To print your California insurance license, use the California Department of Insurance (CDI) “Print or Download Your License” service, which routes to the Sircon portal, authenticates you, and generates a PDF you print yourself on plain white paper. CDI no longer mails physical licenses, so this self-serve PDF is your proof of licensure. The process takes a few minutes if your license is active.
Confirm Your License Is Active
Before you open the printing portal, run your name or license number through the CDI’s License Status Inquiry tool to confirm your current standing, license type, and expiration date.1California Department of Insurance. License Status Inquiry It’s a public database, so no login is needed. If the record shows expired or inactive, printing won’t fix that. You’ll need to resolve the status first.
Steps to Print an Individual License
Open the CDI’s Print or Download Your License page and follow the prompts into Sircon.2California Department of Insurance. Print or Download Your License Individual licensees authenticate in three steps:
- Enter your last name.
- Enter the last four digits of your Social Security Number.
- Enter your date of birth, license number, or National Producer Number (NPN).
Once you’re authenticated, the system produces your license as a downloadable PDF. Print it on plain white paper and it functions as your proof of licensure.
Steps for a Business Entity License
Business entities take a slightly different path. Instead of an SSN, enter the full Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), then provide either a CDI-approved name (legal name or DBA), the license number, or the NPN.2California Department of Insurance. Print or Download Your License
Printing Fees and the 30-Day Free Window
If you submitted your license application or renewal through Sircon, printing is free for 30 days after approval. Premium Sircon account holders, whether individuals or agencies, get free printing with no time limit. Everyone else pays a service fee once the 30-day window closes.3Sircon powered by Vertafore. License Printing A state fee may also apply depending on the transaction. The portal shows the total before you pay.
Applied by paper through the mail rather than through Sircon? The 30-day free window doesn’t apply, and the service fee kicks in from the start.
When You Need a Certified Copy Instead
The self-printed PDF is fine for everyday verification. It is not a certified document. For legal proceedings, out-of-state licensing applications, or anything requiring official state attestation, you need a formal certified copy bearing the CDI’s seal, and you cannot generate that yourself.
CDI offers two certified documents, plus a separate bond replacement service for producers:
- Certificate of License Status: $24.
- Legal Certification of License Record: $55.
- Bond Replacement (Producers): $32.
These are non-refundable filing fees under California Insurance Code Section 1751.5.4California Legislative Information. California Insurance Code 1751.5 – Filing Fees The amounts appear on the CDI’s licensing fee schedule.5California Department of Insurance. Licensing Fees
To request a Certificate of License Status you can print immediately, use Sircon’s Compliance Express service. Choose “Request a Letter of Certification,” select your resident state, select the state where the certificate is needed, and enter your last name and license number. The fee summary appears before payment, and the certificate is available to print as soon as payment goes through.6California Department of Insurance. How Do I Request My CERT
If the Portal Says Your License Is Expired
California has no grace period for expired insurance licenses. If yours has lapsed, you cannot legally transact insurance, and printing a copy of an expired license won’t change that.7California Department of Insurance. Renewal FAQ CDI does allow you to keep operating for up to 60 days past the expiration date if you submitted your renewal fee and completed your continuing education before the expiration date and are simply waiting on processing.
If you missed the deadline entirely, your options depend on how long it’s been. Within one year of expiration, you can late-renew through Sircon’s “Renewal or Reinstate a License” service, but CDI charges a 50% penalty on top of the standard renewal fee, and all insurance company appointments must be reestablished with new forms and fees. More than one year past expiration, late renewal is off the table: you file a brand-new application, complete pre-licensing education, and pass the qualifying exam again. Bail agents face stricter rules and must reapply as new applicants regardless of how recently the license lapsed.
Once you renew and the record shows active again, come back to the Print or Download Your License page and pull your updated PDF.