The LLQP Exam Explained: Modules, Format, Pass Mark and How to Get Licensed in Canada

If you want to sell life insurance, disability coverage or segregated funds anywhere in Canada outside Quebec, one requirement stands between you and a licence: the Life Licence Qualification Program, better known as the LLQP. This guide walks through what the program is, how each exam module is built, what it takes to pass, and the licensing steps that come after, using the rules published by the regulators themselves.

What the LLQP actually is

The LLQP is a national standard for qualifying life and accident and sickness (A&S) insurance agents. It was designed by the Canadian Insurance Services Regulatory Organizations (CISRO) and adopted by provincial regulators as a common program on January 1, 2016, according to the Government of Prince Edward Island.

It has two parts that people often confuse:

• The course. You study the LLQP curriculum through an approved course provider and pass the provider’s own end-of-course exams. Ontario’s regulator, FSRA, estimates the course takes about 100 hours, though that varies a lot from person to person.
• The provincial exam. Once you hold a course completion certificate, you register for the official LLQP exam in your province. This is the exam that counts toward your licence.

In Ontario, FSRA is clear that the LLQP is the only accepted training program for life and A&S agents.

The four modules at a glance

The exam is split into four separately scored modules. The format below comes from the Alberta Insurance Council’s LLQP FAQ, which publishes the clearest breakdown of question counts.

Module	Scored questions	Unscored pilot questions	Time	Study it on BeInsured
Life Insurance	30	5	75 minutes	Life study guide
Accident and Sickness Insurance	30	5	75 minutes	A&S study guide
Segregated Funds and Annuities	30	5	75 minutes	Seg funds study guide
Ethics and Professional Practice	20	5	75 minutes	Ethics study guide

Pilot questions are being tested for future exams. They don’t count toward your score and you won’t know which ones they are, so treat every question as if it matters.

Alberta also notes that certified candidates can write all four modules in a single day or spread them out across a year, depending on available sittings.

Which modules do you need?

That depends on the licence you are after. Prince Edward Island’s published rules are a good example of how this is usually split:

• Accident and sickness agent only: the A&S module plus Ethics and Professional Practice.
• Life insurance agent: all four modules.

Not sure which path fits your career plans? Our licence finder tool asks a few questions and points you to the right one.

What each module really tests

The LLQP is a competency exam, not a memory test. CISRO’s official curriculum spells out how questions are weighted. In the Life Insurance module, for example, the split is:

1. Assessing the client’s needs and situation: 35%
2. Analyzing available products: 30%
3. Implementing a recommendation: 25%
4. Serving the client during the coverage period: 10%

Notice that two thirds of the marks sit in needs analysis and product analysis. Expect case-style questions where a client’s family, income, debts and tax position decide the right answer. Knowing definitions only gets you part of the way.

The Ethics module outside Quebec is weighted 60% on the legal aspects of insurance and annuity contracts and 40% on the rules that govern agents’ activities. Quebec has its own ethics version built around the Civil Code of Québec.

How hard is it to pass?

Each module is graded on its own, and Prince Edward Island sets the pass mark at 60% per module. Sixty percent sounds forgiving until you look at the national results.

Roughly one in four first-time candidates fails each module. CISRO’s 2024 data put first-time pass rates between 69% and 78%, with Segregated Funds and Annuities the toughest at 69%.

Here is the full 2024 picture as reported by Advisor.ca:

Module	2024 first-time pass rate	2023
Segregated Funds and Annuities	69%	74%
Life Insurance	72%	not reported
Accident and Sickness Insurance	76%	not reported
Ethics (Civil Code)	77%	66%
Ethics (Common Law)	78%	79%

The pattern is useful. The module most people underestimate, seg funds, is the one that trips up the most candidates. If your time is limited, give it extra hours and work through the segregated funds practice tests until guarantee resets, maturity dates and death benefit calculations feel routine.

Rewrites and waiting periods

Failing a module is not the end, but the rules are strict and they differ by province. Two examples:

• Ontario: after a failed exam you may write three supplemental exams, with a mandatory 24-hour wait between attempts. Fail the fourth overall attempt and you must wait one year before registering again, and you will have to retake the prerequisite course. (FSRA)
• Prince Edward Island: up to three attempts per module, then a six-month mandatory wait from the date of the third attempt. (PEI)

Your course certificate also has a shelf life. Alberta treats certification as valid for one year from the date it is issued, while PEI requires you to write within 24 months of completing the modules. Check your own province before you book so the certificate doesn’t lapse while you study.

Ontario’s 2026 change: in-person exams only

If you are writing in Ontario, note this change. On March 23, 2026, FSRA announced that online LLQP exams would end on July 1, 2026 to combat misconduct and cheating. The exam is now delivered in person only through Durham College, with accommodations still available for candidates facing distance-related limitations.

In practice, this means you should plan your travel and book a seat early, and practise under real exam conditions. Our timed exam simulator mirrors the 75-minute format so the clock is not a surprise on exam day.

From passing to licensed: the Ontario checklist

Passing the exam does not license you on its own. Using Ontario as the example, FSRA’s new licence requirements include:

• ☐ Pass the LLQP exam, then apply within one year of the date you first pass.
• ☐ Get sponsored by a licensed insurer. New agents need a sponsor for their first two years, and the insurer starts your application in FSRA’s Licensing Link portal.
• ☐ Complete a background check through FSRA’s approved vendor, Triton. The fee is $19.15 and the check is valid for 90 days.
• ☐ Arrange errors and omissions (E&O) insurance with at least $1 million per occurrence, including coverage for fraudulent acts, in the same legal name as your licence. Your sponsoring insurer’s policy may cover you at first.
• ☐ Pay the $170 application fee, which covers the first two years. Your insurer may pay it for you.
• ☐ Plan for continuing education: 30 CE credits over your first two years, with certificates kept for at least four years.

Other provinces follow a similar shape with their own fees and forms. Always confirm the details with your provincial regulator before you apply.

A study plan that matches how the exam is built

Because the exam rewards applied judgment, the most efficient preparation moves from understanding to recall to timed practice:

1. Learn the concepts module by module. Start with the study guides and read each chapter with a client scenario in mind.
2. Lock in the vocabulary. Terms like contingent beneficiary, elimination period and reset date show up everywhere. Ten minutes a day with LLQP flashcards builds that recall quickly.
3. Drill with explanations. Work through practice tests and read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right.
4. Simulate the real thing. In the final week, sit full 75-minute simulations and aim for a buffer well above 60% before you book.
5. Track your weak spots. Use My Journey to see which module is lagging and point your remaining hours there.

Common questions

Can I write the LLQP exam without taking the course?

No. The regulators require a certificate of completion from an approved LLQP course provider before you can register for the provincial exam.

Do I have to pass all four modules at once?

No. Each module is scored separately, and you can write them on the same day or over a period of time, within your province’s validity rules. You need every module required for your licence type.

Is the LLQP the same in Quebec?

Quebec follows the same overall framework but has its own ethics module based on the Civil Code of Québec, and licensing runs through Quebec’s own regulator. Candidates there should check the Quebec-specific requirements.

How long does it take to get licensed?

Plan for around 100 hours of course study, plus time for exam prep, booking a seat and the regulator’s processing. Many candidates take a few months from start to licence.

Ready to start? Try a free practice test in any module and see where you stand today. When you want every test, the timed simulator and full progress tracking, compare the options on our plans page.

Exam rules and fees change. This guide reflects regulator information available as of October 2026. Always confirm current requirements with your provincial insurance regulator or exam provider before booking.