Life insurance licensing in Atlantic Canada
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island all have Durham College administer the LLQP exams, yet each handles the sitting and the licence differently. New Brunswick offers in-person or online exams, Nova Scotia writes online, and PEI is online only, with its own rewrite rule. This page compares them and flags one contradiction you should know about.
| New Brunswick | Nova Scotia | PEI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam administrator | Durham College | Durham College | Durham College |
| Format | In person in Fredericton, or online | Online | Online only |
| Rewrites | Contradictory sources (see below) | Not detailed on the page checked | Up to 3 attempts, then 6 months from the 3rd |
| Licence application | FCNB Self-Serve Portal | Paper, by mail, with insurer endorsement | Check with the province |
New Brunswick
The Financial and Consumer Services Commission (FCNB) sets out a three-step path: course certificate, provincial exam, then an application in the FCNB Self-Serve Portal.
Exams are administered by Durham College, in person in Fredericton or online. If you live in Moncton or Saint John, the online option saves a trip; if you might later work in BC, an in-person sitting avoids any doubt about acceptance there. Exam marks are valid for 12 months, so the application has to follow within that time. The questions are multiple choice with four options and one correct answer.
Courses exist in French as well as English: FCNB notes that iA offers its course only in French, and that Advocis and CSI offer theirs in both languages. Candidates coming from Québec must show the common-law Ethics module (112).
A contradiction on rewrites
On May 28, 2024, FCNB announced that it was adopting the national CISRO rewrite policy: 3 rewrites, 24 hours apart, then a one-year wait and a new course after a fourth failure. Its LLQP page, checked on October 21, 2026, still shows an older rewrite schedule that does not match that policy.
We cannot tell you which one FCNB applies today. Ask FCNB in writing before you plan a rewrite.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia candidates write the LLQP exams online through Durham College, with the usual 60% pass mark per module.
The licence itself needs an endorsement from a licensed insurer. The application is on paper and sent by mail. Once issued, the licence is renewed every three years.
The endorsement plays a role close to Ontario’s sponsorship: you need an insurer on board before the regulator will license you. Start that conversation while you study, especially if you are aiming for a first role in Halifax or Dartmouth.
Because the application is on paper, allow for mailing time and check that every form is signed and complete before you send it. A three-year renewal cycle also means you should note the renewal date as soon as the licence arrives, so it does not lapse while you are busy building your book.
Prince Edward Island
PEI exams are written online only, through Durham College.
PEI is the one province in this group with a rewrite rule that clearly differs from the CISRO policy: up to 3 attempts, then a six-month wait counted from the third attempt. If you are in Charlottetown and fail a module twice, the third attempt deserves a full practice cycle first, because the next failure costs six months.
The full comparison is on the LLQP retake rules page.
Planning a PEI rewrite
Treat the third attempt as the last one available before a pause. After a second failure, write at least two full practice exams on that module, on unseen questions, and book only once both are at 70% or more. Keep an eye on your course certificate too: it is valid 12 months from completion, and a six-month wait can push the next attempt beyond it.
Newfoundland and Labrador
We have not verified the LLQP arrangements for Newfoundland and Labrador for this guide. The exam content is national, so you can prepare now, but confirm the administrator, the format and the licence steps with the provincial regulator.
Writing online in Atlantic Canada
Online sittings save a trip, but they have their own candidate rules, set by the administrator. Read Durham College’s candidate instructions well before the day. And if you might move west, note that BC does not accept online LLQP exams written after June 30, 2023. More in the LLQP exam day guide.
Questions
Who runs the LLQP exam in the Maritimes?
Durham College, for New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, according to each regulator.
Can I write the LLQP in French in New Brunswick?
FCNB lists French-language courses. It does not confirm on the page we checked whether the exam itself is available in French. Ask FCNB or Durham College when you register.
How long is a Nova Scotia licence valid?
It is renewed every three years.
What is different about rewrites in PEI?
Up to 3 attempts, then a six-month wait from the third attempt, rather than the national one-year wait after a fourth failure.
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