The Life Licence Qualification Program (LLQP) is required of many people looking to acquire a life or accident and sickness insurance agent licence in Canada. In this guide, we'll be discussing the program's course and exam requirements. The LLQP is a qualifying education and testing program, not a licence.
Our MyChoice team used FSRA's current LLQP page, FSRA's Ontario licensing requirements and FSRA's published exam-fee notice to map out what you need to get a licence in Ontario. We also reviewed Quebec's AMF examination requirements because its process differs. Review the rules separately when seeking a Quebec licence or moving between provinces and territories.
What Is The LLQP?
The LLQP includes the course and exams required before you can apply for a licence. Completing the course alone does not give you the right to sell insurance. The LLQP is a harmonized standard for insurance licensing requirements. To apply for a licence, you must also pass the required exams and meet the province or territory’s separate licensing requirements.
Which LLQP Modules Do You Need?
Note that the LLQP includes education and exams, and there are different insurance licences available. In Ontario, there is the life and accident and sickness agent licence, and the accident and sickness agent licence. Your module and sponsorship requirements will be different depending on which licence you're after. Decide on your licence before purchasing a course package.
What Work Can An LLQP Certificate Lead To?
Note that holding an LLQP certificate will not, on its own, qualify you as an underwriter, financial planner, or securities adviser. Such positions may require specific education, professional designations, employer requirements, or regulatory registration. The LLQP route lets you apply to become a licensed life or accident and sickness insurance agent.
Read More: Compare the Roles of an Insurance Broker and an Insurance Agent
LLQP Education Courses And Exams
The provider is authorized to deliver education on the standardized LLQP curriculum. The LLQP course and Ontario’s LLQP exams are separate steps in the licensing and education process.
Complete An Approved LLQP Course
Before taking the LLQP exam, you must complete an LLQP course. Many providers are authorized to offer the course. The course is available in French and English. The full Ontario life and accident and sickness qualification consists of four subject modules. Most people take about 100 hours to complete all four modules, but this will vary depending on the provider and your circumstances.
- Accident and Sickness Insurance
- Ethics and Professional Practice
- Life Insurance
- Segregated Funds and Annuities
Providers may have different fees and formats for instruction. Check the approved list before choosing a provider. Also compare access periods, instructor support, practice questions, textbook quality, cancellation and refund terms, and whether the stated cost covers every certification attempt.
Pass The Required Module Exams
Contrary to popular belief, there is no single 140-question Ontario exam that lasts four hours. You will write the required module exams after completing the matching prerequisite course and corresponding course certification exam. Currently, FSRA has indicated that you must write the Ontario exam in person.
Per this FSRA notice, the fee is $66 per module (effective August 1, 2025) for in-person exams, totalling $264 to write the first four exams. This does not include the cost of the courses, possible rewrites, licensing, or the background check. Exam delivery methods and fees can change, so check before paying to confirm the fees to book your exam.
Is The LLQP Exam Hard?
Whether the LLQP exam is difficult depends on you. If you’re comfortable with contracts, tax, insurance, client needs analysis, etc., then you should be okay. Try to treat each module as a separate exam.
Do LLQP Exams Allow Rewrites?
Yes, they can. Under Ontario's current policy, if a candidate fails a module, they have a maximum of three supplemental attempts. There must be 24 hours between attempts.
If the candidate fails a module on their fourth attempt, they must wait one year and retake the prerequisite course before registering for the exam again.
Note: Transitional rules may apply to candidates depending on when they first passed their exams.
How Do You Pass The LLQP?
- Create a study plan by module. Use the regulator’s competency outline for each LLQP exam as a check-off list.
- Take as many practice tests as possible. Use only those references and follow the time limitation as permitted by your exam administrator. Read the questions carefully before answering.
- Check all of the answers on practice exams you get wrong. Write down the concept/rule that gave rise to the correct answer.
How Much Does An LLQP Cost?
| Ontario cost item | Published amount or treatment | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Approved course | Provider sets the price | Course access, materials and certification attempts |
| Four initial in-person modules | $264 based on $66 per module from August 1, 2025 | Confirm Durham College’s current booking total and any rewrite fees |
| New licence application | $170 for the first two years | Who Pays: The Applicant or the Sponsor? |
| FSRA background check | $19.15 on the current application page | Use only the link received through the FSRA process |
| E&O insurance | Varies; coverage must meet FSRA requirements | Make sure the sponsor’s policy names you correctly |
LLQP costs include mandatory course tuition and testing fees. Retaking any exam will incur additional fees, as will E&O insurance. The total exam fee for a first-time Ontario applicant is $264; however, the overall cost is higher.
What Do You Do After Passing The LLQP?
For example, let's look at LLQP candidates in Ontario. The information below applies as of August 2026. Remember that LLQP candidates must use the regulator for the province or territory in which they plan to sell.
Step 1: Register On The CIPR
Your name and identifier used for your exam and licence application must match your CIPR information.
Step 2: Complete The Provincial Exam
Once your prerequisite is on record, you may schedule the Ontario module exams through Durham College. Register for the modules required for the licence you are pursuing. You must pass all required modules.
Apply for your licence within one year of your first exam pass date.
Step 3: Get Sponsored
A new life and accident and sickness agent must be sponsored by a licensed insurer for the first two years. An accident and sickness-only agent must be sponsored by a licensed insurer at all times. Your sponsoring insurer will handle the application process.
You are responsible for keeping your licence in good standing. Make sure your continuing education requirements, errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, and other information are always up to date.
Step 4: Arrange Errors And Omissions Insurance
Ontario requires Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance in your full legal name, as it appears on your licence. Your policy must have a limit of liability of at least $1 million per occurrence and must include extended coverage for loss from fraudulent acts. Ask for a copy of your certificate of insurance – don’t assume your sponsor has done this for you.
Read More: See What a Certificate of Insurance Proves
Step 5: Apply For An Ontario Insurance Agent Licence
Your sponsor will start your Ontario licence application. To get your licence, you’ll need to provide suitability disclosures, consent to and complete an FSRA-approved criminal record check and pay any assigned fees through Licensing Link. Passing your exams does not guarantee you will be granted a licence.
Requirements Differ Outside Ontario
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| New Ontario applicant | Follow FSRA’s course, exam, sponsorship, E&O and application steps |
| Moving between provinces or territories | Apply to the destination regulator; your current licence is not automatically valid there |
| Eligible out-of-province applicant entering Ontario | Review FSRA’s standard mobility route or six-month 'as of right' option |
| Quebec applicant | Follow the AMF’s separate education, examination and certification requirements |
For current information about mobility to Ontario, please view FSRA’s out-of-province application page.
Do Licensed Insurance Agents Need Continuing Education?
Ontario life, accident, and sickness agents must complete 30 hours of continuing education during each two-year licence period. Keep your certificates of completion for at least four years.
Courses must relate to technical insurance topics to receive credit, and sales/recruiting topics do not qualify for credit.
What The LLQP Does And Does Not Give You
The LLQP does not issue a licence; it is the training and examination component required to qualify. Once you know what licence you need and in what jurisdiction, check with your regulator’s current licensing requirements.
Factor in the cost of the LLQP program and module exams, licence application fees, criminal record check, E&O insurance, etc.