New Jersey Life & Health Exam Overview
Key Takeaways
- New Jersey administers two separate PSI exams on behalf of DOBI: the Life Producer exam (83 scored items) and the Accident & Health Producer exam (88 scored items) — there is no single combined test.
- Each exam allows 3.5 hours (210 minutes), costs $47 per attempt, and requires a 70% passing score; results print at the test center immediately.
- Pre-licensing education is 20 hours per line (40 hours for combined Life and Health), each line earning a separate certificate valid for the state exam.
- Renewal is biennial at the end of your birth month, requiring 24 CE hours including 3 ethics hours; up to 12 non-ethics hours carry over once.
- Fingerprinting via IdentoGO is mandatory for all applicants, and annuity sales require a one-time 4-hour Annuity Best Interest course under New Jersey's NAIC suitability standard.
About the New Jersey Life & Health Exam
The New Jersey Life & Health insurance examination is delivered by PSI Services LLC (PSI) on behalf of the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI). New Jersey does not offer a single combined exam: the Life Producer line and the Accident & Health (A&H) Producer line are two distinct examinations, each scheduled, paid for, and passed independently. Both blend national insurance content with New Jersey-specific law found in Title 17B of the New Jersey Statutes and N.J.A.C. Title 11 regulations.
Content on these exams spans life insurance policy types and riders, annuities and retirement products, health/accident and managed-care coverage, standard policy provisions and free-look rights, beneficiary designations, replacement rules, and ethics. Roughly 15-20% of items target New Jersey law specifically — that state portion is what this guide drills.
Exam Structure at a Glance
| Component | Life Producer | Accident & Health Producer |
|---|---|---|
| Testing vendor | PSI | PSI |
| Scored items | 83 | 88 |
| Time limit | 3.5 hours (210 min) | 3.5 hours (210 min) |
| Passing score | 70% | 70% |
| Fee per attempt | $47 | $47 |
| Format | 4-option multiple choice | 4-option multiple choice |
Common trap: Candidates assume both exams are identical length. The A&H exam has 88 items versus 83 on the Life exam. The 210-minute window is generous — about 2.4-2.5 minutes per item — so pacing is rarely the failure point. Your pass/fail status and (on a fail) a diagnostic by topic area print immediately at the center; you re-register and pay $47 again to retake.
Pre-Licensing Education & Qualifications
New Jersey mandates pre-licensing education from a DOBI-approved provider before you may sit for the PSI state exam. Each course ends with a proctored certification exam requiring 70% to earn the certificate of completion — without that certificate, PSI will not seat you.
| License sought | Required hours | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Life only | 20 hours | Includes ethics and NJ regulation content |
| Accident & Health only | 20 hours | Includes ethics and NJ regulation content |
| Combined Life & Health | 40 hours | Separate certificate issued per line |
Every pre-licensing course must cover regulation of the New Jersey insurance industry, including producer trade practices, standards of conduct, ethics, and insurance fraud detection. Certificates remain valid for 2 years from completion.
Basic eligibility
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Age | At least 18 years old |
| Residency | NJ resident for a resident license |
| Pre-licensing | 20 hours per line (40 combined) |
| Fingerprinting | Required for ALL applicants (IdentoGO) |
| Exam | Pass each PSI line at 70%+ |
Application steps
- Complete pre-licensing education and pass the provider's 70% certification exam.
- Submit fingerprints through IdentoGO (the DOBI-designated vendor) for the criminal background check.
- Schedule with PSI online or by phone and pay the $47 fee per line.
- Pass the state exam with valid government photo ID; results are immediate.
- Apply for the license through NIPR or DOBI's online portal and pay the application fee.
Typical cost
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Pre-licensing education | $150 - $400 |
| Exam fee (per attempt) | $47 |
| Fingerprinting | ~$60 - $75 |
| License application | Varies by line |
| Estimated total | ~$300 - $600 |
License Maintenance, CE & Special Training
New Jersey producer licenses renew biennially at the end of your birth month. To renew you must complete 24 hours of continuing education (CE) during the two-year term, of which 3 hours must be ethics. One ethics hour may be satisfied by an hour of insurance fraud coursework. The same 24-hour total applies no matter how many lines of authority you hold.
CE rules
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total | 24 hours per 2-year term |
| Ethics | 3 hours required (1 may be insurance fraud) |
| Renewal trigger | End of birth month, biennial |
| Carryover | Up to 12 non-ethics hours, once |
| Ethics carryover | NOT permitted |
| No repeats | A course taken once cannot be repeated for credit in the same term |
Worked example: A producer logs 30 CE hours (including 3 ethics) in one term. She satisfies the 24-hour requirement and carries 6 excess non-ethics hours into the next term — but only those 6, only once, and none of her ethics hours carry. Complete CE and renewal before expiration to avoid the late penalty.
Product-specific training (separate from the 24-hour CE)
Exam writers like to ask which products trigger extra training beyond the CE total:
| Training | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Annuity (Best Interest) | One-time 4-hour Annuity Best Interest course before soliciting or selling annuities; New Jersey follows the NAIC Best Interest suitability standard |
| Long-Term Care — initial | 8-hour LTC certification course before selling LTC |
| Long-Term Care — ongoing | 4-hour LTC refresher every 24 months thereafter |
| Flood (NFIP) | One-time 3-hour course before writing federal flood policies |
Non-resident producers who satisfy CE in their home state are deemed compliant in New Jersey.
How to Use This Guide
This FREE guide focuses on New Jersey state law — the 15-20% of items that out-of-state study materials miss. Master national Life & Health principles first, then drill these chapters:
- Ch. 1: NJ regulation & licensing (DOBI, Title 17B, prohibited practices)
- Ch. 2: NJ life insurance regulations (provisions, Guaranty Association, replacement)
- Ch. 3: NJ health regulations (IHC and SEH programs, LTC)
- Ch. 4: NJ ethics & consumer protection (unfair trade practices, claims standards)
Key facts to memorize
- Pass: 70% on each exam
- Items: Life = 83; A&H = 88
- Time: 3.5 hours each; Fee: $47 per attempt (PSI)
- Pre-licensing: 20 hours/line (40 combined), separate certificate per line
- Fingerprinting: required via IdentoGO
- CE: 24 hours/2 years incl. 3 ethics; up to 12 non-ethics hours carry over once
- DOBI: (609) 292-7272 · nj.gov/dobi
How many scored items does the New Jersey Accident & Health Producer exam contain, and how does that compare to the Life Producer exam?
A candidate must satisfy several prerequisites before PSI will seat them for the New Jersey state exam. Which requirement is mandatory for ALL applicants?
How many hours of pre-licensing education must a candidate complete to pursue a combined Life & Health license in New Jersey?
Regarding New Jersey continuing education, which statement is accurate?