Mostly, yes — but not entirely, and the parts that cannot be done online are the parts people most want to avoid. Here is an accurate account of which steps are remote, which are not, and how to plan around the difference.
Nearly every state that requires pre-licensing hours accepts an approved online course. Two formats exist and they suit different people:
Entirely online, and the single best predictor of whether you will pass. Candidates who score consistently on practice exams before sitting the real one rarely fail it.
Most states now handle applications and fee payment through an online portal, frequently via NIPR.
Almost universally available online, including the ethics component most states require.
In the large majority of states the P&C licensing exam is taken at a proctored testing center. Remote proctoring has expanded in some jurisdictions but it is not the norm, and availability changes — check your state's current arrangements rather than assuming.
Fingerprints are captured in person at an approved location. There is no remote equivalent.
A few states attach additional in-person or supervised elements. Confirm with your department of insurance.
No, and the assumption that it is costs people money. State-approved online courses cover the same required content as classroom ones and are held to the same approval standard. What differs is the delivery, and which delivery works better depends entirely on you.
Online suits candidates who are studying around a job, live far from a training center, or want to move quickly. Classroom and live-online suit candidates who need a fixed schedule to stay on track, or who learn better with someone to ask. The failure mode for self-paced study is well documented: people enroll, start strongly, and drift. If that pattern sounds familiar, take the scheduled format.
The only requirement that matters is that the course is approved in your state for the line you want. An excellent course approved in a neighbouring state will not satisfy your regulator.
Beyond approval, the things worth checking are practical: whether the course includes a practice exam bank, whether it is current with recent state law changes, how long your access lasts, and whether there is any support if you get stuck. Browse state-approved options on our insurance pre-licensing courses page.
For how long each stage takes, see how long it takes to get a P&C license.
The flexibility that makes online study attractive is the same feature that causes most abandonments. A few practical structures close that gap.
Book the exam first. A date converts an open-ended course into a project with a deadline.
Schedule study as appointments, at fixed times, rather than as something to fit in. Short daily sessions outperform occasional long ones for this material.
Set a milestone per week — complete these modules, reach this practice score — so that drift is visible early rather than at the end.
Find one point of accountability. A colleague, a manager at the agency you hope to join, or simply telling someone your exam date meaningfully raises completion rates.
Online pre-licensing typically requires a stable connection and a modern browser, and some providers track time-in-course to satisfy state hour requirements. That means passive time does not count and you cannot skip ahead.
Where a course includes live online sessions, check the schedule against your own availability before enrolling — a course you cannot attend is worse than a self-paced one you can.
A small number of jurisdictions permit remotely proctored licensing exams, and where available the arrangements are strict — a quiet private room, a clear desk, continuous camera and microphone, and identity verification before starting.
Check your state's current position directly rather than assuming, because availability has changed in both directions in recent years. If remote proctoring is available and you choose it, test your equipment well in advance; technical failure during a proctored exam is treated as an incident rather than an inconvenience.
Education online, exam in person in most states, fingerprinting in person, application online. The format of your course has no bearing on the license you receive.
Check that your chosen online course is approved in your state for your line before paying. Approval is state-specific and non-transferable.
No. The license is issued by the state and does not record how you studied.
Yes — Life & Health, life only and health only pre-licensing are all available online.
States impose a waiting period before a retake. Your course access generally continues, so the practical cost is time rather than repeating the coursework.
Enrol in the P&C pre-licensing exam prep course, or see all formats on the property and casualty licensing page.
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