NAIC seeks comment on State Licensing Handbook revisions touching exams and remote testing

A computer that passes a system check, an identity verification, continuous audio and video monitoring. According to Repairer Driven News on 15 October 2026, these are some of the conditions a draft revision of a US licensing guideline sets out for remote exams.

The Producer Licensing (D) Task Force of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is seeking public comment on revised chapters of the State Licensing Handbook. The NAIC web page states that the comment deadline is 30 October.

The chapters under revision are 1, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 24 and 30, together with a consolidated document. According to the NAIC page, the handbook is meant to guide state insurance departments and regulated entities in administering producer licensing. It is based on the Producer Licensing Model Act, the Uniform Licensing Standards and guidelines already adopted by the NAIC, and it contains adjuster information and recommended best practices.

Exams: standards from question writing to registration

According to Repairer Driven News, on exam content the revisions recommend that each state set up a state advisory committee of regulators and industry representatives. It would meet the exam vendor every year to review the substantive and psychometric requirements for exam questions. States should also approve candidate information handbooks with the vendor, describing the exam and its policies and procedures accurately, and provide study reference materials.

On exam administration, the report says the revisions set clear performance standards for vendors: candidates can register online or by phone, exams should be scheduled within two to five business days, and exams are delivered through a network of secure test centres with qualified proctors.

Remote testing: seven conditions

According to the report, the remote testing guidelines list seven items:

1. A system check of the computer and network
2. Installation of exam software
3. A security check, including identity verification
4. A distraction-free and secure testing environment
5. Continuous audio and video monitoring, with AI-enhanced proctoring possible
6. Evening and weekend testing hours
7. Vendor analysis of post-exam data to identify suspicious patterns

The NAIC page also shows that the Task Force discussed remote licensing testing on a conference call on 16 July 2026, and discussed the State Licensing Handbook at a meeting on 8 October.

Surplus lines licences and CE instructors

The report says there is currently no uniform national approach to whether a surplus lines licence is a separate licence type or a line of authority on the producer licence. Under either arrangement, a resident must hold a valid property/casualty producer licence to be issued a surplus lines licence, for individuals and business entities alike. The revisions also add guidance on approving continuing education (CE) instructors; the report gives no further detail.

The 5 November meeting and submitting comments

The NAIC page shows that the Task Force will hold a public conference call at 2:00 pm Eastern Time on Thursday 5 November 2026 (3:00 am on 6 November in Hong Kong), expected to last one hour. The agenda listed on the page is to consider adopting revisions to the Independent Adjuster Licensing Guideline, the 1033 Written Consent Process template and the draft 2027 Task Force charges; it does not list the handbook revisions. According to Repairer Driven News, the Task Force will review the comments received at that meeting and consider whether to adopt the revised handbook.

On how to submit, the report says written comments must be sent to Tim Mullen, the NAIC staff support for the Task Force. The NAIC page gives no email address or portal for submitting comments. It lists only staff contacts, including Tim Mullen (Director, Market Regulation) and Greg Welker (Sr. Antifraud and Producer Licensing Program Manager), and suggests contacting them with questions.

Analysis: what this means for recruiting teams

The details of the revisions come mainly from media reports and could not be verified independently against the NAIC's original draft. According to the NAIC, the handbook is for guidance, and the NAIC page does not say whether states will adopt it or when it would take effect. This is a direction, not a new rule already in force.

The direction is still worth watching. If states follow the recommendations, the licensing-exam process for new US agents could change in a few ways: clearer standards for the wait between registration and sitting the exam; more specific security requirements for remote exams, including identity verification and continuous audio and video monitoring; and clearer candidate information handbooks and study materials. Teams preparing newcomers for exams should watch for follow-up in their own states.

If you have views on the revisions, the deadline is 30 October. The NAIC page does not state a submission channel, so the safer approach is to ask the staff contacts listed on the page first, then send written comments before the deadline.