Agents & Brokers Overview / Licensing Services Division Frequently Asked Questions / General Licensing FAQ / License Changes

License Changes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I inform the Department of my address change?

The Department uses an online address change service. The service is available to both resident and nonresident insurance producer licensees using Sircon's Change an Individual Address, Name or Email Address. Use this link for Sircon's Change an Individual Address, Name or Email Address. This service cannot be used if you are changing resident states (residential address to another state). If you are changing your resident state, you must file the Change of Address LIC 447-7*.

I'm moving to another state. Do I need to request a clearance letter from the California Department of Insurance?

A clearance letter may be required in other states. Please contact the state you are moving to and confirm if a clearance letter is required. If you request a clearance letter, this request cancels your license in California. If you need a clearance letter, you must submit a Clearance Letter Request LIC-074. There is a fee of $32 for each clearance letter requested. You will need to send your request to Department of Insurance, P.O. Box 1139, Sacramento CA 95812-1139. Please allow one to two weeks for issuance of the clearance letter.

If you are not required to submit a clearance letter, the state you are moving to may request that your California resident license be canceled. In order to do so, please submit a License Cancellation Request, LIC CC2.

Once you have moved from California and become licensed as a resident in another state, you may request your California resident license to be changed to a California non-resident license. Please submit a completed Change of Address LIC 447-7, signed by you the licensee, within 30 days of canceling your California resident license. If you wait more than 30 days, you may need to complete a non-resident application and pay the appropriate licensing fees.

How do I cancel or surrender my license?

To cancel or surrender your license complete the License Cancellation Request LIC CC2. Follow the submission instructions on the form. Please allow seven to ten business days for processing.

How do I notify the California Department of Insurance of my name change?

To change the name on your license, submit a completed Name Change Request LIC 075. and a form of government documentation showing your new name (i.e. copy of social security card, driver's license, or marriage certificate). Follow the submission instructions on the form. Please allow seven to ten business days for processing.

How do I inform the California Department of Insurance that I represent a new insurance company or that I no longer represent an insurance company?

The new insurance company must submit an Action Notice of Appointment, LIC 447-54A* and fee of $32. The prior company may submit an Action Notice of Termination, LIC 447-54T* and fee of $32 to terminate your appointment; or you may self terminate your appointment by completing the Agent Notice of Termination LIC 447-69*, and submitting a fee of $32.

How do I add variable life and variable annuity authority to my life agent license?

To have variable life and variable annuity authority added to your license, you must be registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and approved for California. If you are an active life agent and wish to add variable life and variable annuity authority to your existing license you must log on to Simpligov.com and follow the on screen instructions. There is no fee to add the variable life and variable annuity to the life agent license.

Please note:

California Insurance Code section 1758.1 states that the Commissioner may grant authority to transact Variable Life and Variable Annuity to a person or a business entity licensed for Life which is appointed by an admitted insurer which is required to register itself or to register a separate account or fund with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or to register its variable policies or contracts with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

California Insurance Code section 1758.3 states that the Commissioner shall not grant authority to transact variable life and variable annuity unless the life agent or applicant furnishes proof that the person is registered to sell securities in California in accordance with the rules of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Any authority granted to a life agent to transact variable life and variable annuity shall immediately terminate upon the life agent no longer being registered to sell securities in accordance with the rules of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

I have authority to act as a solicitor and would like to obtain authority to act as an agent or a broker; what is the procedure?

Your solicitor appointment as a Property, Casualty or Personal Lines agent must first be terminated either by you or the employer. The employer should complete a Solicitor Action Notice LIC 417-31* and submit a fee of $32. To self terminate your appointment, you may complete a Solicitor Self Termination Notice, LIC 417-32* and submit $32. After the solicitor termination is effective, an Action Notice of Appointment, LIC 417-5* in the penal sum of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) must be filed with the California Department of Insurance before insurance broker authority can be granted.

*These forms are in PDF format. To view these forms, your browser must have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer. A free copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from the Document Readers page.

The licensee is now deceased; can the surviving estate continue the insurance business under the issued license of the decedent?

California Insurance Code section 1710 states all licenses issued to natural persons terminate upon the death of such person. An Estate Certificate of Convenience can be issued to an executor, administrator, or conservator of the estate, or surviving spouse or heir of a deceased licensee who held a property, casualty, life, accident and health or sickness, surplus line broker, or bail license, if the applicant meets the requirements and is approved by the Department (California Insurance Code sections 1685, 1686, 1693, and 1810.8). The privileges granted are for the disposal of existing insurance business of the licensed decedent for a term of one calendar year following the death of the decedent, at which time the Estate Certificate of Convenience will expire and cannot be renewed.

How to Obtain an Estate Certificate of Convenience

The following items are required to apply for an Estate Certificate of Convenience:

Item 1: An executor, administrator, conservator of the estate, or surviving spouse or heir of a deceased licensee who held a property, casualty, life, accident and health or sickness, surplus line broker, or bail license shall submit a signed and dated letter requesting the license of the deceased licensee be canceled. The letter must include the licensee’s full name, license number, the reason for the cancellation and a certified copy of the licensee’s death certificate. The effective date of the license cancellation is the date of death and not the request date on the letter.
Item 2: Individual Application for Insurance License (“Certificate of Convenience” must be marked on this application), LIC 441-9
Item 3: Supplementary Application for Certification of Convenience to Executor, Administrator, Widow or Heir, LIC 411-10
Item 4: Copy of the death certificate.
Item 5: $39 processing fee paid by check or money order and payable to CA Department of Insurance

The required forms and processing fee must be mailed to:

California Department of Insurance
Licensing and Administrative Business Bureau
Certificate of Convenience
300 Capitol Mall, 16th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814

Please note, California Insurance Code section 1693 lists several events which can result in the expiration of the Estate Certificate of Convenience. The most frequent reason the certificate expires is the one (1) year timeline (California Insurance Code section 1693(d)).

General Licensing Information

Education Providers

If you need further assistance, please call the California Department of Insurance's (Department) Licensing Hotline at (800) 967-9331 or send an e-mail to Licensing Services Division. Please be sure to include your name, telephone number, license number and e-mail address in all correspondence with the Department.