Indiana Navigator License Requirements: Application, Renewal, and Rules

To earn an Indiana navigator certification, you must complete approved precertification education, pass the Indiana Navigator Examination, clear a criminal background check, and file an application through Sircon.com with a $50 fee for Indiana residents or $100 for non-residents, plus a processing fee. The certification is issued by the Indiana Department of Insurance (IDOI) and is required for anyone who helps consumers apply for coverage through the federal Marketplace or state programs including Medicaid, CHIP, and the Healthy Indiana Plan.¹

Who Needs the Certification

Indiana defines a navigator as anyone who assists individuals with applying for and enrolling in a health benefit exchange plan or a public health insurance program like Medicaid, CHIP, or HIP 2.0.¹ If you sit down with a consumer and walk through a HealthCare.gov or state program application, you need to be certified.

One category of person cannot be a navigator at all: anyone currently earning commissions from selling health insurance. Navigators cannot receive compensation from a health insurance issuer in connection with enrollment and cannot charge consumers for their help.² If you want to both sell plans and help people enroll, the credential you need is an insurance producer license, not a navigator certification.

Eligibility

Under 760 IAC 4-3-1, you must be at least 18 years old to apply.³ Beyond age, several conditions will disqualify you:

A felony conviction or other disqualifying crime as determined by the Commissioner of Insurance
An insurance license, navigator certification, or equivalent credential that has been denied, suspended, or revoked in any state or territory
An outstanding child support order or unpaid state income tax
A conflict of interest that would prevent you from giving fair and impartial assistance⁴

The child support and tax requirements catch applicants off guard more than any other item on the list. Clear those balances before you start the process.

Precertification Education and the Exam

Before you apply, you must complete precertification education from an IDOI-approved course provider. The training covers consumer assistance, the federal Marketplace, and Indiana programs including Medicaid, CHIP, and HIP 2.0. The IDOI maintains the approved provider list on its website.⁵

After the coursework, you must pass the Indiana Navigator Examination following the IDOI’s examination procedure and scheduling guidelines. If you already hold a valid Indiana insurance producer or consultant license, the exam is waived.⁶ Using unauthorized notes or reference materials during the exam is grounds for denial or revocation of certification.⁴

Background Check and Required Forms

Every applicant must complete a criminal background check and submit the results to the IDOI. If you are affiliated with an Application Organization, that organization may handle the check for you. Otherwise, you can go through the Indiana State Police, which costs between $7 and $17 for Indiana residents depending on how the check is run.⁷

Two forms also have to be completed and attached to your application:

The Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form, which requires you to review the IDOI’s Conflict of Interest Policy and disclose any actual or potential conflicts
The Navigator Privacy and Security Agreement, a signed commitment to protect consumers’ personal information⁶

Most navigators work under an Application Organization, which is a registered entity that employs or contracts with navigators and takes responsibility for verifying their credentials. The organization must notify the IDOI within 30 days when a navigator joins or leaves.³

Filing the Application

Once education, exam, background check, and forms are complete, you file online through Sircon.com under “New Insurance Licenses.” The filing fee is $50 for Indiana residents and $100 for non-residents, plus a processing fee. Both are nonrefundable.⁶

Allow 7 to 10 business days for the IDOI to process your application before checking on status. Processing often runs longer in the weeks before open enrollment. You will receive an email once a decision is made.⁶

What You Can and Cannot Do Once Certified

Navigators cannot recommend a specific health plan or steer consumers toward any particular option. Only licensed Indiana insurance producers can advise on plan selection. Your job is to present all available plans and let the consumer decide.⁸

Federal rules under 45 CFR 155.210 also bar navigators and their organizations from being health insurance issuers, subsidiaries of issuers, or associations that lobby for the insurance industry.² On privacy, 45 CFR 155.260 limits how personally identifiable information collected through the exchange can be used; it may only be used to carry out exchange functions or for purposes the consumer specifically consents to.⁹

Renewal and Continuing Education

Indiana navigator certifications must be renewed every year. You must complete at least two hours of continuing education annually from an IDOI-approved provider, who reports your completion directly to the IDOI.⁵

You can only submit the renewal within 60 days before your expiration date. File through Sircon under “Renew a License” and pay the same fee structure as the initial application: $50 for residents, $100 for non-residents, plus a processing fee. The IDOI sends a courtesy reminder email about 60 days out, but you are responsible for renewing on time whether or not you receive it. If your conflict of interest status has changed, submit an updated disclosure form with the renewal.

Reporting Obligations Between Renewals

Several changes must be reported to the IDOI within 30 days. A change in legal name or address triggers the deadline, as does any federal or state criminal action in any jurisdiction. The 30-day clock for a criminal matter runs from the final disposition of the case, not the arrest or charge date.¹⁰

Updates to phone numbers and email addresses can be submitted through the Navigator/AO Service Request Form on the IDOI website. Missing a reporting deadline can trigger enforcement action by the Commissioner of Insurance.¹⁰

Penalties for Violations

The Commissioner of Insurance can discipline navigators with a reprimand, civil penalties, probation, suspension, temporary revocation, permanent revocation, or a cease-and-desist order, and can combine penalties for a single violation.⁴

At the federal level, HHS can assess civil money penalties against navigators operating in a federally facilitated exchange. HHS may offer a corrective action plan first; if the navigator fails to follow through, the penalty is assessed. Investigations can start from consumer complaints, state or federal agency reports, or other information suggesting a violation.¹¹

Privacy violations carry a separate track. Unauthorized disclosure of protected health information can draw HIPAA penalties that in 2026 range from $145 per violation for unknowing breaches up to $2,190,294 per violation for willful neglect that goes uncorrected. The calendar-year cap for all violations of a single HIPAA provision is also $2,190,294.¹² The Privacy and Security Agreement you sign at application is your formal commitment to avoid this exposure.

1
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 27-19-2-12 – Navigator
2
eCFR. 45 CFR 155.210 – Navigator Program Standards
3
Indiana General Assembly. 760 IAC Article 4 – Navigators and Application Organizations
4
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 27-19-4-3 – Requirements for Navigator and Application Organization
5
Indiana Department of Insurance. Find an Approved Navigator Precertification Education or Continuing Education Course Provider
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Indiana Department of Insurance. Initial Navigator Application Process
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Indiana Department of Insurance. Background Check
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Indiana Department of Insurance. Indiana Navigator FAQs
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eCFR. 45 CFR 155.260 – Privacy and Security of Personally Identifiable Information
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Indiana Department of Insurance. Reporting Requirements for Indiana Navigators
11
GovInfo. 45 CFR 155.206 – Civil Money Penalties for Violations by Consumer Assistance Entities
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Mercer. HHS Adjusts 2026 HIPAA, Certain ACA and MSP Monetary Penalties