Florida’s 2-20 license is required for insurance agents or representatives who sell general lines of coverage, from homes and vehicles to pets. To be eligible for a 2-20 license, candidates must be U.S. citizens or legal aliens with a work authorization from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services. They must also be Florida residents and at least 18 years old, and cannot hold a resident insurance license in any other state. Coursework, experience or a combination is also required, along with a state exam and fingerprinting.

Take the Classes

There are several routes to completing the necessary prerequisites for a 2-20 license, such as finishing 15 college semester hours in classes related to casualty and property insurance. Other candidates are eligible after taking or teaching a 200-hour class on the topic. Those who complete 200 hours of a similar course that includes an online 2-20 insurance course for Florida portions are required to have at least six months of experience in the casualty and property field. Some experience qualifies candidates to take shorter courses. For example, customer representatives with at least one year of experience only need to complete a 40-hour class.

Gain Some Experience

In some instances, candidates may not be required to take any courses. According to the website of Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, candidates qualify for the licensing exam if they have at least one year of experience performing insurance-related duties in all areas of casualty and property insurance. Additionally, people who relocate to Florida and hold an equivalent license from another state may be able to skip the coursework, but they only have 90 days to apply from the time they become a Florida resident.

Pass the Florida Insurance Exam

The Florida Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook notes that before applying for the 2-20 license, candidates must reserve a spot for the exam online by visiting the Pearson Vue website at pearsonvue.com/fl/insurance. As of the time of publication, they must also pay a $42 exam fee. Candidates must score at least 70 percent on the exam to pass. The agent’s general lines insurance exam consisted of 160 questions on topics such as policy provisions, contract law, insurance terms and casualty policy provisions.

Apply for Licensing

Candidates for Florida’s 2-20 license are required to submit proof of their prerequisites and pay a $50 application fee to the Department of Financial Services as of the time of publication. After taking the exam, candidates must be fingerprinted and pay the associated $45.80 (plus applicable Florida county sales tax) fingerprinting fee. Those who successfully complete the process receive an email from the department, but candidates can also check their application status at any time via the department’s MyProfile website. MyProfile also stores the 2-20 license so successful candidates can log on and print their copies.