Many insurance agents pour their energy into client relationships and closing sales, and then genuinely forget that their IRDAI licence itself has an expiry date.
Without a valid, active license, you legally cannot sell or advise on insurance policies — no matter how strong your client relationships are.
In this guide, we’ll walk through exactly how long your license stays valid, what you need to do to renew it, the fees involved, and an important regulatory change from 2026 that’s worth understanding.
How Long Is an Individual Insurance Agent’s License Valid?
For individual insurance agents licensed under the IC-38 framework (as covered in our guide on how to become an insurance agent in India), the license is valid for 3 years from the date of issue.
Once this period ends, you must complete the renewal process before continuing to legally sell insurance products.
This 3-year validity applies specifically to individual agents.
As we’ll cover further below, the rules have recently changed quite significantly for certain other categories of insurance intermediaries.
The CPD Requirement: 25 Hours of Refresher Training
Here’s the good news: renewing your individual agent license does not require retaking the IC-38 exam.
Instead, IRDAI requires agents to complete 25 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), also called refresher training, at some point during their 3-year validity period before applying for renewal.
This refresher training is designed to keep agents updated on evolving insurance products, regulatory changes, and best practices—essentially ensuring their knowledge doesn’t go stale over a 3-year licensing cycle, even without a formal re-examination.
The Renewal Process: Forms and Steps
The renewal process for individual agents is largely digital today. Here’s what it generally involves:
1. Complete your 25 hours of CPD refresher training through an IRDAI-approved training provider, ideally well before your license’s expiry date.
2. Fill out the prescribed renewal forms — commonly FORM IRDA-AGENTS-VA and FORM IRDA-AGENTS-VB, available through the IRDAI portal or your sponsoring insurer.
3. Submit your renewal application along with proof of completed CPD training, before your current license expires.
4. Pay the applicable renewal fee.
5. Receive your renewed license/certificate, which you can verify or download through the IRDAI Agency Portal using your PAN number.
It’s worth starting this process well in advance — many agents recommend setting a reminder at least a few months before expiry to avoid any last-minute scramble with training schedules or documentation.
Renewal Fee: What Does It Cost?
The renewal fee for an individual insurance agent license has commonly been cited as around ₹250, though this figure is subject to periodic revision by IRDAI.
Separately, refresher training may have its own cost, ranging from roughly ₹150 to ₹500 for online modules, or higher for classroom-based training.
Confirm the current fee structure directly with your sponsoring insurer or the IRDAI portal before initiating renewal, since fee schedules can change.
Similar Articles
What Happens If You Don’t Renew on Time?
Letting your license lapse isn’t a minor administrative slip — it directly affects your ability to legally sell insurance and earn commission.
If your license expires without renewal, you may be required to go through a more involved reinstatement process, potentially including fresh training or, in some cases, re-examination, depending on how long the license has been lapsed.
This is exactly why proactive renewal planning matters far more in this business than it might seem at first glance — a lapsed license doesn’t just pause your income, it can also disrupt client relationships built over years.
Important 2026 Update: Perpetual Registration for Certain Intermediaries
Here’s a genuinely significant regulatory shift worth understanding, even though it doesn’t apply to individual IC-38 agents directly: effective February 5, 2026, IRDAI moved several categories of insurance intermediaries — including Insurance Brokers, Corporate Agents, Insurance Marketing Firms (IMFs), Web Aggregators, Third-Party Administrators (TPAs), and Surveyors — to a perpetual registration model.
This means their license no longer expires every 3 years; instead, it remains valid indefinitely, subject to payment of an annual fee and continued compliance with IRDAI regulations.
For context, corporate agents transitioning under this new regime have been subject to an interim annual fee of around ₹8,000 plus applicable GST for renewals or fresh registrations processed between February 5 and June 30, 2026.
Why this matters for you: if you’re an individual agent today but considering scaling into a corporate agency structure or an insurance marketing firm down the line, this perpetual registration model changes the long-term compliance picture quite favourably — no more repeated 3-year renewal cycles for that entity, just ongoing annual fee compliance.
Individual IC-38 agents, however, should continue to plan around the standard 3-year renewal cycle with CPD training, since this specific reform applies to intermediary entities rather than individual agents.
Tips to Manage Your License Renewal Smoothly
- Set a reminder at least 6 months before your license expiry date to give yourself ample time to complete CPD training without last-minute pressure.
- Keep digital copies of your training certificates, exam results, and renewal receipts — this makes any future verification or dispute far easier to resolve.
- Regularly check your license status through the IRDAI Agency Portal using your PAN, especially in the months leading up to expiry.
- Keep your personal and KYC details updated with both your sponsoring insurer and IRDAI, since outdated information can delay the renewal process.
- Stay informed on regulatory circulars, since renewal requirements and fee structures can change periodically.
License Renewal at a Glance (Individual Agents)
| Parameter | Detail |
| License Validity | 3 years from date of issue |
| Renewal Requirement | 25 hours of CPD refresher training (no re-exam needed) |
| Renewal Forms | FORM IRDA-AGENTS-VA and FORM IRDA-AGENTS-VB |
| Renewal Fee | Approx. Rs.250 (subject to revision – verify current fee) |
| Training Cost | Approx. Rs.150 – Rs.500 (online); higher for classroom training |
| Verification Method | IRDAI Agency Portal (PAN-based lookup) |
| Recommended Renewal Planning | Begin at least 6 months before expiry |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to retake the IC-38 exam to renew my insurance agent license?
No. Renewal requires completing 25 hours of CPD refresher training during your license’s validity period, not retaking the IC-38 exam.
How long is an individual insurance agent’s license valid in India?
It’s valid for 3 years from the date of issue, after which renewal is required to continue legally selling insurance.
Has the license renewal process changed for all insurance intermediaries in 2026?
Not for individual agents — they still follow the standard 3-year renewal cycle. However, categories like Corporate Agents, Insurance Brokers, IMFs, Web Aggregators, TPAs, and Surveyors moved to a perpetual registration model effective February 5, 2026, subject to annual fee payment.
What happens if my insurance agent license lapses?
A lapsed license means you can no longer legally sell insurance until reinstated, which may involve additional training or, in some cases, re-examination, depending on how long the lapse has been. It’s best to renew well before expiry to avoid this altogether.
How can I check my current license status?
You can verify your license status and download your certificate through the IRDAI Agency Portal using your PAN number, date of birth, and registered mobile/email for OTP verification.