Last reviewed: 30 September 2026
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How to check an insurance agent's license in New York
The short answer: use the New York Department of Financial Services' (DFS's) Producer/Licensee Search, which DFS says lets you find out whether a license has been issued and see its license number, by name or license number.[1][2] Then check DFS's disciplinary summaries separately, because the pages we read do not describe the license search as a disciplinary record. Our general licensing guide covers what applies in every state; this page covers only the New York tools.
Why it matters
In New York, DFS runs the license search for agents and brokers.[1] This page is about New York only, and only about United States regulators.
What we read, and when
We read each DFS page cited here on 30 September 2026. DFS does not date its licensing FAQ, its agents-and-brokers page or the search page itself. Its disciplinary-summaries page lists dated monthly files, the earliest dated 01/29/2021 and the latest 09/29/2026.[4] Because the undated pages can change without notice, treat the steps below as accurate to that reading date.
Step 1: get the name or the license number
Ask for the full name as licensed and the New York license number. DFS says you may search by name or by license number.[2]
Step 2: open the Producer/Licensee Search
The search is at myportal.dfs.ny.gov. The page is headed "Insurance License Search." Before it lets you search, it asks you to type the letters shown in an image (a CAPTCHA), and it notes that a session times out after 60 minutes without activity.[3]
Step 3: read the result for what it is
DFS describes the tool as the way to "determine if a license has been issued and to view the license number."[1] DFS does not say the public search shows carrier appointments, discipline or complaints. Read what your result actually shows rather than assuming more.
If you get no result, be careful how you read it. DFS's licensing FAQ, answering an applicant's question about application status, says that if the search finds no licensing information, "the license has not yet been issued."[2] For a person selling to you, a missing result is a reason to re-check the spelling, ask for the exact name and number on their license, and ask DFS. Do not assume either that the person is licensed or that they are not.
DFS also says it does not mail paper licenses: once a license is issued, the licensee saves and prints it as a PDF.[2] So if an agent shows you a license document, compare it with what the search shows.
What "inactive" means in New York
DFS's licensing FAQ says: "If there are no current company appointments on file for an agent, the agent's license is considered to be inactive. An agent is required to have at least one company appointment on file in order to sell insurance." It adds that the appointment must be filed within 15 days of either the date an agency contract is executed or the date the first insurance application is submitted.[2] That answer is worded around a licensee's own status. It does not say whether the public search displays a status label, so use it to interpret a status you see, not to expect one. For the general idea of appointment, see why your agent needs to be appointed and how to verify it.
Step 4: check DFS's disciplinary summaries
DFS publishes "Insurance Disciplinary Action Summaries" for "Insurance Licensees and Registrants." The page says the summaries are PDFs and lists them by year and month, the earliest dated 01/29/2021 and the latest 09/29/2026.[4] Searching therefore means opening the months you care about. The page covers 2021 onward; for anything earlier, ask DFS. Our guide to reading a state disciplinary record explains what to look for in an order. No match in a summary is not proof of a clean record.
The New York routes at a glance
| Route | What DFS says it gives you | What the page does not say |
|---|---|---|
| Producer / Licensee Search | Whether a license has been issued, and its number; search by name or license number[1][2] | That it shows appointments, complaints or discipline |
| Licensing FAQ | What "inactive" means, and the 15-day appointment-filing window[2] | Whether the public search labels a status |
| Disciplinary Action Summaries | Monthly PDF summaries for insurance licensees and registrants, dated 01/29/2021 to 09/29/2026[4] | Anything dated before 2021 |
| Consumer Complaint application | A way to file, check the status of, or add information to a complaint[5] | A deadline or a response time |
If something looks wrong
DFS's complaint page says its online Consumer Complaint application is for complaints about "an insurance company, bank, student loan, mortgage or foreclosure, bail agent, or other financial service or product," and that you can check a complaint's status or add information later. It also warns: "we may share a copy of your complaint with the company or individual you are complaining about."[5] The page does not spell out a separate path for complaints about an individual agent or broker, so name the person clearly in what you file. Our complaint guide covers what to include.
New York rules that go beyond the license check
A license lookup does not tell you which conduct rules apply to the sale. For life insurance and annuities, see New York's Regulation 187; for what a New York agent must tell you about pay, see commission disclosure. If the agent is licensed in another state, start with the general guide (the Texas guide shows what a state-specific route looks like); the NAIC directory lets you pick any state.[6] For Canada, see the Canadian guide. This site covers United States agents and law only.
When we will update this page
We re-read this page when DFS changes the Producer/Licensee Search, its licensing FAQ, or its disciplinary-summaries or complaint pages. If something here is out of date, tell us; corrections are dated on the page.
References
- [1] New York State Department of Financial Services, "Information for Insurance Agents and Brokers" (Producer/Licensee Search), read 30 September 2026 — dfs.ny.gov/apps_and_licensing/agents_and_brokers
- [2] New York State Department of Financial Services, "FAQ: Industry Licensing," read 30 September 2026 — dfs.ny.gov/faqs/industry_faqs/licensing
- [3] New York State Department of Financial Services, Producer Search ("Insurance License Search"), read 30 September 2026 — myportal.dfs.ny.gov/nylinxext/elsearch.alice
- [4] New York State Department of Financial Services, "Insurance Disciplinary Actions" (Insurance Licensees and Registrants Disciplinary Action Summaries), read 30 September 2026 — dfs.ny.gov/Industry_guidance/disciplinary_actions
- [5] New York State Department of Financial Services, "File a Complaint," read 30 September 2026 — dfs.ny.gov/complaint
- [6] NAIC, "State Insurance Departments" directory, read 30 September 2026 — content.naic.org/state-insurance-departments
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