- What Is the NVLH Certification?
- Exam Format, Fees, and Registration Mechanics
- The 13 NVLH Exam Domains
- Combo Exam vs. Standalone Life or Health Exams
- Who Hires NVLH-Certified Producers
- Mapping a Study Plan to the Domain Weights
- After You Pass: Application Deadline and Fingerprints
- Frequently Asked Questions
- NVLH exam InsNV_LAH05 costs $47 and has 159 questions (144 scored, 15 unscored) in 3 hours 35 minutes.
- Passing requires a scaled score of 70, not 70% of questions correct.
- The combined Life/Health exam is test-center only; standalone Life or Health exams can be taken via OnVUE.
- You must apply within 1 year of passing and submit fingerprint documentation.
What Is the NVLH Certification?
The Nevada Life & Health Insurance Producer Exam (NVLH) is the state licensing exam administered under the authority of the Nevada Department of Business and Industry, Division of Insurance, with Pearson VUE serving as the testing provider. Passing this exam is the gateway to becoming a licensed life and health insurance producer in Nevada, allowing you to sell life insurance, annuities, accident and health coverage, and related products in the state.
If you're still getting oriented, our companion pieces on what NVLH actually is and the meaning behind the acronym cover the basics in more depth. For a plain-language breakdown of the letters themselves, see what NVLH stands for.
Exam Format, Fees, and Registration Mechanics
Understanding the exact structure of exam InsNV_LAH05 matters more than generic test-prep advice. Here's what candidates are actually facing on exam day:
- Exam code: InsNV_LAH05
- Cost: $47
- Total questions: 159 multiple-choice questions
- Scored vs. unscored: 144 scored questions and 15 unscored pretest questions, which are mixed in and not identifiable during the test
- Time limit: 3 hours and 35 minutes
- Passing standard: a scaled score of 70
Because unscored pretest items are indistinguishable from scored ones, every question deserves your full attention - there's no way to skip past "practice" questions. This is one reason candidates researching how difficult the NVLH exam really is often find the sheer length and mixed-item format more challenging than any single topic.
Key Takeaway
Budget your 3-hour-35-minute window across roughly 159 questions - that's a little over 1.3 minutes per question on average, but leave more time for scenario-based underwriting and application questions, which tend to require more reading.
The 13 NVLH Exam Domains
The current outline, in effect from October 1, 2024 through November 13, 2026, organizes the combined Life/Health content into 13 domains. Domain weights below are calculated from the official scored-question counts, and the first domain's 15-question allocation is derived from the 50-question Life subtotal, matching the standalone Life outline exactly.
Domain 1: Types of Policies
Covers term, whole life, universal life, and variable products. Candidates need to distinguish policy structures and how cash value accumulates differently across product types.
- Know the trade-offs between term and permanent coverage
Domain 2: Life Provisions, Riders, Options, and Exclusions
Focuses on nonforfeiture options, settlement options, common riders (waiver of premium, accidental death), and standard exclusions found in life contracts.
- Memorize which riders modify death benefits vs. premium obligations
Domain 3: Completing the Application, Underwriting, and Delivering the Policies
Tests the mechanics of the application process, insurable interest, underwriting classifications, and delivery requirements including the free-look period.
- Understand producer responsibilities at point of sale
Domain 4: Retirement and Other Insurance Concepts
Covers annuities, qualified retirement plans, and how life insurance concepts intersect with retirement income planning.
- Differentiate fixed, variable, and indexed annuities
Domain 5: Types of Policies (Health)
Shifts into health insurance product types - individual, group, HMO, PPO, and specialty coverage like disability income.
- Compare managed care structures to indemnity plans
Domain 6: Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders
Health-specific provisions such as guaranteed renewability, coordination of benefits, and common exclusion clauses.
- Know mandatory vs. optional provisions under Nevada rules
Domain 7: Social Insurance
Covers Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security disability benefits as they relate to private health coverage decisions.
- Understand how Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D interact with supplemental policies
Domain 8: Other Insurance Concepts
Group vs. individual underwriting principles, COBRA, and general risk concepts that don't fit neatly into product-specific domains.
Domain 9: Field Underwriting Procedures
The producer's role in gathering accurate application information and initial underwriting assessment for health products.
Domain 10: Nevada Statutes and Codes Common to Life, Health, Property, and Casualty Insurance
General state law: licensing requirements, producer conduct standards, and penalties that apply across all lines.
Domain 11: Nevada Statutes and Codes Common to Life and Health Insurance Only
State-specific rules that apply jointly to life and health products but not to property or casualty lines.
Domain 12: Nevada Statutes and Codes Pertinent to Life Insurance Only
Nevada-specific statutes governing life insurance contracts, replacement rules, and disclosure requirements.
Domain 13: Nevada Statutes and Codes Pertinent to Health Insurance Only
Nevada-specific statutes unique to health insurance, including mandated benefits and state consumer protections.
For a deeper dive into how these 13 areas break down and interrelate, see our full NVLH exam domains guide. If you want a condensed reference while you study, the NVLH cheat sheet is built around these same domain names.
Combo Exam vs. Standalone Life or Health Exams
One of the more overlooked logistics decisions is whether to sit for the combined Life/Health exam or take the Life and Health exams separately. This affects where you can test.
| Exam Path | Delivery Method | Content Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Life/Health Combo (InsNV_LAH05) | Test-center only | All 13 domains, 159 questions total |
| Standalone Life Exam | Available via OnVUE (remote) | Life-focused domains only |
| Standalone Health Exam | Available via OnVUE (remote) | Health-focused domains only |
If remote testing flexibility matters to you, splitting into two standalone exams may be worth considering, even though it means scheduling and preparing for two separate sessions. Candidates weighing the tradeoffs often check our breakdown of NVLH certification costs before deciding, since fees and time investment differ between the combo and split paths.
Who Hires NVLH-Certified Producers
Once licensed, NVLH holders typically work for or contract with:
- Life insurance carriers writing term, whole, and universal life business in Nevada
- Health insurance companies and Medicare Advantage plan issuers
- Independent insurance agencies representing multiple carriers
- Financial planning firms that bundle insurance products with retirement or investment advice
- Employee benefits brokerages placing group health and life coverage
Because the exam blends life, health, retirement, and Nevada-specific statutory content, licensed producers are positioned to sell across product lines rather than being siloed into one specialty. If you're evaluating whether this career path fits your goals, our guides on NVLH-related job opportunities and NVLH salary expectations go into more detail on the employment side.
Mapping a Study Plan to the Domain Weights
Rather than studying all 13 domains with equal intensity, allocate time based on which domains carry more scored questions and which are conceptually denser. Statutory domains (10 through 13) are often underestimated because they're pure memorization rather than applied reasoning, but they collectively account for a meaningful share of the exam.
Life Fundamentals
- Study Domain 1 (Types of Policies) and Domain 2 (Life Provisions, Riders, Options, and Exclusions)
- Build flashcards for policy types and rider definitions
Life Process and Retirement
- Cover Domain 3 (Underwriting and Delivery) and Domain 4 (Retirement and Other Insurance Concepts)
- Practice scenario questions involving free-look periods and annuity structures
Health Products and Provisions
- Move into Domain 5 (health policy types) and Domain 6 (Policy Provisions, Clauses, and Riders)
- Contrast health policy structures against the life products from Week 1
Social Insurance and Field Practice
- Study Domain 7 (Social Insurance), Domain 8 (Other Insurance Concepts), and Domain 9 (Field Underwriting Procedures)
- Drill Medicare Parts A-D distinctions
Nevada Statutes
- Dedicate focused time to Domains 10-13 covering Nevada-specific statutes
- Use repetition-based review since this content is fact-heavy rather than conceptual
Full Practice and Review
- Take full-length timed practice sessions to build stamina for the 3-hour-35-minute limit
- Review missed questions by domain to identify remaining weak spots
For a more detailed week-by-week strategy and first-attempt tactics, see our complete NVLH study guide. You can also run full-length timed sessions using the practice exams on our main practice test platform to simulate the real question mix before test day.
After You Pass: Application Deadline and Fingerprints
Passing the exam is not the final step. Nevada requires that you:
- Apply for your producer license within 1 year after passing the exam
- Submit the required fingerprint documentation as part of the licensing application
Missing the one-year application window means your passing score no longer counts toward licensure, and you'd need to retake the exam. Build this deadline into your calendar the moment you pass. For the full eligibility picture, including who can sit for the exam in the first place, review our NVLH requirements guide, and confirm the exact scoring threshold in our NVLH passing score breakdown.
Key Takeaway
Schedule your fingerprinting appointment early - don't wait until close to the one-year deadline, since processing and scheduling can take longer than expected in busy periods.
It's also worth noting that the domain structure covered in this article applies only through November 13, 2026. A revised outline takes effect November 14, 2026, so if you're planning to test near that transition date, confirm which outline version applies to your scheduled exam. Our NVLH exam dates and scheduling guide tracks testing windows and this kind of outline transition in more detail.
If you're still weighing whether pursuing this license makes sense for your career, our ROI analysis of NVLH certification and general NVLH certification overview can help you decide before you commit to the $47 exam fee and study time. And if you land on additional coursework before testing, check available NVLH training options to see what fits your schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exam contains 159 total multiple-choice questions: 144 are scored and 15 are unscored pretest questions used to evaluate future exam content. You won't know which is which during the test.
You need a scaled score of 70. This is not the same as getting 70% of raw questions correct - scaled scoring accounts for variation in question difficulty between exam forms.
No. The combined Life/Health combo exam is available only at a physical test center. If you want the option of remote testing through OnVUE, you'd need to take the standalone Life and Health exams separately.
Exam InsNV_LAH05 costs $47. This covers the combined Life/Health test administered through Pearson VUE.
Nevada requires applicants to submit their license application, along with fingerprint documentation, within 1 year of passing the exam. If that window lapses, your passing result no longer satisfies the licensing requirement and you would need to retest.