California Insurance Continuing Education Requirements for 2025 Renewal

If you’re an insurance agent in California, you know the drill. Every two years, you need to renew your license. Without completing your required continuing education (CE) courses, your license could become inactive. An inactive license could result in no clients, no commissions, and no chances to progress in your career.

Here’s why CE matters and how you can breeze through it without losing momentum.

California Insurance CE Requirements: 24 Hours of CE Every 2 Years

A simple way to remember is the saying, “24 in 2, to keep selling through!" That’s under an hour a month, so it’s manageable. But don’t procrastinate until the last minute. Here’s the breakdown of what CEs you'll need to renew your insurance license:

• 3 Hours of Ethics Training. This includes 1 hour of anti-fraud education.

• Specialized Courses. You'll need extra courses if you sell specific products like long-term care insurance. Also, when working with variable life insurance, there’s a 2-hour training you need to complete.

New 2025 CE Changes to Watch Out For

There are a couple of new rules for California insurance continuing education in 2025. Keep these in mind as you select the classes you take.

• Non-Term Life Insurance Training. Starting in 2025, agents licensed after 2024 must take a 4-hour course before selling non-term life insurance.

• Annuities. If you’ve been licensed for a while, you must complete an 8-hour annuity training course by July 1, 2025.

How Continuing Education Can Work for You, Not Against You

We get it; continuing education can feel like a box to check on your to-do list. But it's much more than that. Here are some reasons why completing those credit hours on time is beneficial not only for your license but also for your long-term goals.

1. Keep Up to Date as the Industry Expands

Continuing education keeps you current with industry changes and regulations to help power your career forward. Professionals who keep their educational skills up to date have higher job satisfaction, which leads to better job retention and career growth.

2. Build Trust Through Expertise

Clients want to know their agent is educated and current on your skills. Ongoing CE courses show your dedication to being an expert in the field of insurance and can make you more trustworthy to potential clients.

3. Open Doors to More Specializations

The completion of CE requirements opens you up to niches like annuities, flood insurance, or long-term care coverage. These niches have specialized knowledge, and once you are certified, you can offer more specialized services to clients.

4. Avoid Costly Consequences

If your California insurance license lapses, you might miss out on commissions and future business. You can’t conduct insurance transactions until it’s reinstated.

Completing your CE hours on time ensures you stay eligible to work, keeping your income stream flowing. It’s also an easy way to avoid late renewal fees, which include a 50% penalty if your license expires.

How to Make CE Smooth and Surprisingly Fun

You might find it hard to squeeze continuing education into a hectic schedule. Luckily, we have some hacks to make CE easier to fit into your life.

1. Take Online Courses for the Most Flexibility

Continuing education courses online? That's a great option for insurance pros with busy calendars. You can fit them in whenever you've got the time — on your lunch break, after dinner, or whenever the time is right. Finding a provider who offers online courses is easy.

2. Set Micro Goals

Rather than viewing CE as a single, all-encompassing activity, break it down into smaller goals.

For example, set a goal of finishing one module before the end of the day or finishing some portion each morning before you start work. Each small achievement makes you feel accomplished and keeps you positive.

3. Add Some Fun Rewards

As soon as you finish a module or a section, reward yourself with your favorite snack, a short walk, or an episode of your favorite TV show. This positive reinforcement gives you something to look forward to as you go through each course.

Make Continuing Education Work for You

Continuing education is a catalyst for career growth. Keeping yourself current with what's happening in your industry and sharpening your skills allows you to build your career.

So, why not get ahead of the curve? If you’re ready to take charge of your continuing education, check out Aceable Insurance’s CE package to make your renewal process as smooth as possible. Let’s keep your license active and your career moving forward because the insurance world is always changing, and you should be too.