You can't upgrade or downgrade your license online. When you downgrade or upgrade your license, the lines of authority, renewal fees and continuing education requirements (for residents) will change. The license-effective and -expiry dates do not change when you downgrade or upgrade a producer license.

If it's within 90 days of your license expiry date, you can't upgrade or downgrade. If your license is in the renewal period, you'll need to renew before you can change the lines of authority.

The difference between upgrading and downgrading your license

Downgrading a producer license means changing the lines of authority on the license from full lines to limited lines. Upgrading a producer license means changing the lines of authority on the license from limited lines to full lines.

Full lines are life, disability, property, casualty or personal lines. Limited lines are surety, credit or travel.

Downgrading your license

You can change lines of authority on your license from full to limited lines by following these instructions.

Individual licensees need to submit:

If you're a resident licensee, you'll also need to send us a written statement that you understand:

  • If you want to return to a full lines license, you'll need to do so before your next license expiry date. After that date, you'll need to retake the full lines exam to upgrade.
  • If you want to return to a full lines license, you'll need to complete continuing education hours.
  • Returning to a full-lines license costs a $35 upgrade fee.

Business-entity licensees need to submit:

Upgrading your license

You can change the lines of authority on your license from limited lines to full lines by following these instructions.

Individual licensees need to submit:

  • An NAIC uniform paper application
  • A cover letter requesting an upgrade
  • $35 upgrade fee — make checks payable to the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Resident licensees also need to send us passing score reports for each full line of authority you wish to add.

Note: There is one exception to the passing score reports rule. If you had a full lines license within the last 12 months, you will need to submit CE hours instead of a score report. You will need 24 hours of CE (at least 3 of which are ethics credits) to make this upgrade.

Business-entity licensees need to submit:

  • An NAIC uniform paper application
  • A cover letter requesting an upgrade
  • $35 upgrade fee — make checks payable to the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner

If you're a business-entity licensee and you're upgrading your license, you cannot transact full lines business until you've affiliated at least one producer with a full lines license. The producer needs to have at least one like line of authority with the business entity.

Canceling your license

All individual and business-entity licensees can cancel their license by sending us a message online, faxing or mailing their cancelation request.

Your cancellation request must include:

  • Your name as it appears on your license
  • Your WAOIC number — you can find your number by looking up your information in our agent and company lookup tool
  • For individual licenses: your signature (electronic signature/signature blocks are acceptable)
  • For business-entity licenses: the signature of an authorized submitter (electronic signature/signature blocks are acceptable)

Fax us at: 360-586-2019

Mail your request to:

Office of the Insurance Commissioner
P.O. Box 40255
Olympia, WA 98504-0255

The date we process your request will be your license cancellation date. Requests to cancel licenses are generally processed within five to seven business days of receipt.