Tennessee Life & Health Insurance License Exam Guide (2026)
Tennessee’s exams are delivered by Pearson VUE, and its 70.6% first-attempt pass rate (2024) is among the friendlier states. Two structural facts matter: there is no single combined L&H exam (Life and A&H are separate papers you can schedule together for $80), and Tennessee eliminated its pre-licensing education requirement back in March 2023 — well before the recent wave of states doing the same.
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) | 68 | 9 unscored | 105 min | Scaled 70/100 | $55 |
| Accident & Health | 68 | 9 unscored | 105 min | Scaled 70/100 | $55 |
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 Tennessee insurance exams (all lines) was 70.6%.
Nationwide, the overall first-attempt pass rate for state insurance licensing exams was 59.4% in 2024 (all lines).
Pre-licensing education in Tennessee
Tennessee removed its pre-licensing education requirement effective March 21, 2023 (2023 Public Chapter 57, repealing the former TCA 56-6-106 mandate). No course is required for Life or A&H lines. Prep sites listing “20 hours” for Tennessee are quoting the pre-2023 rule.
If you fail: retake rules
After a first failed attempt you must wait 10 days to retest; after subsequent failures, 30 days. Each exam sitting is a separate $55 fee (or $80 when both lines are booked together).
Total cost to get licensed
- Exam fee: $55 per exam, or $80 for both Life and A&H in one session
- License application: $50
- Fingerprints: approximately $37–42 (vendor-priced)
Outdated numbers to watch out for
Some prep sites say: “Tennessee requires 20 hours of pre-licensing education”
The requirement was removed on March 21, 2023. Tennessee is 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. Tennessee 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.
- A policyowner signs a change-of-beneficiary form naming a new beneficiary but dies before submitt…Answer free →Beneficiaries·Difficulty 2/5·National content
- A revocable beneficiary's interest in the death proceeds is best described as:Answer free →Beneficiaries·Difficulty 2/5·National content
- Under an interest-only settlement option, the insurer:Answer free →Beneficiaries·Difficulty 2/5·National content
National-core practice domains
The nationally reusable layer of the Tennessee exam — organized by official content domain.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Tennessee life and health insurance exam?
Scored question counts by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 68 scored questions (plus 9 unscored); Accident & Health — 68 scored questions (plus 9 unscored). Unscored pretest questions may be mixed in and are not identified.
How long is the Tennessee insurance licensing exam?
Time limits by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — 105 minutes; Accident & Health — 105 minutes.
What score do you need to pass the Tennessee exam?
Passing scores by exam: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — Scaled 70/100; Accident & Health — Scaled 70/100. Note that a scaled score is not a percentage of questions answered correctly.
How much does the Tennessee insurance exam cost?
Current exam fees: Life Insurance (Life-Only) — $55; Accident & Health — $55. Fees are paid at registration and are generally non-refundable.
Does Tennessee require pre-licensing education for a life & health license?
No. Tennessee removed its pre-licensing education requirement effective March 21, 2023 (2023 Public Chapter 57, repealing the former TCA 56-6-106 mandate). No course is required for Life or A&H lines.
What happens if I fail the Tennessee insurance exam?
After a first failed attempt you must wait 10 days to retest; after subsequent failures, 30 days. 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/124300.pdf
- https://home.pearsonvue.com/tn/insurance
- https://tn.gov/content/tn/commerce/insurance/agent-producer-resources/licensing-packets-instructions-forms/producer-with-exams.html
- https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/113/pub/pc0057.pdf
- https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/commerce/documents/insurance/forms/fingerprintinfo.pdf
- https://nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/tennessee-resident-licensing-individual
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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