California has strict insurance license renewal requirements, and a failure to remain in compliance can lead to unwanted penalties and legal complications.
If your California insurance license has expired, you should immediately begin license reinstatement. You should also know the possible penalties for continuing business with an inactive license.
It’s best to consult a California insurance license defense attorney if you have been conducting business without a valid California insurance license. A lawyer can help you avoid possible legal issues and mitigate the risk you face until your insurance license has been successfully reinstated.
Consequences for an Expired California Insurance License
Licensed insurance agents in California have two primary responsibilities to maintain a valid insurance license. Every two years, they must:
- Complete the mandatory 24 hours of continuing education credits
- Complete the license renewal process before the current license expires
If you fail to finish your education requirements on time or don’t get around to the license renewal process until your current license has expired, your insurance license immediately becomes inactive.
Insurance License Reinstatement in California
Once a California insurance license has expired, the only option is to go through the license reinstatement process.
If you know your license’s expiration date is approaching, you can apply for a deadline extension. However, after the deadline has passed, extensions cannot be granted for an expired license. Once a California insurance license has expired, you have one year from the date of expiration to seek license reinstatement.
Having an Insurance License Reinstated
The steps for having an insurance license reinstated in California include the following:
- Complete the required continuing education credits
- Submit the insurance license reinstatement application
- Pay renewal fees
- Pay reinstatement fees
If your insurance license isn’t renewed within a year of the expiration date, the license will be canceled.
Acquiring a New California Insurance License
If you’ve missed the one-year deadline for license reinstatement, the only way to acquire a valid California insurance license is to undergo the entire application process again.
Reacquiring a California insurance license after the cancelation date will require:
- Prelicense course training
- Paying for the prelicensing exam
- Passing the prelicensing exam
- Fingerprinting
- Paying licensing fees
It’s much easier and more cost-effective to simply undergo a license renewal every two years.
If you’ve passed the deadline and your license has become inactive, it’s much easier to apply for reinstatement than to reacquire your insurance license all over again.
Call a California Insurance License Defense Lawyer Today
The consequences of acting as an insurance agent in California without an active insurance license include criminal charges, jail time, and substantial fines.
If your California insurance license has expired, the safest course of action is to immediately contact an insurance license defense attorney for advice on how to protect yourself as you work to get your license reinstated as quickly as possible.
Contact S J Harris Law today for help from an experienced California insurance license defense attorney.
