Hawaii insurance continuing education requirements
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Passing the exam gets you a Hawaii producer license. Keeping it means completing continuing education (CE) before each renewal. Renewal and continuing education also appear on the Hawaii exam itself, in the licensing part of section I. [1] Here is what the law and the Insurance Division require of a resident producer.
How many hours
Every resident producer needs twenty-four credit hours before each license renewal. [2] [3] How they split depends on your lines:
| Lines of authority held | Line credits | Ethics or laws and rules | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life, Accident and Health or Sickness (one or both) | 21 relating to those lines | 3 | 24 |
| Life or A&H plus Property, Casualty or Surety | 10 Life or A&H, 11 Property, Casualty or Surety | 3 | 24 |
The law says ethics training includes, but is not limited to, fiduciary responsibility, commingling of funds, payment and acceptance of commissions, unfair claims practices, policy replacement considerations and conflicts of interest. [2]
Adding a line. If you add a line of authority, you must meet the CE requirement for all your lines before the next renewal. The Division's example is a producer who holds Property and Casualty, adds Life, and then needs 11 credits for P&C, 10 for Life and Accident and Health or Sickness, and 3 for ethics or rules. [3] [4]
What counts
- Hours must come from continuing education courses the commissioner has approved. [2]
- For course approval, the Division counts 50 minutes of instruction as one credit. [3]
- The commissioner may approve equivalents, such as teaching CE courses or holding certain professional designations. [2]
- Extra hours do not carry over. The law excludes carryover credit hours earned beyond the requirement in any two-year renewal cycle. [2]
- Courses run by insurers follow the same standards and get credit only if the commissioner approved them. [5]
The 15 day timing rule
Since January 1, 2022, the Division has required CE to be finished before the renewal due date, and renewals are done online. [4] To renew online, your certificates of completion must already be on file. The approved provider, not you, sends them, and it has 15 days from course completion to do it. [2] [4] So the Commissioner's Memorandum 2022-3LIC tells producers to finish CE no later than 15 days before the renewal due date. If you finish on or within 15 days of the due date, you may not be able to renew online, your license risks inactivation, and a penalty fee is added to reinstate it. [4] The Division no longer accepts certificates sent directly by the licensee. [4]
If you miss it
- Inactive status. Unless the commissioner granted an extension in advance, failing to meet CE by the renewal date automatically places the license on inactive status. [2]
- Reactivation. Send the Insurance Division proof that the hours are complete and pay any required fees and penalties. [2]
- Late fee penalty. Separately, a renewal fee not paid by the renewal date is increased by a penalty of double the unpaid renewal fee, and nonpayment also inactivates the license. [6]
- No retaking the exam if you meet the renewal requirements or reactivate within twelve months of the date of inactivation. [2]
- Military duty. The commissioner may extend the deadline for a licensee on extended active military duty by the number of days on duty. [2]
FAQ
How many CE hours does a Hawaii life and health producer need?
Twenty-four per renewal: twenty-one on Life or Accident and Health or Sickness and three on ethics or insurance laws and rules. [2] [3]
When should I finish my CE?
No later than 15 days before your renewal due date, so the provider's certificates reach the Division in time. [4]
Can I bring extra hours into my next renewal?
No. Carryover hours are not allowed. [2]
Who reports my completed hours?
The approved provider submits the certificate of completion electronically within fifteen days of completion. [2]
My license went inactive for missing CE. Do I need to take the exam again?
Not if you reactivate within twelve months of the date of inactivation. [2]
Study tips for the exam
- Know the 24 hour total and the 21 plus 3 split for Life and A&H.
- Missing CE leads to automatic inactive status, not instant revocation.
- Twelve months is the window to reactivate without retaking the exam.
Test what you know about Hawaii licensing law with the free Hawaii insurance law practice test.
Prep Retention does not offer continuing education or CE credit.
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Sources
Laws and exam documents quoted as of October 2026.
- Pearson VUE, Hawaii content outlines 121201 (effective January 1, 2026): https://www.pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/121201.pdf
- HRS 431:9A-124: https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol09_Ch0431-0435H/HRS0431/HRS_0431-0009A-0124.htm
- Hawaii Insurance Division, Continuing Education: https://cca.hawaii.gov/ins/producers-continuing_education/
- Hawaii Insurance Division, Commissioner's Memorandum 2022-3LIC: https://cca.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Continuing-Education-1-Memorandum-2022-3LIC-1-1.pdf
- HRS 431:9A-128: https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol09_Ch0431-0435H/HRS0431/HRS_0431-0009A-0128.htm
- HRS 431:7-101: https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol09_Ch0431-0435H/HRS0431/HRS_0431-0007-0101.htm