Pennsylvania Life & Health Insurance License Exam Guide (2026)
On April 29, 2025 Pennsylvania became the newest member of the no-PLE club: Act 142 of 2024 (SB 1241, signed October 31, 2024) repealed the state’s 24-hour pre-licensing education requirement outright. Most prep sites still publish the old 24-hour rule, so double-check anything you read against the current statute.
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 | 5–10 unscored | 120 min | 70% | $43 |
| Accident & Health | 100 | 5–10 unscored | 120 min | 70% | $43 |
| Life, Accident & Health (Combined) | 150 | 5–10 unscored | 170 min | 70% | $53 |
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 Pennsylvania insurance exams (all lines) was 58.6%.
Nationwide, the overall first-attempt pass rate for state insurance licensing exams was 59.4% in 2024 (all lines).
Pre-licensing education in Pennsylvania
Act 142 of 2024 deleted the statutory pre-licensing education requirement (former 40 P.S. §310.4(b), 24 course hours) effective April 29, 2025. Pennsylvania now requires no course before sitting for the PSI exam. Continuing education after licensure is unchanged: 24 hours per 2 years including 3 hours of ethics (plus 2 hours of flood training for P&C licensees).
If you fail: retake rules
Retakes are unlimited (you cannot retest the same day). A passed score is valid for 12 months — apply for your license within that window or retake the exam.
Total cost to get licensed
- Exam fee: $43 per single-line exam, $53 for the combined exam (PSI)
- License application: $55 for residents
- Live Scan fingerprints (IdentoGO): $23.85
Outdated numbers to watch out for
Some prep sites say: “Pennsylvania requires 24 hours of pre-licensing education”
That requirement was repealed by Act 142 of 2024, effective April 29, 2025. Pennsylvania is now a no-PLE state.
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. Pennsylvania 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 employer provides an employee with $120,000 of group term life insurance and pays the full pre…Answer free →Taxation·Difficulty 2/5·National content
- Under IRC §79, employer-paid group term life insurance coverage up to what face amount is general…Answer free →Taxation·Difficulty 1/5·National content
- Under a life insurance policy, which party has the right to change the beneficiary, assign the po…Answer free →Life Insurance·Difficulty 1/5·National content
National-core practice domains
The nationally reusable layer of the Pennsylvania exam — organized by official content domain.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Pennsylvania life and health insurance exam?
Scored question counts by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 100 scored questions (plus 5–10 unscored); Accident & Health — 100 scored questions (plus 5–10 unscored); Life, Accident & Health (Combined) — 150 scored questions (plus 5–10 unscored). Unscored pretest questions may be mixed in and are not identified.
How long is the Pennsylvania insurance licensing exam?
Time limits by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 120 minutes; Accident & Health — 120 minutes; Life, Accident & Health (Combined) — 170 minutes.
What score do you need to pass the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania insurance exam cost?
Current exam fees: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — $43; Accident & Health — $43; Life, Accident & Health (Combined) — $53. Fees are paid at registration and are generally non-refundable.
Does Pennsylvania require pre-licensing education for a life & health license?
No. Act 142 of 2024 deleted the statutory pre-licensing education requirement (former 40 P.S. §310.4(b), 24 course hours) effective April 29, 2025.
What happens if I fail the Pennsylvania insurance exam?
Retakes are unlimited (you cannot retest the same 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://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2023&sInd=0&body=S&type=B&bn=1241
- https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/HTM/2024/0/0142..HTM
- https://pa.gov/agencies/insurance/licensing/licensees/initial-insurance-producer-licensing-process
- https://pa.gov/agencies/insurance/licensing/licensees/apply-for-or-renew-your-producer-agent-license
- https://pa.naifa.org/blog/governor-signs-pre-exam-bill
- https://www.psiexams.com/test-takers/pa-ins-exam
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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