AB 943
AB 943 and California prelicensing education
California Assembly Bill 943 changed the prelicensing education requirements for many insurance license types. This is a plain-language summary.
What changed on January 1, 2026
AB 943 removed the 20-hour prelicensing courses for most license types. For most applicants, the remaining prelicensing education requirement is the 12-hour course in ethics and the California Insurance Code.
License types that now need only the 12-hour course
Life-Only Agent; Accident & Health (or Sickness) Agent; Property Broker-Agent; Casualty Broker-Agent; Personal Lines Broker-Agent; Limited Lines Automobile Agent.
License types that still need 20 hours
Public adjuster and bail agent applicants still need 20 hours of general insurance prelicensing study, in addition to their other requirements.
You generally take the 12-hour course once
The 12-hour course in ethics and the California Insurance Code generally needs to be completed only once, even if you apply for more than one of the license types above.
Certificates are valid for three years
A prelicensing certificate expires three years after the completion date, so plan to apply for your license within that time.
Source and how to confirm
This summary is consistent with California Department of Insurance form LIC 446-8 (Rev. 01/2026). Requirements can change, and this page is general information, not legal advice. Before you enroll in any course, confirm the current requirements for your license type at insurance.ca.gov. insurance.ca.gov
Our 12-hour course is pending approval by the California Department of Insurance and is not yet offered for credit.