The legal minimum became shorter
| Major-line course | Current minimum |
|---|---|
| Life | 8 hours |
| Accident & Sickness | 8 hours |
| Combined preparation prerequisite | 16 hours across both courses |
The exam knowledge did not shrink with the hours
Georgia OCI's notice says no changes were planned for the licensing knowledge requirements and directs candidates to the current handbook outlines. A shorter mandatory course is therefore not evidence that the examination became easier.
H1 2026: 46.77% of combined attempts did not pass
Across Q1 and Q2, 2,093 of 4,475 graded 12-GA-05 attempts ended without a passing score. First-time attempts had a 42.20% non-pass rate; repeat attempts reached 57.45%. These are attempts, not unique people, and they do not prove the course-hour change caused the result.
Our response is depth, not more seat time
CertiAcademy uses the official outline to diagnose every chapter, explain the rule, practice with more than 1,300 questions including 500 Georgia-specific items, repeat weak concepts and simulate the real exam. The point is not to add arbitrary hours; it is to prove mastery before the appointment.
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.
- Georgia Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire: Education Providers, Courses and InstructorsOfficial July 2025 change to eight prelicensing hours per major line and confirmation that tested knowledge did not change.
- Pearson VUE / Georgia OCI: Georgia Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook, August 2026Current exam fee, length, Spanish-language option, bilingual toggle and licensing steps.
- Pearson VUE / Georgia OCI: Georgia Insurance Pass Rates, January–March 2026Official graded-attempt totals for exam series 12-GA-05 and other Georgia examinations.
- Pearson VUE / Georgia OCI: Georgia Insurance Pass Rates, April–June 2026Official second-quarter results used with Q1 to calculate the first-half totals.