Life & A&S: The 30-Hour Rule
The rule in one line
If you hold a Life licence in Ontario, FSRA requires 30 hours of continuing education every 2 years. Every hour counts toward the 30, as long as the course covers the technical side of life insurance.
That is the whole rule. No categories, no minimums inside the 30, no ethics quota. This article explains what counts, how the 2-year cycle works, what the other provinces ask, and how to track it without a spreadsheet.
What counts toward the 30
- Technical life insurance content only. FSRA does not approve or accredit providers. A course counts when it covers the technical side of life insurance, such as legal and regulatory matters, product fundamentals, taxation, underwriting and claims. Sales techniques, recruiting, management training and company product training do not count. Check the content before you pay.
- Only courses you complete while licensed count. Hours earned before your licence starts do not count toward your first cycle.
- Every hour counts. Ontario sets no minimum by topic and no ethics minimum. A common myth is that you need 1 ethics credit. FSRA sets no such rule, so do not plan around it.
- One combined licence. Ontario issues one Life and A&S licence with a single 30-hour requirement. If you hold both Life and A&S, you track one total of 30, not 30 each.
The cycle, the deadline, and your certificates
| Ontario Life & A&S | |
|---|---|
| Hours required | 30 hours |
| Cycle | 2 years |
| Carry-forward | None. Hours do not roll into the next cycle. |
| Certificate retention | 4 years |
| Categories | None. Every hour counts toward the 30. |
| Ethics minimum | None. |
Your 2-year cycle is tied to your licence. When it ends, the count resets to zero, and any hours above 30 are lost, so it pays to finish early rather than in the last month.
Keep every certificate for 4 years. FSRA can ask for proof, and a course without a certificate is an hour you cannot prove.
What the other provinces require
Only 6 of Canada's 13 provinces and territories require continuing education for Life agents. The other 7 ask only that you keep your licence current.
| Province | Hours | Cycle | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | 30 | 2 years | No categories, no ethics minimum |
| Alberta | 15 per class | Jul 1 to Jun 30 | Life and A&S are separate classes, 15 hours each. Up to 7.5 hours carry forward. |
| British Columbia | 15 | Jun 1 to May 31 | One combined class. Up to 15 hours carry forward. |
| Saskatchewan | 15 | Your licence anniversary | 3 hours of ethics every 5 years. Max 5 hours a year of non-insurance financial planning. |
| Manitoba | 15 | Jun 1 to May 31 | One shared 15-hour tracker per agent. Max 5 hours of segregated funds. |
| Quebec | 30 PDUs | 24 months | 10 general, 10 compliance and ethics, 10 sector-specific. |
If you are licensed in more than one province, each province counts its own cycle. Your home province is the one that matters most, and in Alberta the rules key off where you live, not just where you are licensed.
A note on A&S-only licences
The FSRA rule is written for Life licence holders. If you hold A&S only, with no Life licence, FSRA's CE guidance does not apply to you in the same way. This is a grey zone in the regulation. TrueNorthCE tracks A&S-only agents on the same 30-hour rule and flags it, so you can see where you stand either way.
How to track it
The simplest system is the one you actually use. For each licence, you need three things: the hours required, the hours you have, and the deadline.
TrueNorthCE now tracks Life & A&S alongside P&C in one account. Add your Life licence, log hours as you complete them, and the tracker shows your progress toward the 30 and your renewal date. If you hold both P&C and Life, switch between the two in the app. Certificates go in the vault, where the 4-year retention reminder keeps them in reach when FSRA asks.
If you are starting from zero on Life, the HLLQP course is the path to the licence. Our HLLQP course is coming soon. The qualifying course needs CISRO accreditation and FSRA approval before it can be sold, and we will open enrolment once that approval lands.
The bottom line
- Ontario Life agents need 30 hours every 2 years. Every hour counts.
- Take courses on the technical side of life insurance, and keep certificates for 4 years.
- Finish early. Hours do not carry forward.
- If you hold both P&C and Life, one account tracks both.
Try the free plan: one licence, 5 CE hours, 3 certificates. When you are ready, Pro is $12.99 a month or $99.99 a year.