Massachusetts insurance license application
This page provides state-specific checklists, application forms and contacts for paper resident and non-resident licensing in the State of Massachusetts.
Non-Resident Licensing Checklist for Business Entities
The proper filing sequence is as follows:
STEP 1: NAME APPROVAL -Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 155, § 9, the name of any business entity formed for the purpose of acting as an insurance producer is subject to the prior written approval of the Commissioner of Insurance.
The following required documentation is to be submitted to:
MA Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street Suite #810
Boston, MA 02118-6200
Non-Resident Corporations – Submit an unexecuted Foreign Corporation Certificate of Registration which you may download from the Secretary of the State's Corporate Division at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpweb/corfor/forinf.htm. The Division of Insurance ('Division') will note the name approval by signing off on the unexecuted documentation and return all documents to you, for your filing with the Secretary of State's Office, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Non-Resident Limited Liability Companies – Submit an unexecuted Foreign LLC document and follow the guidelines provided by the Secretary of the Commonwealth at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpweb/corfllc/fllcinf.htm. The Division will note the name approval by signing off on the unexecuted documentation and return all documents to you, for your filing with the Secretary of State's Office, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
DBA Names- If a DBA is to be used or added on, an entity must first seek DBA name approval, from the Division; you will need to download the DBA attachment form from the Secretary of States' Corporate Division website at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpweb/corfor/forinf.htm and submit them to the Division of Insurance for DBA name approval. Once DBA name has been approved, you will then submit a Business Certificate from the town or city in which the business entity will be operating its business in Massachusetts.
Non-Resident Partnerships - Together with said statements or applications, there shall be filed a duplicate original of the written partnership agreement signed by all the partners. Partnerships (Excluding LLP's)
STEP 2 : FILING WITH THE MA SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE – Please see the instructions on the Corporate Division's website at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/Functionality/walkinmail.htm
STEP 3: APPLICATION, ENCLOSURES AND FEES - Please include the following:
- Please note: If you are a non-resident Business Entity Producer, you must first hold a resident Business Entity Producer license in your resident state, prior to applying for a non-resident Business Entity Producer license in MA, unless your state no longer issues resident business entity producer licenses nor non-resident business entity licenses. Your resident state license status and those of its members and lines of authority will be verified via the NIPR Producer Database prior to issuance of a MA non-resident Business Entity Producer license.
- NAIC Uniform Licensing Application – New Business Entity Producer
- Member list - A list of licensed producers (key individuals i.e.: owners, officers, directors & key employees) who will be transacting business in MA, are individually licensed as resident or non-resident individual producers in MA and are to be covered under the business entity's license.
- Partnership Agreement, if not an LLP, is to be submitted, only if you are a Partnership as defined in M.G. L. Chapter 175 § 173.
- Licensing fee - $75 per member, checks are to be made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Please send Step 1 documents only, for name approval sign-off to:
MA Division of Insurance
Producer Licensing – Duncan Kayondo
1000 Washington Street, Suite #810
Boston, MA 02118-6300
Please send Step 3 documents to:
Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118
Non-Resident Licensing Checklist for Individuals
- Please note: You must first hold an Individual Producer license in your resident state prior to applying in MA. Your resident state license status and lines of authority will be confirmed via the NIPR Producer Database, prior to the issuance of a MA non-resident producer license.
- Please complete the *NAIC Uniform Producer Application for Individuals or you may apply online via NIPR's gateway at http://www.nipr.com.
- *Once a license is issued, please do not submit a new application to add another new line of authority, but rather, inform the Division in writing, or via the Producer Update Mailbox at ProducerUpdate.Mailbox@state.ma, include in your request which lines of authority you wish to add to your current license. If adding P & C or PL lines of authority, submit your requests in writing only and, enclose a check made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the amount of $75.00 for the Lead Paint Surcharge. The Division will verify the new line of authority with the NIPR's Producer database.
- Submit the application with the proper licensing fee online at www.nipr.com, or apply via paper NAIC Uniform application and submit with paper check fee made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Licensing fees are as follow :
- Individual Producer License (no property, casualty or personal lines of authority) - $225.00
- Individual Producer License with a property, casualty or personal lines of authority (includes Lead Paint Surcharge*): $300.00
Please send all non-online documents to:
Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118
Resident Licensing Checklist for Business Entities
The proper filing sequence is as follows:
STEP 1: NAME APPROVAL -Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 155, § 9, the name of any business entity formed for the purpose of acting as an insurance producer is subject to the prior written approval of the Commissioner of Insurance.
The following documentation should first be submitted to:
MA Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing – Duncan Kayondo
1000 Washington Street Ste #810
Boston, MA 02118-6200
Resident Corporations – The unexecuted Articles of Organization for name approval which may be downloaded from the Corporate Division's website at; http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpweb/cordom/dominf.htm under the category, "Forms". . The Division will approve then send back to you so that you may file with the Secretary of State's Office. If the corporation is already incorporated and approved with the Secretary of State's office proceed to step #3;
Resident Limited Liability Companies – A unexecuted Certificate of Organization following the statutory guidelines provided by the Secretary of the Commonwealth at the following Corporate Division's website athttp://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/corpweb/corllc/llcinf.htm , for name approval. The Division of Insurance ("Division") will note the name approval by signing off on the unexecuted documentation and return all documents to you, for filing with the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Please note, all corporations, LLC's and LLP's are required to file with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
DBA Names - If a DBA is to be used at a later date, an entity must seek DBA name approval first from the Division, and then once approved, submit a Business Certificate from the town or city in which the business entity will be operating business in Massachusetts.
Partnership Agreement, if not an LLP, is to be submitted, only if you are a Partnership as defined in M.G. L. Chapter 175 § 173.
STEP 2: FILE WITH THE MA SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE – Please see the instructions on Corporate Division's website at http://www.sec.state.ma.us/cor/functionality/walkinmail.htm . Once you have completed this process, please request a Certified Articles of Organization or Certificate of Organization if an LLC, along with a Certificate of Existence, as these documents will be required in your final filing process.
STEP 3: APPLICATION, ENCLOSURES AND FEE - Please include the following:
- Uniform Licensing Application – New Business Entity Producer
- Certified Articles of Organization (or Certificate of Organization if an LLC)
- MA Certificate of Existence
- Partnership Agreement, if not an LLP, is to be submitted, only if you are a Partnership as defined in M.G. L. Chapter 175 § 173.
- Member list (a list of licensed producers (key individuals i.e.: owners, officers, etc) who will be transacting business in MA and who are to be covered under the business entity's producer license.
- Licensing fee - $75 per member, checks are to be made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- All noted applications and documents which are required for licensure are to be sent to:
Please send these documents to:
Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118
Resident Licensing Checklist for Individuals
- Resident applicants must pass a licensing examination for the particular line of authority(ies) they wish to sell/solicit or negotiate insurance in MA.
- Applicants must include the *ORIGINAL test service score report for each examination passed, along with NAIC Uniform application. Examinations are administered by the independent testing service, Prometric, contracted by this office. Registration and examination information can be found at www.prometric.com; applicants may also now apply online via NIPR at www.nipr.com; NIPR will have electronic records of your passing score reports *Once a license is issued, please do not submit a new application to add another new line of authority, but rather, inform the Division in writing, or via the Producer Update Mailbox at ProducerUpdate.Mailbox@state.ma; include your request to add a new line of authority. If adding P & C or PL lines of authority, submit your requests in writing and, enclose a check made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the amount of $75.00 for the Lead Paint Surcharge. The Division will verify the new line of authority with the NIPR's Producer database.
- Submit the NAIC Uniform producer application with the proper licensing fees and passing test score reports to the address indicated below, or you may now apply online at www.nipr.com.
- Applicants have one (1) year from the date they pass the Massachusetts licensing exam(s) to apply for the line of authority. After one (1) year the state exam must be repeated.
- Please complete the NAIC Uniform application for Individuals or apply online at www.nipr.com for resident Individual Producer and submit with the licensing fee.
Fees are as follows :
- Individual Producer License (no property, casualty or personal lines of authority) - $225.00
- Individual Producer License with a property or casualty or personal lines of authority (includes Lead Paint Surcharge*): $300.00
- Submit paper NAIC Uniform applications, test score reports and any other documents and fee checks to: Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118 Fee Exemptions:
Certain applicants are exempt from paying licensing and lead paint surcharge fees:
- Applicants who are either:
- A Massachusetts resident and a Veteran (must be a MA resident)
- Legally blind;
- The non-licensed widow/widower of a recently deceased licensee who is applying for a temporary license.
- The above are exempt from paying these fees Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 175, § 167A.
Exempt applicants must submit the following documentation to the Division:
- Veteran: (applicable to MA Residents only) Submit a copy of the DD-214 discharge papers, if not previously submitted to the Division.
- Blind: Submit appropriate documentation verifying legal blindness, if not previously submitted.
- Widow/er of Licensee: Submit the name and license number of deceased spouse and a letter indicating who the widow/er's licensed sponsor will be (must be on site during business hours at agency). Please review the Division's Bulletin at: 2005-10 Issuance of Temporary Producer License.
Attachments (if applicable):
- Submit FINRA individual CRD number if applying for variable life and/or annuities contracts line of authority.
- DBA Name/Trade name Approval: Application Item - #35 - Trade name Approval: applicants must notify the Division of any name under which he/she is doing business (DBA). Applicants, who include a DBA or trade name under item #35 on the NAIC Uniform application for Resident Individual Insurance Producer, must first seek DBA name approval from the Division of Insurance. Once the DBA name has been approved, please mail in a copy of the Business Certificate from the city or town in which the DBA will be operating, to the Division's Producer Licensing Department.
To meet the Division's DBA name approval; the DBA cannot be in use by another entity and the DBA name must include the word "insurance" in its name. Use of plural nouns, such as group, associates or partners are not allowed for individuals seeking DBA name approval.
Term of License
The Producer License is for a term of three (3) years. Upon receipt of your initial license, however, a licensee may notice that the actual term of his/her initial Producer License is for less than a 3-year term. This is because the Producer License will be renewed on the licensee's date of birth and licenses are not issued for a period beyond three years. At the Producer's next renewal, he/she will receive a Producer License for a full three-year term. There are not any rebates.
Resident & Non-Resident Business Entity Renewals
- Please note: If you are a non-resident business entity, you must first hold a Business Entity Producer license in your resident state, unless your state no longer issues resident business entity producer licenses nor non-resident business entity licenses, prior to renewing in MA. Your resident state license status and lines of authority will be confirmed before a MA license is renewed via the NIPR Producer Database.
- Residents and non-residents are now able to renew online on the NIPR website at http://www.nipr.com. All online renewals must be processed on or before the expiration date of license. Renewed licenses will not be issued until the licensing fees are processed through your bank (OLLIE) or through your credit card company.
- In addition, the Division is still accepting the NAIC Uniform Renewal/Continuation Producer Application for Business Entities.
- If using a paper renewal, please submit the application with the proper licensing fees, made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- Attach a copy of your current Member List (those individuals listed and covered under the license and selling, soliciting or negotiating on behalf of the agency).
- Submit your renewal fee of $75 per member, made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
- Renewal applications and any noted paper documents which are required for the renewal, are to be sent to the MA Division of Insurance. Please allow enough time for your check to be processed prior to your renewal date.
All documentation is to be submitted to:
Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118
Renewing Checklist for Resident & Non-Resident Individuals
Producers who are ready to renew their licenses are now able to do so online, using the Division's online system, OLLIE, at www.ollieisabreeze.doi.state.ma.us. Renewing Producer licensees using the online OLLIE system are to process their online renewal applications on or before the expiration date of their current licenses. If the online Renewal/Continuation application is not filed on time, the renewing license and all affiliated appointments will be canceled due to non-renewal; there is penalty fee imposed after the renewal date has passed. Renewing business entity producers are now also able to renew online via NIPR's gateway at http://www.nipr.com.
All Producers who are renewing via paper applications must submit their NAIC Renewal/Continuation applications for processing, prior to the expiration/renewal date. If the Renewal/Continuation application is not filed on time, the renewing license and all affiliated appointments will be canceled. These applications are to be sent to:
Division of Insurance
Attn: Producer Licensing
1000 Washington Street, Suite 810
Boston, MA 02118
All Resident and Non-Resident Individual Renewal Fees
- Individual Producer License (no property, casualty or personal lines of authority) - $225.00
- Individual Producer License with a property or casualty line of authority (includes Lead Paint Surcharge*): $300.00
Late fees for All Individual Producers:
Pursuant to M.G.L. Chapter 175, section 162M (8) (c), if a licensee does not renew his/her license on or before his/her renewal date, he/she must reinstate his/her license, which will include the penalty fee of the double the amount. He/she has up to 12 months to reinstate his/her license. After the 12 months have passed, a MA resident cannot be reinstated and must retake any licensing exams required. Non- residents do not need to retake their exams, as long as they maintain their resident state license, but they must apply for a new license.
* Lead Paint Surcharge: Pursuant to Section 22 of Chapter 482 of the Acts of 1993, as amended by Section 154 of Chapter 184 of the Acts of 2002, insurance producers licensed in property or casualty lines of insurance shall be charged a lead paint surcharge of $25 per year on the license, payable at the time of the licensing fee. Because the producer license is a 3-year license, the surcharge fee amounts to $75.
DISCLAIMER
The National Insurance Producer Registry ("NIPR") populates the State Matrix of Business Rules ("State Matrix") with information provided directly from participating state insurance departments. Participating states are encouraged to provide updated information when appropriate. NIPR does not guarantee the completeness, accuracy or adequacy of the information in the State Matrix. The information in the State Matrix does not constitute legal advice and use of this information is at user's own risk and responsibility. Any questions regarding the interpretation of the rules or the accuracy of the information should be directed to the appropriate state insurance department.
