Individual Licences

RIBO offers three levels of insurance broker licensing in Ontario:

• Level 1 Licence – For entry-level brokers working under the supervision of a Principal Broker.
• Level 2 Licence – For brokers with more advanced technical and commercial insurance expertise, but still under a Principal Broker’s supervision.
• Level 3 Licence – For brokers qualified to act as Principal Broker, Deputy Principal Broker, or Supervising Broker, providing leadership within the brokerage.

To qualify for registration under the Registered Insurance Broker Act (Ontario Regulation 991, Section 5), individuals must pass the corresponding examination (or equivalent), satisfy the ‘only business or employment’ requirement, and be employed by a RIBO-registered brokerage (sponsoring brokerage). Employment is required for registration but not for taking the exam.

To apply for your licence, please see the information on the Licence Application Form.

Please also see the RIBO Guidance 005 – Sole Occupation Requirement for Individual Licensees if you have another occupation.

Once licensed as a RIBO Broker, you can begin your career as a broker. Here’s what you should know after getting licensed:

• Supervision by a Principal Broker: All licensed brokers, are required to act under the supervision of a Principal Broker, who will ensure that you comply with RIBO regulations and guidelines.
• Employed by an Active Firm: You must be employed or sponsored by an Active Firm Licensee, which is a brokerage registered with RIBO. Any periods of unemployment at an Active Firm must be reported to RIBO. During periods of unemployment, your license will become in-active and you will not be eligible to work as a broker until you obtain new employment at an Active Firm.
• Continuing Education: To maintain your licence, RIBO requires you to complete continuing education (CE) credits annually. These credits ensure you stay updated with industry standards and regulations. For more information on the specific CE requirements, visit RIBO’s Continuing Education Page.
• Annual Licence Renewal: Your RIBO license must be renewed on an annual basis to remain active. Licence renewal requires completing the annual form, submitting CE credits and the payment of renewal fees. To learn more about the renewal process and deadlines, visit the Renewing Your Licence webpage. The annual registration fee covers the period from October 1 to September 30. New registrations that take place from July to September require payment of 50% of the current year’s fee plus the full renewal fee for the coming year.

RIBO must review all applications to determine if they qualify for registration. Any applications that RIBO proposes to refuse must be referred to Qualification and Registration (QR) Committee for review.

In reviewing any applications for registration, the QR Committee may propose to refuse registration, approve registration, or approve registration with conditions through a signed undertaking. The QR Committee may require an individual to take any additional education, training or examinations and may impose a limitation on a licence. In cases where the QR committee proposes to refuse registration or grant registration with conditions, they must send you a written notice regarding their proposed decision.

When you receive a Notice of Proposal to Refuse or Notice of Proposal to Grant Registration with Conditions, you have the right to request a hearing. To do this, you must send the QR Committee a written request within 15 days of receiving the notice. The QR Committee meets on the second Tuesday of each month.

If you do not request a hearing within 15 days at the next QR Committee meeting there will be a motion for the decision to become final.

After the hearing or if one is not held, the QR Committee may decide to:

• Confirm its proposed decision; or, 
• Direct RIBO to register you, subject to conditions and a signed undertaking, if you meet the requirements for registration.

Individuals with a Shell or Tax Corporation for commission purposes must also register the corporation as a Non-Active Member Firm.

Non-Active Firm licences must be renewed annually in addition to Individual licences.

In October 2025, RIBO introduced a new non-practising licence that allows those who are no longer working in the broker industry selling insurance to maintain their professional designation.

Eligible applicants must:

• Have been RIBO-licensed for at least three years
• Hold a current RIBO licence (active or inactive)
• Not be actively practising as an insurance broker
• Be employed within the Canadian P&C industry.

Exceptions are made for individuals who:

• Are on approved leave under the Employment Standards Act (ESA or other leave of absence such as sickness, disability, parental leave, career sabbatical, etc.). Unemployed individuals are not eligible for this licence.
• Retired but wish to maintain their licence (must have been in the industry for a minimum of 25 years)
• Were previously deregistered but qualify for reinstatement under the provided grace period. Eligible individuals must have held a RIBO licence on or after September 30, 2022.

Individuals with this status will be required to stay current with industry developments and technical skills. A non-practising licensee will need to meet enhanced Continuing Education requirements on an annual basis:

• 8 hours of Technical
• 3 hours of Ethics
• 4 additional hours in any other category (no more than four hours of Professional Development can be completed in any one term).

To apply for your licence, please see the information on the Non-Practising Registration Checklist and Application Form.

RIBO offers two licensing pathways for out‑of‑province licensees seeking authorisation to work in Ontario. Individuals holding a valid Property & Casualty (P&C) licence from another Canadian jurisdiction may be eligible for one or both of the following options: 

• Temporary Licence Pathway: A six-month temporary licence allows you to begin working in Ontario right away while you gather the required documents for the renewable licensing pathway. Individuals can apply for this only once in a lifetime. 

• Renewable Licence Pathway: A renewable licence authorises you to act as an insurance broker in Ontario, provided you continue to meet all licensing and Continuing Education requirements.

Licensing Requirements

Below is a high‑level overview of the information and documents you may be required to submit with your application. 

Criminal Record Check: RIBO reviews Criminal Record Checks as part of its suitability assessment of applicants. The Criminal Record Check must be dated within the last sixty (60) days and it must include all current and previous names.  

Employment Confirmation Form: RIBO may only issue a license to an individual where they are an employee or contractor of a RIBO licensed firm pursuant to s. 5 (1), (c), of Regulation 991. This form also confirms that the employee or contractor is covered by the errors and omissions policy and fidelity bond.   

Licences Held: You will need to submit a copy of a licence and/or Certificate of Authority for each Canadian jurisdiction you are licensed in.  

Local Knowledge: When you apply for renewable RIBO licence, you will need to demonstrate knowledge of matters applicable (e.g., Registered Insurance Brokers Act, its Regulations, RIBO’s By-Laws, the Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act and the Insurance Act) to the practice of an insurance broker in Ontario.   

Ontario Mailing Address: Section 28 of the Registered Insurance Brokers Act requires all licensees to maintain an Ontario mailing address to permit the service of registered mail. 

Secondary Business Exemption Application: Section 5 of Regulation 991 requires that the “only business or employment” of an individual be that of an insurance broker, or an insurance broker/life agent, or as approved by the Qualification and Registration Committed.  

Licensing Timelines for Out of Province Licence Holders

Temporary Licence Pathway 

• RIBO will review all temporary licence applications within 10 business days of receipt of the application. 

• Qualified applicants will be issued a temporary licence within 10 business days of receipt of the application. 

• Applicants will be notified if their application is incomplete within 10 business days of receipt of the application. Once all requested material is provided, RIBO will review the application within 10 business days. 

Renewable Licence Pathway 

• RIBO will review applications and notify the applicant if any information or materials are missing within 10 business days. 

• RIBO will notify applicants if the application is approved or refused within 30 calendar days of receipt of the application.

• New Applicants
• Upgrading Your Licence
• Reinstating a Prior Licence
• Collection of Information