Continuing Education Requirements

Rhode Island requires Property & Casualty insurance producers to complete continuing education (CE) to maintain their licenses and stay current with industry developments.

Rhode Island CE Requirements

Basic CE Requirements

Standard Requirements:

• Total Hours: 24 hours every 2 years
• General Credits: 21 hours
• Ethics Credits: 3 hours (must be specifically approved ethics courses)
• Reporting Period: Biennial (every 2 years)
• Renewal Date: Last day of licensee's birth month

Example: If you were born in September, your license expires September 30 every 2 years (2026, 2028, 2030, etc.). You must complete 24 hours of CE during each 2-year period.

2026 CE Changes

New CE Requirements Effective January 1, 2026:

Rhode Island added continuing education requirements for insurance adjusters:

Exam Tip: The 2026 change added CE requirements for adjusters. P&C producers have always had CE requirements in Rhode Island. This is detailed in Rhode Island Insurance Bulletin 2024-7 and codified in 230-RICR-20-50-4.

Who Must Complete Rhode Island CE?

Rhode Island Resident Licensees: All Rhode Island resident P&C producers must complete 24 hours of Rhode Island CE.

Non-Resident Licensees:

• Generally: Follow home state CE requirements
• Exception: Non-residents who have been awarded Rhode Island Designated Home State status must complete Rhode Island CE

Designated Home State: A non-resident who has Rhode Island as their designated home state (not their resident state) must follow Rhode Island's CE requirements rather than their actual home state's requirements.

CE Course Requirements

Approved Courses

Course Approval:

• All CE courses must be approved by Rhode Island DBR
• Providers must apply for course approval
• Approval number assigned to each course
• Producers must verify course approval before taking

Course Delivery Methods:

General Credit Courses (21 hours)

General CE Topics:

• Property insurance coverages and updates
• Casualty insurance developments
• New insurance products
• Industry trends and market conditions
• Risk management techniques
• Customer service and sales skills
• Technology in insurance
• Policy analysis and underwriting

Acceptable General CE: Any approved insurance-related course counts toward the 21 general credit requirement, including:

• Product knowledge courses
• Regulatory update courses
• Technical insurance courses
• Sales and marketing courses

Ethics Credit Courses (3 hours)

Ethics Requirements: Rhode Island requires 3 hours of ethics CE every 2 years from courses specifically approved as ethics content.

Ethics Topics:

• Professional conduct and responsibilities
• Fiduciary duties to clients
• Conflicts of interest
• Privacy and confidentiality
• Fair dealing and honesty
• Regulatory compliance
• Consumer protection principles
• Ethical decision-making frameworks

Ethics Course Characteristics:

• Must be specifically designated as "ethics" by provider
• Must be approved by Rhode Island as ethics content
• Cannot double-count as general CE
• Must focus primarily on ethical issues

Exam Tip: The 3 ethics hours must come from courses specifically approved as ethics content. You cannot simply take any course and claim 3 hours as ethics—it must be a designated ethics course approved by Rhode Island.

CE Course Rules and Restrictions

Course Limitations

Repetition Rule:

• Courses may not be taken more than once in a reporting period
• Taking the same course in consecutive reporting periods is allowed
• Taking the same course twice in one 2-year period does not count

Example:

• ✓ ALLOWED: Take "Rhode Island P&C Update 2024" in 2024-2026 cycle and "Rhode Island P&C Update 2026" in 2026-2028 cycle
• ✗ NOT ALLOWED: Take "Rhode Island P&C Update 2024" in January 2024 and again in December 2025 (same reporting period)

Carryover Credits

Credit Carryover: Rhode Island allows up to 24 hours of CE to be carried over to the next renewal period.

How Carryover Works:

1. Complete more than 24 hours in a reporting period
2. Excess hours (up to 24) carry over to next period
3. Carryover hours count toward 24-hour requirement
4. Ethics hours can carry over

Example:

• 2024-2026 Period: Complete 36 hours (30 general + 6 ethics)
• Carryover: 12 hours carry to 2026-2028 period (11 general + 1 ethics)
• 2026-2028 Requirement: Only need 13 more hours (10 general + 3 ethics)

Limitations:

• Maximum 24 hours carryover (even if you complete 50 hours)
• Carryover does not extend beyond one renewal period
• Ethics carryover counts toward ethics requirement

Special Product Training

One-Time Certifications

Rhode Island requires special one-time training for certain insurance products beyond the biennial CE requirement:

1. NFIP Flood Insurance Certification

Requirement: Producers must complete a one-time 3-hour NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) Certification Training course before selling flood insurance policies.

Course Details:

• Provider: FEMA-approved flood insurance training
• Duration: 3 hours
• Format: Online self-study
• Topics: NFIP program rules, flood zones, coverage limits, rating
• Renewal: Must be renewed every 3 years through FloodSmart

NFIP Certification Process:

1. Complete 3-hour FEMA flood insurance course
2. Pass exam with 70% or higher
3. Receive NFIP certification number
4. Renew every 3 years

Exam Tip: Flood insurance certification is a ONE-TIME requirement (renewed every 3 years), NOT part of the 24-hour biennial CE. It's administered by FEMA, not Rhode Island DBR.

2. Annuity Best Interest Certification

Requirement: Producers must complete a one-time 4-Hour Annuity Best Interest Certification Training course before selling, soliciting, or negotiating annuity business in Rhode Island.

Course Details:

• Provider: Rhode Island-approved annuity training provider
• Duration: 4 hours
• Format: Classroom, webinar, or online
• Topics: Annuity types, suitability, best interest standard, consumer protection
• Renewal: No renewal required (one-time)

Annuity Training Topics:

• Annuity product types and features
• Suitability and best interest analysis
• Disclosure requirements
• Senior protections
• Replacement considerations
• Regulatory requirements

When Required:

• Before first annuity sale or solicitation
• One-time requirement (no renewal)
• Separate from P&C license (usually on life insurance license)

Exam Tip: Annuity training is a 4-hour one-time requirement (no renewal needed). It's typically required for life insurance producers but may apply to P&C producers who sell certain annuity products.

CE Compliance and Reporting

CE Tracking

Producer Responsibility: Producers are responsible for:

• Tracking their own CE completion
• Retaining CE certificates as proof
• Reporting CE to DBR (usually done by provider)
• Ensuring compliance before license renewal

Provider Reporting:

• CE providers report course completion to Rhode Island DBR
• Reporting typically done within 30 days of course completion
• Electronic reporting through DBR system
• Producers should verify courses appear on their license record

Verifying CE Compliance

Check Your CE Status:

1. Log in to NIPR (nipr.com)
2. View License Record: Check Rhode Island license status
3. Review CE Credits: See completed CE hours
4. Identify Gaps: Determine hours still needed

DBR CE Transcript:

• Rhode Island DBR maintains CE transcript for each producer
• Shows all completed CE courses and hours
• Available through NIPR or by request to DBR
• Updated as providers report course completion

CE Audit

Random CE Audits: Rhode Island DBR may randomly audit producers to verify CE compliance:

Audit Process:

1. Selection: Producer randomly selected for audit
2. Notification: DBR sends audit notice
3. Documentation: Producer must provide CE certificates within 30 days
4. Review: DBR verifies course completion and approval
5. Result: Compliance confirmed or penalties assessed

Required Documentation:

• CE Certificates: From approved providers
• Course Approval Numbers: Verification courses were approved
• Ethics Designation: Proof ethics courses count as ethics

Exam Tip: Always retain your CE completion certificates. Rhode Island may audit your CE compliance at any time, and you must provide documentation within 30 days of audit notice.

Failure to Complete CE

Consequences of Non-Compliance

License Renewal Denial: If CE not completed by renewal date:

• License Expires: No grace period for CE non-compliance
• Cannot Conduct Business: Producer may not sell insurance
• Reinstatement Required: Must complete CE and apply for reinstatement

Penalties for CE Non-Compliance:

Reinstatement After CE Non-Compliance

If License Expires Due to CE Non-Compliance:

1. Complete All CE: Finish 24 hours (21 general + 3 ethics)
2. Pay Reinstatement Fee: $70 + $70 renewal fee = $140 total
3. Submit Reinstatement Application: Through NIPR
4. Verification: DBR verifies CE completion
5. License Restored: DBR reinstates license

Time Limits:

• Within 1 year of expiration: Complete CE and reinstate
• After 1 year: May need to retake exam (DBR discretion)
• After 2 years: Generally must retake exam

CE Providers

Approved CE Providers

Major Rhode Island-Approved CE Providers:

• Kaplan Financial Education - Online and classroom courses
• ExamFX (formerly WebCE) - Online self-study
• AD Banker - Online and classroom courses
• American Institute for CPCU - Professional insurance courses
• Insurance Educational Association - Classroom and virtual

Provider Approval:

• Providers must be approved by Rhode Island DBR
• Submit courses for individual approval
• Maintain records of student completion
• Report completions to DBR electronically

Choosing CE Courses

Factors to Consider:

• Price: Courses range from free to several hundred dollars
• Format: Classroom, webinar, or self-study
• Schedule: Self-paced vs. scheduled
• Topics: Relevant to your insurance practice
• Ethics: Ensure ethics courses are designated as ethics

Cost Savings Tips:

• Bundle courses for discounts
• Employer-provided CE
• Free or low-cost courses from insurers or associations
• Early completion to avoid rush fees

CE Best Practices

Planning Your CE

Strategic Approach:

1. Start Early: Don't wait until renewal deadline
2. Track Progress: Use spreadsheet or NIPR to monitor completion
3. Mix Ethics Early: Complete 3 ethics hours in first year
4. Relevant Topics: Choose courses applicable to your business
5. Extra Hours: Complete 30+ hours to build carryover cushion

CE Completion Timeline

Recommended Schedule:

Year 1 of 2-Year Cycle:

• Complete 12-15 hours including 3 ethics
• Take courses on new products or regulations
• Attend industry conferences (often CE-approved)

Year 2 of 2-Year Cycle:

• Complete remaining 9-12 hours
• Focus on timely regulatory updates
• Finish 3-6 months before renewal to avoid rush

Exam Tip: Don't wait until the last minute. Complete CE throughout the 2-year period to avoid stress, last-minute unavailability of courses, and potential license expiration.

CE for Multiple State Licenses

Multi-State License Holders

Reciprocal CE: Some states have reciprocal CE agreements allowing courses to count in multiple states:

Considerations:

• Check if course is approved in multiple states
• Some national courses approved in 30+ states
• Rhode Island-specific courses only count in Rhode Island
• Ethics requirements vary by state

Managing Multiple States:

• Track Each State Separately: Each state has unique requirements
• Use National Courses: When possible, take courses approved in all your states
• Stagger Renewals: If renewal dates differ, plan CE accordingly

Designated Home State CE

If Rhode Island is Your Designated Home State: Even if you're a non-resident, you must:

• Complete Rhode Island CE requirements (24 hours)
• Meet Rhode Island ethics requirements (3 hours)
• Report CE through Rhode Island DBR
• Renew on Rhode Island's schedule

Common CE Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I complete all 24 hours in one day? A: Technically yes, but not recommended. Most courses have time limits and comprehension checks to prevent rushing through content.

Q: Do company training courses count as CE? A: Only if the company training is provided by a Rhode Island-approved CE provider and has a Rhode Island CE approval number.

Q: What happens if I complete CE but forget to renew my license? A: Your license will expire. You must pay reinstatement fee ($140 total) and reactivate. CE completion does not automatically renew your license—you must also submit renewal application and fee.

Q: Can I take the same "Rhode Island Update" course every 2 years? A: Yes, as long as it's in different reporting periods. You cannot take the same course twice in one 2-year period.

Q: Do free CE courses count? A: Yes, if they are Rhode Island-approved. Free courses from some providers, insurers, or associations count toward CE requirement.