Last reviewed: 10 November 2026
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How to check an insurance agent's license in New Jersey
The short answer: use the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) Licensee Search and choose the insurance search. DOBI says the search can be used to obtain the name, mailing address, license reference number, type and status of people and organizations it licenses.[1] This page covers only the New Jersey tools, and what DOBI's own pages say each one does. Our general licensing guide covers what applies in every state.
Sources
This guide draws on DOBI's Licensee Search page, its page of search terms and codes, its insurance licensing page, its enforcement activity page and its consumer assistance page. All were read on 10 November 2026. On that day the insurance search form itself returned an error page, so this guide does not describe its fields. It does not report any person's or company's record.
Step 1: get the name or license number
Ask the agent for their full name as licensed and their New Jersey license reference number. DOBI says its search returns the license reference number along with the name, type and status.[1] DOBI's licensing page also links to a National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) tool to look up a National Producer Number.[3]
Step 2: run the insurance search
The search is at www-dobi.nj.gov/DOBI_LicSearch. Pick "Insurance" as the type of search.[1] DOBI says the site uses pop-up windows and may not work with a pop-up blocker turned on, and that JavaScript should be enabled.[1] If the form shows an error, try again later.
Step 3: read the status
DOBI defines the statuses this way:[2]
- Active: "Currently and validly licensed."
- Inactive: the license was voluntarily surrendered, not renewed, or the licensee is deceased or no longer in business.
- Revoked: the license was surrendered as a result of a Department disciplinary action.
- Suspended: license authority was removed for a period set by the Department.
DOBI's Licensee Search page also says "This list includes only actively licensed individuals and organizations."[1] If you get no result, check the spelling, try the license reference number, and ask the agent for the exact name on their license. Do not assume either that the person is licensed or that they are not.
Step 4: check the line of authority
DOBI's codes page lists the insurance authorities a license can carry, including life, accident, health or sickness, personal lines, property, casualty, title, surplus lines and variable, plus limited lines such as bail bond, credit, ticket and self storage personal property.[2] It lists four insurance license types: individual producer, business entity producer, public adjuster and viatical settlement broker.[2] Our lines of authority guide explains why the type of insurance matters as much as the status.
Step 5: ask for a certification or check appointments
DOBI says that for an insurance licensee (producer, public adjuster or viatical settlement broker), a Certification of License Status for active licensees can be produced by clicking on the licensee's status.[1] DOBI says the same status field shows the next renewal date.[3] DOBI's licensing page also links to a second licensee search run through NAIC State Based Systems (SBS), which it labels "View appointments".[3] Our guide on why appointment matters explains what an appointment is.
Step 6: look at enforcement actions
DOBI publishes Division of Insurance enforcement activity by year. It says final agency orders or decisions in disciplinary actions issued after July 1, 2014 can be opened from the summaries on that page, and that earlier ones are available on request to the Division of Insurance.[4] This guide relies on DOBI's description, not on individual orders. Our guide to reading a state disciplinary record explains what to look for inside an order. A name that does not turn up is not proof of a clean record.
The New Jersey routes at a glance
| Route | What DOBI's page says it gives you | What the page does not say |
|---|---|---|
| DOBI Licensee Search (insurance) | Name, mailing address, license reference number, type and status, and a Certification of License Status for active licensees[1] | What the results screen shows for each person |
| Licensee Search via SBS | Listed by DOBI as the place to view appointments[3] | Which fields it shows |
| Enforcement activity | Yearly summaries, with final orders after July 1, 2014 linked[4] | Whether every action against a licensee appears there |
| Consumer assistance | A way to ask a question or file a formal insurance complaint[5] | A deadline or a response time |
What a clean result does not tell you
An active status on its own does not show that the person is authorized for the specific product being pitched (check the authorities listed with it; see lines of authority), is appointed by the specific insurer named, has no enforcement actions (step 6 is a separate search), or is the right person to advise you. It also says nothing about how an insurer treats its customers. For that, see how to use the NAIC Consumer Insurance Search.
If something looks wrong
DOBI says you can ask a question or open a formal complaint through its Consumer Inquiry and Response Center, and that filing online is its most convenient route.[5] It lists 609-292-7272 and a consumer hotline, 1-800-446-7467, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern, Monday to Friday.[5] Our complaint guide covers what a useful complaint contains.
If your agent is not licensed in New Jersey
Another state has its own tool and its own rules. We also have guides for Texas, New York, Florida, California, Pennsylvania and Washington. For an out-of-state agent selling into New Jersey, see non-resident licensing. This site covers United States agents and law only.
Questions people ask
What is the New Jersey insurance producer license lookup?
It is the DOBI Licensee Search with "Insurance" selected. DOBI says it returns name, mailing address, license reference number, type and status.[1]
What does "Inactive" mean?
DOBI says the license was voluntarily surrendered, not renewed, or the licensee is deceased or no longer in business.[2]
Can I search public adjusters too?
Yes. DOBI lists public adjuster as an insurance license type and names public adjusters among the insurance licensees the search covers.[1][2]
When we will update this page
We re-read this page when DOBI changes its Licensee Search, its enforcement pages or its complaint pages. If something here is out of date, tell us. Corrections are dated on the page.
References
- [1] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, "NJDOBI Licensee Search", read 10 November 2026 — www-dobi.nj.gov/DOBI_LicSearch/
- [2] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, "Description of Terms and Codes", read 10 November 2026 — www.nj.gov/dobi/licenseesearch/DOBISearchDesc.htm
- [3] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, "Insurance Licensing and Education", read 10 November 2026 — www.nj.gov/dobi/inslic.htm
- [4] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, "Division of Insurance Enforcement Activity", read 10 November 2026 — www.nj.gov/dobi/division_insurance/insfines.htm
- [5] New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, "NJDOBI Consumer Assistance", read 10 November 2026 — www.nj.gov/dobi/consumer.htm
What you can do next
- Check an agent's license yourself, step by step
- Check an agent (United States agents and brokers only) — see which ones we have checked
- See how we check — the rules and sources behind each result
- Report an error or request a correction
- Browse all agent guides