Official format for the combined exam
| Official item | California L&H |
|---|---|
| Scored questions | 150 |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 60% |
| Testing provider | PSI |
| CDI examination fee | $55 |
Spanish is one of several official language paths
CDI publishes current examination objectives and the 12-hour Ethics and California Insurance Code objectives in Spanish, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese and Tagalog in addition to English.
Use the official Spanish objectives as your terminology anchor. A bilingual course should teach the same concept consistently across questions, explanations and state-law references.
What changed on January 1, 2026
AB 943 removed the former 20-hour line-specific prelicensing requirement for the listed producer licenses. It did not remove the 12 hours of Ethics and California Insurance Code required before the license can be issued.
CDI explains that the 12-hour course does not have to be completed merely to schedule and take the exam, but it must be completed before license issuance.
The latest Spanish first-attempt result
These are exam-language results, not ethnicity results. CDI's separate 2024 voluntary demographic data showed a 43 percent non-pass rate among Hispanic first-time L&H candidates and 21 percent among White candidates.
| January-September 2025 first attempts | Non-pass rate |
|---|---|
| English exam | 40% |
| Spanish exam | 71% (279 of 393) |
How to prepare for the Spanish exam
- Study from the current CDI objectives, not an old prelicensing outline.
- Build Spanish terminology at the same time as the underlying insurance concept.
- Practice California law and ethics in context rather than memorizing disconnected definitions.
- Use timed sets and full 150-question simulations within three hours.
- Treat 60 percent as the legal threshold, not your target practice score; build a safety margin.
Official sources and further reading
Facts and requirements were checked against the linked primary sources on the article's publication date. Licensing authorities and testing providers remain controlling.
- California Department of Insurance: October 2025 Curriculum Board Meeting PacketOfficial January-September 2025 first-attempt results by examination language.
- California Department of Insurance: 2024 Annual Report of the Insurance CommissionerOfficial 2024 first-attempt results using voluntary, self-reported demographic information.
- California Department of Insurance: Examinations: Time Limit and Number of QuestionsOfficial 150-question, three-hour format and 60 percent producer-exam passing score.
- California Department of Insurance: 12 Hours of Ethics and California Insurance Code FAQOfficial explanation of the January 1, 2026 prelicensing change and the remaining 12-hour requirement for license issuance.
- California Department of Insurance: License Examination ObjectivesCurrent examination objectives and the available language versions.
- California Department of Insurance: Insurance License FeesOfficial filing and examination-fee schedule.