Kansas Insurance CE Requirements for Agents

Kansas continuing education requirements for Property and Casualty (P&C) insurance producers are regulated by the Kansas Department of Insurance (KDOI). Every resident P&C producer in Kansas must complete CE to keep their license active and stay current on state regulations, industry practices, and ethical standards. The KDOI does not offer a CE grace period — if your hours are not complete by your renewal date, you cannot renew your license and risk losing all carrier appointments.

TLDR: Kansas P&C producers must complete 18 hours of CE every 2 years, including 3 hours of ethics. Licenses expire on the last day of your birth month biennially. There is no CE grace period, and a $100 reinstatement fee applies to lapsed licenses. A one-time Annuity Best Interest course is required for annuity producers.

Who Needs CE in Kansas

All resident Kansas insurance producers holding a Property and Casualty license (or any active line of authority) must complete CE before renewing their license. This includes agents, brokers, and public adjusters. If you hold multiple lines of authority — for example, both P&C and Life & Health — the total CE requirement remains 18 hours. You do not need to double your hours, but the courses you take should cover the lines in which you are actively licensed.

Kansas offers limited exemptions. Producers who hold a limited lines license (such as credit insurance, travel insurance, or crop insurance only) are generally exempt from CE requirements. Non-resident producers who maintain a valid license in their home state and comply with their home state's CE requirements are exempt from Kansas CE, provided their home state has a reciprocity agreement with Kansas.

Public adjusters in Kansas follow the same 18-hour CE requirement as producers, including the 3-hour ethics mandate. If you hold both a producer license and a public adjuster license, you still only need 18 hours total, not separate hours for each license type.

How CE Hours Break Down

Kansas requires 18 hours of approved continuing education per two-year license term. Here is how those hours are structured:

• Ethics (3 hours required): Every Kansas producer must complete 3 hours of approved ethics CE during each biennial license term. Ethics courses must be specifically approved as ethics by the KDOI — a general insurance course with an ethics component does not count unless it carries a separate ethics approval.

• Elective/General Hours (15 hours): The remaining 15 hours can be completed in any approved courses relevant to your lines of authority. We recommend selecting courses that cover P&C topics you encounter in daily practice, such as commercial lines, personal lines, claims handling, or regulatory updates.

• Annuity Best Interest Training (one-time, 4 hours): As of January 1, 2024, all Kansas producers currently licensed to sell, solicit, or negotiate annuity products must complete a one-time Annuity Best Interest course of at least 4 hours. This course covers the Kansas Annuity Suitability regulation aligned with the NAIC Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation. If you sell annuities, confirm you have completed this requirement — it counts toward your 18-hour total.

• No carryover: Kansas does not allow excess credit hours to be carried forward into the next license term. If you complete 22 hours this cycle, the extra 4 hours do not count toward your next renewal.

• No repeat courses: A course may not be repeated for credit within a single 2-year license term. If you need additional hours, you must take a different approved course.

Renewal Timeline and Deadlines

Kansas insurance licenses expire on the last day of your birth month, every two years. If you were born in an even-numbered year, your license expires in even-numbered years (and vice versa for odd years). For example, a producer born in June 1984 would need to renew by June 30, 2026.

The KDOI requires all CE hours to be completed before you submit your license renewal application. We recommend completing your CE at least 30 to 60 days before your expiration date. CE providers are responsible for reporting your hours to the KDOI, and reporting delays can leave you appearing noncompliant even if you finished the coursework on time.

There is no CE grace period in Kansas. If your CE is not complete by your expiration date, you cannot renew your license. Applicants who completed their CE on or before the expiration date can submit a late renewal within 10 days of the expiration date without a penalty fee. After that 10-day window, your license lapses and a $100 reinstatement fee applies on top of the standard $4 renewal fee.

If your license has been lapsed for more than one year, you cannot reinstate it. You must submit a new initial license application through NIPR and complete the full 18 hours of CE. This effectively means starting the licensing process over, so we strongly recommend staying ahead of your deadlines.

Approved CE Providers

Kansas requires all CE courses to be offered through KDOI-approved providers. You can search for approved courses and providers through the KDOI Continuing Education page. The KDOI uses the NIPR system for license management, and CE completion records are reported electronically by approved providers.

Both classroom and online (self-study) courses are accepted in Kansas. Unlike some states, Kansas does not impose a minimum classroom or webinar requirement — you can complete all 18 hours through online self-study if you prefer. This gives agents in rural parts of the state the same access to CE as those in Wichita or Kansas City.

When selecting courses, verify they are approved for your specific line of authority and that the provider will report completion to the KDOI. Most major national CE providers — including Kaplan, WebCE, ExamFX, and Success CE — offer Kansas-approved courses. We recommend keeping your own certificates of completion as backup in case of reporting discrepancies.

Common Mistakes Agents Make

1. Assuming excess hours carry forward. Kansas does not allow CE credit carryover between license terms. If you finished extra hours this cycle, those hours are gone once your new term begins. Plan to complete exactly what you need — or more for professional development, understanding the extra hours will not reduce your next cycle's requirement.

2. Repeating the same course for credit. Kansas prohibits taking the same course twice within a single 2-year license term. Agents who enjoyed a particular course or found it easy sometimes try to retake it for quick credit and discover the hours are rejected.

3. Completing CE after submitting the renewal application. The KDOI requires CE to be completed before you submit your renewal. If you submit your renewal and then complete CE, your application may be denied or delayed. Finish your courses first, confirm they are reported, and then submit your renewal.

4. Forgetting the Annuity Best Interest course. If you sell annuity products, the one-time 4-hour Annuity Best Interest training is mandatory as of January 1, 2024. Producers who have not completed this course and continue selling annuities risk a compliance violation with the KDOI.

5. Waiting until the final week. CE providers can take several business days to report your completion to the KDOI. If you finish your last course two days before expiration, the KDOI may not show your hours as complete when you try to renew. We recommend finishing at least 30 days before your deadline.

How Kansas Compares to Other States

Kansas requires fewer total CE hours than most states. At 18 hours per two-year cycle, Kansas falls below the national average of roughly 24 hours biennially. Neighboring states like Missouri (16 hours) and Colorado (24 hours) bracket Kansas on either side. Nebraska requires 24 hours, making Kansas one of the lighter CE loads in the region.

The 3-hour ethics requirement is standard across most states. Kansas does not require any specialty ethics topics (like California's anti-fraud mandate), which keeps the ethics component straightforward. The absence of a classroom or webinar minimum also distinguishes Kansas from states like Texas, where 50% of CE must come from instructor-led formats.

Where Kansas is stricter is on carryover and grace periods. Many states — including Missouri and Colorado — allow some form of CE credit carryover or offer a grace period for late renewal. Kansas offers neither. Combined with the $100 reinstatement fee for lapsed licenses, Kansas producers have strong financial incentive to stay ahead of their deadlines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I complete all my CE online in Kansas?

Yes. Kansas allows producers to complete all 18 hours of CE through online self-study courses, as long as the courses are approved by the KDOI. There is no minimum classroom or webinar requirement. This makes Kansas one of the more flexible states for agents who prefer to complete CE on their own schedule. Just make sure your online CE provider reports your hours to the KDOI promptly — we recommend finishing at least 30 days before your renewal date.

What happens if I do not complete CE on time in Kansas?

If your CE is incomplete when your license expires, you cannot renew. Applicants who completed CE before expiration can file a late renewal within 10 days without penalty. After that, your license lapses and you must pay a $100 reinstatement fee plus the $4 renewal fee. All carrier appointments may be terminated during a lapse, and you cannot legally transact insurance while unlicensed. If more than one year passes, you must restart the initial licensing process entirely.

Do CE hours from other states transfer to Kansas?

Kansas does not generally accept CE hours completed in other states unless the course is also approved by the KDOI. Some national CE providers offer courses approved in multiple states simultaneously, which can be helpful if you hold licenses in Kansas and neighboring states. Non-resident producers licensed in Kansas are typically exempt from Kansas CE requirements if they meet the CE requirements of their home state and their home state has reciprocity with Kansas.

How do I verify my CE hours with the Kansas DOI?

You can check your CE completion status through the KDOI licensing portal or through the NIPR system. CE providers report your completed hours electronically, but we recommend logging in to verify your hours are reflected — especially 30 days before your license expires. If there is a discrepancy, contact your CE provider first. If the issue is not resolved, call the KDOI at (785) 296-3071 for assistance. Keep your certificates of completion as backup documentation.