Rhode Island Insurance Continuing Education

Resident Requirements

Unless you qualify for one of the exemptions below, you must complete continuing education (CE) requirements to solicit, sell, or negotiate insurance policies in Rhode Island. 

For residents of Rhode Island, those continuing education requirements equate to 24 hours of continuing education every two years. 

Of those 24 hours of continuing education, three hours each term must be dedicated to studying ethics. 

Producers wishing to deal with specific types of insurance may have additional, specific continuing education requirements. These specific requirements can count toward the overall 24-hours of continuing education needed. 

Rules for Non-Residents

With the exception of those non-residents doing long-term care training, non-residents are exempt from Rhode Island's continuing education requirements. However, non-residents are still required to pay the Rhode Island continuing education tracking fee. 

Non-residents must also complete any continuing education requirements in the state in which they are a resident. 

Carryover of Excess Continuing Education

You may carry over up to 12 hours of excess CE credits per term. This ensures that Rhode Island insurance agents continue to be up-to-date on the current information in the industry. 

Keep in mind that any ethics hours that are carried over into the next term are carried over as general hours, not as ethics hours. This means that at least three hours of CE ethics credits must be earned in each two-year renewal period. 

Insurance License Term Renewal Requirements

Licenses must be renewed every two years. Renewal dates are based on the licensee's birthday and expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month. 

The year that your license expires is based on the year you received your initial license. For example, if you received your initial license in an even-numbered year, then your license will always need to be renewed on the last day of your birth month in even-numbered years. 

Licenses do not automatically renew. To renew your license, you must have completed your continuing education requirements and be within 90 days of your license expiration date. It costs $120 to renew your producer license.  

Rules for Taking the Exam

Not all continuing education courses require an exam for the course to count toward your CE credit requirement. Classroom and webinar courses are attendance-based. Just by showing up, you can ensure that these hours will count toward your continuing education requirement for the term. 

However, if you choose to take online or self-study courses, you must pass a certification exam at the end of the course for the credits to count toward your CE requirements. These exams do not require a monitor, but are closed-book, meaning that you cannot access study materials while taking these exams. 

You must score a 70% or higher on an exam for your hours to count toward your continuing education requirements. However, you have an unlimited number of chances to retake the exam until a passing score is achieved.

Rules for Repeating a Course

If you repeat a course more than once during a renewal period, the repeated course hours cannot be counted toward your continuing education requirements for that term. However, you may take the same course multiple times during different terms. 

Credit for Instructors

Instructors teaching CE courses may receive the same number of credits as students who are enrolled in the course. 

Reporting Rules

All continuing education hours must be reported to the state within 10 days of completing a course. The agent's license number or NPN must be included in the report.  

The Rhode Island Insurance Division will charge a $1.00 reporting fee for each credit hour you report. This fee will automatically be charged to the last credit card used on your account. 

Insurance Continuing Education Requirement Exemptions

There are a number of exemptions to Rhode Island continuing education requirements. 

In addition to non-residents being exempt from continuing education requirements, adjusters and appraisers are also exempt from these requirements. 

Additionally, Rhode Island has exemptions for insurance agents who have been in the field for a long time. If you meet either of the following criteria, you are exempt from continuing education requirements in Rhode Island:  

• If you are at least 55 years old at the time of renewal and have held a Rhode Island license for the past 25 years continuously, OR 
• If you are at least 60 years old at the time of renewal and have held a license for at least 20 years. 

Rhode Island Annuity Training Requirements

Before selling, soliciting, or negotiating annuity products in Rhode Island, you are required to complete a one-time Annuity Suitability Certification Training. This training is four hours long and the hours can count toward your overall 24 hours of continuing education credit for the term. 

Effective April 1, 2021, the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation Insurance Division (Department) has adopted the NAIC's annuity suitability best interest standards. Rhode Island producers who are already licensed and have completed suitability training prior to April 1, 2021, may complete either the new 4-hour Annuity Products - Best Interest Certification Training or the 1-hour update course before October 1, 2021. The availability of the 1-credit course expires on September 30, 2021. Individuals licensed after April 1, 2021 and who wish to sell annuity products must complete the new 4-hour best interest course before selling.

Rhode Island Long-Term Care Training Requirements

Before selling, soliciting, or negotiating long-term care policies or products in Rhode Island, producers must complete a one-time Long-Term Care Certification Training. This training is eight hours and can count toward your overall 24 hours of continuing education credit for the term. 

Additionally, long-term care producers must complete four hours of long-term care CE training in every subsequent two-year renewal period. This training is due on the anniversary of the date you originally completed your eight-hour Long-Term Care Certification Training. 

These long-term care training requirements apply to Rhode Island residents and non-residents. However, non-residents who complete equivalent training in their state of residency may use that training to satisfy the requirement in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Flood Training Requirements

Before selling flood insurance policies in Rhode Island, property, casualty, and personal line producers must complete a one-time NFIP Flood Insurance Certification Training. This training takes three hours and can count toward the overall 24 hours of continuing education credit for the term.