North Carolina Life & Health Insurance License Exam Guide (2026)
On October 1, 2025 North Carolina abolished its pre-licensing education requirement entirely (Session Law 2025-45, HB 737), joining Texas and Pennsylvania in the growing club of no-PLE states — a change most prep sites have not reflected. One structural quirk: North Carolina has no combined L&H exam — you sit for separate Life and A&H papers, scored together.
At a glance
Verified against official sources as of 2026-09-02. Question formats and fees change — always confirm details in the current official candidate handbook (linked below) before scheduling.
Exam format, question counts and fees
| Exam | Scored | Unscored (pretest) | Time limit | Passing score | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life Insurance (Life-Only) | 55 | 5 unscored | 75 min | Scaled 70 | $45 |
| Accident & Health | 55 | 5 unscored | 75 min | Scaled 70 | $45 |
Unscored pretest questions are mixed in with scored questions and are not identified. Where a state reports a scaled score, the passing value is not a percentage of questions answered correctly.
What the official 2024 pass-rate data says
In 2024, the first-attempt pass rate for North Carolina insurance exams (all lines) was 55.9%.
Nationwide, the overall first-attempt pass rate for state insurance licensing exams was 59.4% in 2024 (all lines).
Pre-licensing education in North Carolina
Effective October 1, 2025, Session Law 2025-45 repealed the pre-licensing education mandate (former G.S. 58-33-30(d)) that had required 20 hours per line. There is now no course requirement to sit for the North Carolina exam. Note also the reversed application order: North Carolina candidates apply through NIPR first and then test — the opposite of most states — so plan your fingerprinting and application timeline before booking.
If you fail: retake rules
North Carolina publishes its retake rules through NCDOI; failed candidates re-register through Pearson VUE. The license application fee is $50 per line.
Total cost to get licensed
- Exam fee: $45 per exam session (Pearson VUE)
- License application: $50 per line via NIPR (plus NIPR transaction fees)
- Electronic fingerprints (vendor-priced)
Outdated numbers to watch out for
Some prep sites say: “North Carolina requires 40 hours of pre-licensing education”
North Carolina required 20 hours per line until October 1, 2025, when Session Law 2025-45 abolished the requirement. Any site quoting 40h — or any hours at all — is outdated.
Every figure on this page is drawn from the current official candidate handbook, content outline or state statute, with sources listed at the bottom. If a prep site disagrees with the official document, the official document wins.
Practice the national core — free
Roughly 70–80% of every state’s L&H exam is national content: policy types, contract law, annuities, tax treatment, Medicare, PPACA, LTC. Our national core question bank covers exactly that layer — 2,180 questions, every one free with a 3-part explanation, no account required. North Carolina state-specific drills ship as we build each state’s question bank.
Try a national-core question right now
Free forever — click a question, answer it, and read the full 3-part explanation.
- The difference between a 'per capita' and a 'per stirpes' beneficiary distribution is that:Answer free →Beneficiaries·Difficulty 2/5·National content
- An insured names 'my children, per stirpes' as beneficiaries. At the insured's death, two childre…Answer free →Beneficiaries·Difficulty 3/5·National content
- Which is a consequence of naming the insured's estate as the beneficiary of a life insurance policy?Answer free →Beneficiaries·Difficulty 2/5·National content
National-core practice domains
The nationally reusable layer of the North Carolina exam — organized by official content domain.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the North Carolina life and health insurance exam?
Scored question counts by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 55 scored questions (plus 5 unscored); Accident & Health — 55 scored questions (plus 5 unscored). Unscored pretest questions may be mixed in and are not identified.
How long is the North Carolina insurance licensing exam?
Time limits by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 75 minutes; Accident & Health — 75 minutes.
What score do you need to pass the North Carolina exam?
Passing scores by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — Scaled 70; Accident & Health — Scaled 70. Note that a scaled score is not a percentage of questions answered correctly.
How much does the North Carolina insurance exam cost?
Current exam fees: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — $45; Accident & Health — $45. Fees are paid at registration and are generally non-refundable.
Does North Carolina require pre-licensing education for a life & health license?
No. Effective October 1, 2025, Session Law 2025-45 repealed the pre-licensing education mandate (former G.S. 58-33-30(d)) that had required 20 hours per line.
What happens if I fail the North Carolina insurance exam?
North Carolina publishes its retake rules through NCDOI; failed candidates re-register through Pearson VUE. See the retake section above for the full policy.
The optional $49 Exam Engine (one-time) adds unlimited randomized practice, full exam simulations, timed quizzes and a wrong-answer book around the national core plus California state law — other states’ drills ship as their banks are built.
Official sources for this page
- https://www.pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/123400.pdf
- https://www.pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/123415.pdf
- https://home.pearsonvue.com/nc/insurance
This page is maintained by PassSprint. Data current as of 2026-09-02; report discrepancies to us and we will re-verify against the official document.
L&H exam guides by state
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