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California license lookup

How to check an insurance agent's license in California

Before you share your Medicare number or sign anything, take two minutes to confirm the agent is licensed in California. Here's where to look, and what you should see.

Last reviewed October 26, 2026. General information, not advice about any plan.

Look the agent up in California

  1. Ask for their full name and NPN

    Every licensed agent has a National Producer Number. A real agent will give it to you without hesitation.

  2. Open the California Department of Insurance's license lookup

    California agent license lookup. It's the official lookup from the California Department of Insurance. Use the "Individual Name Search" or "License Number" tab. Results also show any enforcement actions. There's no NPN search, so ask the agent for their California license number.

  3. Check four things

    The status is active, the license is for California (resident or nonresident), it includes a health line of authority, and it hasn't expired.
Agents with our Verified badge have had these checks done by a person on our team, against the state's own records, and the badge shows the date. How we verify

What the results mean

Active
The license is current. This is what you want to see.
Inactive, expired or lapsed
The agent can't legally sell insurance in the state right now. Don't enroll through them.
Resident or nonresident
Resident means their home office is in California. Nonresident means they're based in another state and licensed to work here. Both are fine.
Line of authority
The kinds of insurance they can sell. For Medicare plans, look for Health or Accident & Health. Life-only isn't enough.
Regulatory or disciplinary actions
Some lookups list fines or other actions. One old, small action may not mean much; several, or a revoked license, is a reason to look elsewhere.

Extra steps for Medicare plans

A state license is the first check. For Medicare plans, two more things apply:

  • Appointment: the agent must be appointed by the insurance company whose plan you're choosing. Ask which companies they represent in California.
  • Yearly certification: agents who sell Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans must complete each plan's training and testing every year.

Agents who sell for more than one company must also tell you, before discussing any plan's benefits, how many companies and plans they represent in your area. None of them works for Medicare.

Switching Medigap plans in California

Birthday rule. For 60 days starting on your birthday, you can switch to a Medigap plan with equal or lesser benefits from any insurer, with no health questions.

This applies to people who already have a Medicare Supplement policy. See every state's Medigap switching rule.

Medigap if you're under 65 in California

Required, with limits. California requires Medigap insurers to offer people under 65 with Medicare due to disability Plans A, B, D and G (if currently available) plus K or L and M or N, with guaranteed acceptance for 6 months after Part B enrollment, but people under 65 who have ESRD are excluded.

Price: Insurers may charge people under 65 more than age-65 rates; no cap is set.

If you have Part B when you turn 65, you get a new 6-month Medigap open enrollment then. See every state's rule for people under 65.

If something looks wrong

Free, unbiased help in California: HICAP

Every state has a free Medicare counseling program. In California it's the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), part of the national State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) network. Its counselors are trained, don't sell anything, and can help you compare your options or check what an agent told you, for free.

Free help that isn't an agent

Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048), or Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222.

Common questions

What license does an agent need to sell Medicare plans in California?

A California insurance license with a health line of authority (often called "Accident & Health" or "Health"). To sell a particular company's plans, the agent must also be appointed by that company, and agents who sell Medicare Advantage or Part D plans must complete the plan's training and testing every year.

Can an agent from another state help me in California?

Yes, if they hold a California license. Agents based elsewhere get a "nonresident" license for each state they work in. It shows up in the California Department of Insurance's lookup the same way, marked nonresident.

Does it cost anything to check a license?

No. The lookup is free and open to the public, and you don't need an account.

What if I can't find the agent?

Check the spelling, try their National Producer Number (NPN) instead of their name, and ask whether their license is under a different legal name. If you still can't find an active license, don't share your Medicare number or sign anything, and contact the California Department of Insurance.

Nearby states

Agents often work across state lines. Check that they're licensed in the state where you live.

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