Texas insurance license CE and renewal: a checklist for agency owners
Texas fines every missing CE hour. A tracker costs less.
Texas P&C agents need 24 CE hours every two years, including 3 hours of ethics, with at least half in a classroom or classroom-equivalent format. All hours must be done before the license expires. Each missing hour brings a $50 fine, up to $500 per license type. A license can be renewed up to 90 days after expiration with a $25 late fee. After that, it must be reinstated.
Texas CE at a glance
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hours | 24 every 2 years |
| Ethics | At least 3 hours |
| Format | At least half classroom or classroom-equivalent |
| Deadline | Before the license expires; TDI suggests 30 days early so providers can report |
| Fine | $50 per missing hour, up to $500 per license type |
| Other credit | Some designation programs, and up to 4 hours for active insurance association membership |
If a license expires
| Time since expiration | What it takes |
|---|---|
| Up to 90 days | Renewal fee plus $25 late fee, missing CE, and the CE fine |
| 90 days to 1 year | Reinstatement: CE, the fine, new fingerprints, a new $50 application plus $25 late fee |
In practice: an expired license means no licensed work until it's renewed. Plan cover for that person's desk.
The owner's checklist
- List every licensed person with their license number, lines and expiration date.
- Check CE transcripts on Sircon 90 days out. Leave time for missing hours.
- Target 30 days early for CE, as TDI suggests.
- Confirm renewal in TDI's agent lookup after it's filed.
- Check new hires the same way before the offer: lines, status and expiration.
Free tool: paste your job post and create an interview pack with a license and CE check built in. About 3 minutes.
Where Humai fits
If a license lapses or someone's out finishing CE, the licensed work still needs doing. Humai matches U.S.-licensed agents who hold Texas licenses, checked in NIPR, to cover it in your AMS under your name.
Questions agency owners ask
How many CE hours do Texas insurance agents need?
24 hours every two-year renewal period, including 3 hours of ethics. At least half must be classroom or classroom-equivalent.
What happens if CE isn't finished on time?
TDI fines $50 for each hour not completed by midnight CT on the expiration date, up to $500 per license type for licenses that expired after June 1, 2018.
Can I renew an expired Texas license?
Within 90 days of expiration, yes: pay the renewal fee plus a $25 late fee, finish missing CE and pay the CE fine. After 90 days and up to one year, the license must be reinstated with new fingerprints and a new application.
How do I check someone's Texas CE hours?
Use the Continuing Education Transcript Inquiry on Sircon.
How do I look up a Texas insurance license?
Use TDI's agent and adjuster lookup, or check the person's NPN in NIPR.
Are there CE exemptions?
Only in limited cases with documentation, such as long-term illness or military service, or after 20 years of continuous licensure. Business or workload reasons don't count. TDI uses form FIN517.
Sources
- TDI: Continuing education for agents
- TDI: Renew a license expired less than 90 days
- TDI: Reinstate a license expired 90 days to one year
- TDI: Agent and adjuster lookup
- NIPR: Verify existing licenses
Licensing rules differ by state. This article is general information, not legal advice. Check with your state's department of insurance.