within 30 days of the event.
- Address: 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 14, Concord, NH 03301
- Phone: (603) 271-2261 | Website: insurance.nh.gov
Exam Tip: The fine cap is $2,500 per violation under RSA 400-A — note "per violation," so multiple counts multiply. Suspension is temporary (up to 12 months); revocation is permanent. Appeals go to Superior Court, not the Governor.
How many continuing education hours must a New Hampshire resident producer complete each 2-year term?
By when must New Hampshire continuing education be completed relative to license expiration?
Which producer is exempt from New Hampshire continuing education?
What is the maximum monetary fine the Commissioner may impose per violation under RSA 400-A?