- Series 17-55 has 150 questions, 2 hours 30 minutes, and a 105-correct (70%) passing score.
- The exam fee is $40; the individual license fee is also $40 per year or fraction of a year.
- Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders is the single largest domain at 10%.
- You must be 18+, complete 40 hours of DFS-approved prelicensing education, and use a pass within two years.
Quick Facts Snapshot
If you only have five minutes before test day, this is the section to reread. Every number here comes straight from the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) framework administered through PSI, and it's the same core data covered in more depth in the NY-LAH Study Guide 2026.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Regulator | New York State Department of Financial Services |
| Testing vendor | PSI (test centers or remote online proctoring) |
| Exam code | Series 17-55 |
| Question count | 150 multiple-choice, electronically administered |
| Time allowed | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| Passing score | 105 correct answers (70%) |
| Exam fee | $40 |
| 2025 English pass rate | 46.63% across 13,164 examinees |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Prelicensing education | 40 hours, DFS-approved |
| Result validity | Must be used for license application within two years |
Registration & Exam-Day Mechanics
Unlike open-book certifications, NY-LAH is a closed-book, proctored, timed test. You'll sit for it either at a physical PSI test center or through PSI's remote online proctoring, and the format is identical either way: 150 multiple-choice items, no partial credit, no skipping ahead to "flag and return later" tricks that save real time. Budget your 150 minutes at roughly one minute per question, leaving a buffer for review passes.
- Eligibility: at least 18 years old.
- Prerequisite: 40 hours of DFS-approved combined prelicensing education completed before you sit.
- Fee: $40 to sit for Series 17-55.
- Result window: a passing score must be applied toward a license within two years, or it expires.
For a step-by-step breakdown of what qualifies as prelicensing education and how to document it, see NY-LAH Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify. If you're still confirming testing windows and scheduling logistics with PSI, check NY-LAH Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Key Takeaway
Treat the 40-hour prelicensing course as content, not a formality - the Series 17-55 item bank draws directly from it, and skipping sections leaves gaps that show up on exam day.
Domain-by-Domain Cheat Sheet
The current DFS-linked Series 17-55 topic locator (labeled 2018-2019) breaks the exam into 18 domains. Memorize the weights below - they tell you exactly where your study hours pay off. A full explanation of each domain's subtopics lives in NY-LAH Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 18 Content Areas, but here is the compressed version for quick review.
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1. Insurance Regulation | 7% |
| 2. General Insurance | 4% |
| 3. Life Insurance Basics | 8% |
| 4. Life Insurance Policies | 8% |
| 5. Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders | 10% |
| 6. Annuities | 7% |
| 7. Federal Tax Considerations for Life Insurance and Annuities | 2% |
| 8. Qualified Plans | 2% |
| 9. Life Settlement | 3% |
| 10. Accident and Health Insurance Basics | 5% |
| 11. Individual Health Insurance Policy General Provisions | 4% |
| 12. Disability Income and Related Insurance | 6% |
| 13. Medical Plans | 6% |
| 14. Federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | 6% |
| 15. Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance | 6% |
| 16. Group Health and Blanket Insurance | 5% |
| 17. Government Health Insurance Plans | 5% |
| 18. Private Insurance for Senior Citizens and Special Needs Individuals | 6% |
The Four Domains That Decide Your Score
Four domains - 5, 3, 4, and 6 - together account for a third of the exam. Get these right and the passing score of 105 correct becomes far more reachable.
Domain 5: Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders (10%)
This is the single heaviest domain on the exam. Candidates must know nonforfeiture options, settlement options, dividend options, and rider mechanics (waiver of premium, accidental death, guaranteed insurability) cold.
- Distinguish nonforfeiture options from settlement options - a frequent trap in distractor answers.
- Know which riders modify death benefit versus premium obligation.
Domain 3: Life Insurance Basics (8%)
Covers foundational concepts: insurable interest, the parties to a policy, and how premiums are calculated. This domain sets up correct reasoning for nearly every later question involving policy structure.
- Master the difference between owner, insured, and beneficiary designations.
- Know how level, decreasing, and increasing premium structures function.
Domain 4: Life Insurance Policies (8%)
Focuses on policy types - term, whole, universal, and variable - and how each behaves regarding cash value, flexibility, and cost.
- Be able to identify which policy type fits a stated scenario.
- Remember that variable life requires FINRA registration and a CRD number, separate from the state license itself.
Domain 6: Annuities (7%)
Tests annuitization phases, payout options, and the distinction between fixed and variable products.
- Know accumulation versus annuitization/payout phase terminology.
- Variable annuity sales also require FINRA registration and a CRD number.
Licensing Fees, Renewal, and CE Math
Passing Series 17-55 is only step one. Understanding the money and timelines around licensing prevents costly surprises. A full cost breakdown is available in NY-LAH Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown, but here's the essential math:
- Exam fee: $40 per attempt.
- Individual license fee: $40 per year or fraction of a year.
- License term: may be issued for up to two years at a time.
- Renewal after two-plus years: requires 15 continuing-education credits.
- Variable products authority: requires FINRA registration and a CRD number in addition to the state license.
Because a passing exam result must be used within two years of the test date, don't sit for Series 17-55 far ahead of when you actually plan to submit your license application - the clock starts the moment you pass.
Key Takeaway
Budget $40 for the exam and $40 per license year separately - they are two distinct fees, not one combined cost.
The Week-Before Review Plan
Generic study techniques won't move the needle much at this stage, but a tightly sequenced final review - mapped to NY-LAH's own weight distribution - will. Use the structure in the NY-LAH Study Guide 2026 for full-length prep; below is a compressed version for the final stretch before exam day.
Life Insurance Core
- Rebuild Domains 3-6 from memory: basics, policy types, provisions/riders/options, annuities.
- Drill nonforfeiture vs. settlement options until instant recall.
Regulation, Tax, and Plans
- Review Domain 1 (Insurance Regulation), Domain 7 (Federal Tax Considerations), and Domain 8 (Qualified Plans).
- These are lower-weight but easy points if rules are memorized precisely.
Health Insurance Block
- Work through Domains 10-14: A&H Basics, Individual Health Provisions, Disability Income, Medical Plans, and the ACA.
- Focus on definitions that distinguish similar-sounding provisions.
LTC, Group, and Government Plans
- Cover Domains 15-18: Long-Term Care, Group and Blanket Insurance, Government Health Plans, and senior/special-needs coverage.
- Run a full 150-question timed practice to rehearse the 2.5-hour pacing.
Light Review Only
- Skim this cheat sheet and any missed-question log.
- No new material - consolidate, don't cram.
Run your timed drills on our practice test platform so the pacing and question style feel familiar before you sit for the real Series 17-55.
Facts Candidates Mix Up Most
A short list of details that trip up otherwise well-prepared candidates:
- Exam fee vs. license fee: $40 covers the test; a separate $40-per-year fee covers the license itself.
- Highest-weight domain: Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders at 10% - not Life Insurance Basics or Medical Plans.
- Passing threshold: 105 correct out of 150, which is 70%, not a rounded "105 or higher on a curve." Full detail in NY-LAH Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
- Two-year rule applies twice: once to how long a passing score is valid for licensing, and separately to how long a license can be issued before CE renewal kicks in.
- Variable products require more than the state license: FINRA registration and a CRD number are additional requirements, not substitutes.
If you're still deciding whether pursuing this license fits your career plans, weigh the tradeoffs in Is the NY-LAH Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026. And if terminology like "NY-LAH" itself is still unclear, start with What Is NY-LAH? or NY-LAH Meaning before diving into domain-level study.
FAQ
150 multiple-choice questions, administered electronically, with 2 hours 30 minutes allowed to complete them.
105 correct answers out of 150, equal to 70%.
The exam fee is $40. The license fee is a separate $40 per year or fraction of a year, with licenses issued for up to two years.
Life Insurance Policy Provisions, Options, and Riders, weighted at 10% - the largest single domain on the current topic locator.
Yes. Variable life or variable annuity authority requires FINRA registration and a CRD number in addition to your New York license.