New Mexico Insurance Continuing Education

Resident Requirements

All insurance agents in New Mexico must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years. Your CE must include three hours of Ethics training.

For each compliance period, you are required to earn a minimum of three hours of your continuing education course hours through live participation in a formal classroom. Other learning formats that permit the student to interact with a live instructor - such as self-study or classroom equivalent courses - may also be accepted.

As a New Mexico licensee, you are responsible for monitoring this requirement. All hours are subject to audit by the superintendent.

Rules for Non-Residents

Non-residents who comply with the continuing education requirements of their state are exempt from the New Mexico-specific CE requirements. To prove eligibility, you must file definitive proof of home state compliance. Non-residents must also pay for the CE filing by the appropriate due date.

If you are a non-resident insurance producer who is selling, soliciting, or negotiating long-term care products in New Mexico, you may be exempt from New Mexico CE requirements.

Carryover of Excess CE

If you attain extra continuing education hours during your licensing term, they will not carry over to the next license term. You must complete the full 24 hours of CE - including three hours of ethics - within each two-year compliance period. No excess CE credit hours will carry over into the following compliance term for any reason.

Insurance License Term Renewal Requirements

As a producer, your license term will end on the last day of your birth month once every two years. You should receive a renewal notice 90 days prior to the expiration date.

There is no state-mandated requirement to take an additional exam. However, your continuing education may require testing at the end of your course to make sure you are up to date on vital insurance regulations, laws, and concepts.

Licensees will need to pay a renewal fee. To renew your license, you must be in good standing on all prior fees, both in your home state and in any other state you have a license.

It is highly recommended that you complete all continuing education credits at least thirty days before your license's expiration date. While you may take your required CE at any point during your two-year license term, early completion will ensure timely reporting to the department of insurance.

If you meet specific criteria of illness, medical disability, military deployment, or circumstances beyond your control, you may apply for an extension to complete your continuing education requirement. The superintendent of New Mexico will establish the length of your extension. If you need additional time beyond your extension due to extenuating circumstances, you may reapply.

If you need an extension, make sure to apply before the end of your compliance period. 

Rules for Taking the Exam

The online certification exam will be closed book. You will not have access to any course materials or personal notes while taking the exam.

New Mexico producers must pass their final exam with a 70% or higher to be eligible for CE credit. If you don't pass on your first try, you can take the exam again as many times as you need to for full credit.

Rules for Repeating a Course

Per New Mexico requirements, you may not receive duplicate credit for the completion of an identical course. You cannot receive additional credit for repeating the same approved course more than one time in any 2 year period.

Credit for Instructors

New Mexico does not recognize credit for instructors of insurance CE.

Reporting Rules

You must complete and report all continuing education courses to the superintendent before the renewal of your license. Make sure to stay ahead of all required deadlines. If you do not complete the required continuing education courses or report them prior to the deadline, you will not be allowed to renew your license. As a result, your license will be immediately terminated by the superintendent.  

The New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance collects a course reporting fee of $1.00 per credit hour. This fee applies to all credit hours, including online, self-study, and classroom courses.

When you're finished with the classes, At Your Pace Online will report your completion to the superintendent's office at no extra cost to you.

Insurance CE Requirement Exemptions

Per the New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance, you may be exempt from continuing education requirements if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You hold a limited license
• You have held a license for 25 consecutive years and have submitted a notarized statement to the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission reporting the exemption. There is a $15 fee for this option
• You maintain a license only to receive renewal fee residuals
• You are an agent of a fraternal benefit society.
• You are a non-resident producer who has met the CE requirements of your home state

Long-Term Care Training

If you are a producer who holds a life, accident, or health line of authority and plans to sell, solicit or negotiate long-term care (LTC) insurance, you must first complete long-term care training.

First, you must complete an initial eight-hour long-term care approved course. Every two years, you are required to complete a four-hour long-term care refresher course that has been approved by the superintendent. Both the initial eight-hour course and the four-hour long-term care course credit hours will fulfill your long-term CE requirements.

If you are a non-resident insurance producer who sells, solicits, or negotiates LTC products in New Mexico, you must have completed a training course equivalent to the courses mandated by New Mexico law.