Find rules and reporting procedures CE providers need to follow in order to ensure licensees can receive proper CE credit below.
Attendance register
Classroom course
Attendance registers (Excel, 41KB) are required for each classroom course. The instructor or monitor must maintain possession of the attendance register for the entire duration of the class. Attendees can't sign out until the class is completed.
Attendees can't sign in more than 10 minutes after the start of the class.
The attendees must put their signature with their arrival time when they arrive. They must put their initials and departure time when they leave. The instructor or class monitor must sign and date the attendance register in the classroom once it has been reviewed. An error on the attendance register should be addressed with the attendee before leaving the classroom. The error can be lined-out and initialed when corrected.
Retain the attendance register, along with your course records, for three years.
Webinar course
The provider must maintain an electronic attendance register. The electronic register must include the attendee's:
- Name
- Phone number
- WAOIC number
- Log-in time to join the class
- Chat history
- Polling responses
- Log-out time to exit the class
Submitting rosters
Rosters must be submitted electronically (fortress.wa.gov) within 10 days of course completion. Our online roster program will accept a late roster but repeated violations of the 10-day roster rule can result in an enforcement action.
If the licensee initially declined CE credit and this is documented on the registration, the 10-day rule is suspended until the licensee or the OIC notifies the provider that CE credit is requested.
Certificate of completion
A certificate of completion must be issued to each attendee within 10 days of completing the course. The instructor, class monitor or other person authorized by the provider can sign the certificates. The provider must keep a record of the people authorized to sign certificates on behalf of the provider. A certificate form can be requested by the provider's contact person. Contact our education analyst to request a form and include your provider number.
If the licensee initially declined CE credit this is documented on the registration, the 10-day rule is suspended until the licensee or the OIC notifies the provider that CE credit is requested.
Changing provider contact information
To change provider contact information, log into your account (fortress.wa.gov). The provider's primary contact person can update:
- Program coordinator name
- Address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Fax number
- Web address
Changing your CE program coordinator
If you replace your CE program coordinator, your new CE program coordinator has 30 days to submit an application (PDF, 110.18 KB). This form should be completed by the new coordinator and sent to us electronically via our e-form or faxed to 360-586-2019.
Ten-day notice of subsequent presentation
CE providers must send the OIC a notice at least 10 days before presenting an approved insurance CE classroom or webinar course in Washington state. The course notice should not be sent earlier than 60 days before the presentation. This notice is not a request for approval of the course presentation, so you will not receive a reply.
Use this 10-day notice form (PDF, 160.28 KB) to submit a new notice, edit a prior notice or cancel a prior notice.
For a classroom course the course-presentation notice must include:
- Provider number
- Course number
- Date and time
- Location (address) of presentation
For a webinar course, the course-presentation notice must include:
- Provider number
- Course number
- Date and time
- Log-in instructions
If an approved CE course that has been scheduled for a presentation is cancelled for any reason, the provider must notify the OIC prior to the scheduled presentation.
Advertising a CE course
A course submitted for CE credit cannot be advertised prior to the course being approved by the OIC. Advertising a course before obtaining OIC course approval by indicating, "continuing education credit is pending," or similar wording is not allowed.
A CE course advertisement must include all of the following:
- The insurance education provider's name, using the name registered with our office
- The course title, as approved by our office
- A brief description of the content of the course
- The number of credit hours approved by our office
- The location where the course will be held (if a classroom course)
- The date and time the course will be presented (if a classroom or webinar course)
- The total cost of the course
CE course records
Providers must keep all course and attendance or registration records for three years from the course-completion date.
CE providers must maintain the following records:
- Provider application, program director application, course application and instructor or content developer resume that the continuing education provider submitted to the commissioner to request course and credit approval
- Course outline, study material, polling questions and exam that the continuing education provider submitted to the commissioner for approval
- Instructor lesson plan for each approved classroom course or webinar course
- Each licensee’s registration, payment, attendance, participation and completion documentation
- The ten-day notice of subsequent presentation for each classroom course presented in Washington and all webinar courses
- The attendance register for each classroom course and webinar course
- Start and exit time, chat history and polling responses for each licensee attending a webinar course
- Completed self-study course exam for each licensee completing a self-study course
- A copy of the completed certificate of completion issued to each licensee for an approved continuing education course