Ohio Life & Health Insurance License Exam Guide (2026)
Ohio’s exams are delivered by PSI. Two facts trip up out-of-state advice: the exam fee rose from $42 to $49 (much of the internet still quotes the 2021 price), and remote online proctoring was discontinued on March 13, 2026 — Ohio exams are now in-person only at PSI test centers.
Remote proctoring discontinued March 13, 2026 — PSI test centers only.
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) | 100 | 1–10 unscored | 120 min | 70% | $49 |
| Accident & Health | 100 | 1–10 unscored | 120 min | 70% | $49 |
| Life, Accident & Health (Combined) | 150 | 1–10 unscored | 150 min | 70% | $49 |
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 Ohio insurance exams (all lines) was 61.5%.
Nationwide, the overall first-attempt pass rate for state insurance licensing exams was 59.4% in 2024 (all lines).
Pre-licensing education in Ohio
Ohio requires 20 hours of approved pre-licensing education per line of authority — the requirement is set directly in statute, ORC 3905.04(C)(1)(c): the candidate must complete “for each line of authority… twenty hours of study” in an approved program (classroom, online or self-study). If you sit for the combined Life, Accident & Health exam (Series 11-35) you present both course certificates — so 20 + 20 = 40 hours total, but that is a per-line 20, not a per-line 40. Certificates are valid for 180 days. Certain degrees and designations (CLU, ChFC, CFP, CEBS and others) qualify for waivers.
If you fail: retake rules
Attempts are unlimited with no fixed waiting period (new appointments cannot be made the same day; the earliest practical retest is the third day). Remember your course certificate must still be within its 180-day validity when you retest.
Total cost to get licensed
- Exam fee: $49 per attempt (PSI; raised from the 2021 price of $42)
- License application: $10 per line + NIPR transaction fee
- Fingerprints (BCI + FBI WebCheck): $72.25 — results can take 4–6 weeks to reach the Department, so get printed early
Outdated numbers to watch out for
Some prep sites say: “Ohio requires 40 hours of pre-licensing education”
Ohio requires 20 hours per line (ORC 3905.04(C)(1)(c)). The 40-hour figure only matches the combined Life + A&H total — single-line candidates need just 20.
Some prep sites say: “$42 exam fee” / “remote proctoring available”
The current fee is $49, and remote proctored exams were discontinued on March 13, 2026.
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. Ohio 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.
- An owner takes a loan against the cash value of a policy that has become a Modified Endowment Con…Answer free →Taxation·Difficulty 2/5·National content
- A business owns a key-person life insurance policy on a vital employee and receives the $500,000 …Answer free →Taxation·Difficulty 2/5·National content
- A business buys a life insurance policy on a key employee, owns the policy, and is the beneficiar…Answer free →Taxation·Difficulty 2/5·National content
National-core practice domains
The nationally reusable layer of the Ohio exam — organized by official content domain.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Ohio life and health insurance exam?
Scored question counts by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 100 scored questions (plus 1–10 unscored); Accident & Health — 100 scored questions (plus 1–10 unscored); Life, Accident & Health (Combined) — 150 scored questions (plus 1–10 unscored). Unscored pretest questions may be mixed in and are not identified.
How long is the Ohio insurance licensing exam?
Time limits by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 120 minutes; Accident & Health — 120 minutes; Life, Accident & Health (Combined) — 150 minutes.
What score do you need to pass the Ohio exam?
Passing scores by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 70%; Accident & Health — 70%; Life, Accident & Health (Combined) — 70%. The figures come from the current official candidate handbook.
How much does the Ohio insurance exam cost?
Current exam fees: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — $49; Accident & Health — $49; Life, Accident & Health (Combined) — $49. Fees are paid at registration and are generally non-refundable.
Does Ohio require pre-licensing education for a life & health license?
Yes — 20h per line (combined L&H = 40h total). See the pre-licensing education section above for the current statutory requirement.
What happens if I fail the Ohio insurance exam?
Attempts are unlimited with no fixed waiting period (new appointments cannot be made the same day; the earliest practical retest is the third day). 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://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/5497
- https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/insurance.ohio.gov/Agent/Documents/804%20OH%20INS%20UCS.pdf
- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-3905
- https://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3905.04
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.
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