How to Find Michigan DIFS-Approved Insurance CE Providers

Completing Michigan's 24-hour CE requirement starts with finding DIFS-approved providers offering courses that count toward your compliance. Michigan's CE administration has some distinctive features — the proctor requirement for online final exams, the progressive completion requirement, the $1.00 per credit hour reporting fee, and DIFS's own CE tracking through provider reporting. Understanding where to find approved providers, what verification to perform before enrolling, and how the reporting process works helps you complete CE efficiently without compliance surprises.

Here's how to find DIFS-approved CE providers in Michigan.

Why DIFS Approval Matters

Only courses from DIFS-approved providers count toward your Michigan CE requirement. DIFS's approval process ensures:

Course content meets Michigan standards

Providers comply with DIFS reporting requirements

Materials are current and accurate

Course delivery meets quality and progressive completion standards

An unapproved course — however excellent the content — won't appear in your Michigan CE transcript and won't count toward your 24-hour requirement.

Where to Find Approved Providers

Primary official source: The DIFS website at michigan.gov/difs provides information on CE requirements and approved providers. DIFS maintains the authoritative list of approved providers and courses.

CE Transcript Check: michigan.gov/difs provides a CE transcript lookup (difs.state.mi.us/locators?searchtype=InsAgent) where you can verify your System ID (license number) and check compliance status.

Provider Direct Websites: Established CE providers display their Michigan DIFS approval number prominently on their website and course listings. Verify approval numbers match DIFS records.

Key Information to Verify Before Enrolling

DIFS approval. Course must be specifically Michigan-approved.

Course type designation. Verify whether the course satisfies:

General CE (any approved line topic)

Ethics (3-hour mandatory requirement)

Annuity Best Interest (4-hour one-time before selling annuities)

LTC initial training (8-hour one-time)

LTC ongoing training (4-hour every review period)

NFIP Flood Insurance (3-hour one-time before selling flood)

Credit hours. Confirm credit hours match what you need.

Progressive completion structure. Michigan requires sequential course completion — verify provider's platform enforces this.

Proctor arrangement. Online final exams require a disinterested third-party proctor. Verify whether the provider facilitates proctor arrangement or whether you must independently arrange it.

Reporting practices. Provider must report completions to DIFS. Verify how quickly they report and what happens if reporting fails.

Signed affidavit completion method. Credits are processed when DIFS receives your signed affidavit (typically at course completion). Understand your provider's affidavit process.

State reporting fee. $1.00 per credit hour — should be disclosed at purchase. Total for 24 hours: $24.00.

Michigan's Proctor Requirement in Detail

Michigan's proctor requirement for online CE final exams deserves specific attention when evaluating providers:

What it means: You must have a disinterested third party present when taking your online CE final exam.

Definition: No family, friend, employment relationship, or financial relationship. Cannot be employed by the same company.

Acceptable proctors:

Testing center employees

Librarians

Teachers

Public officials

Provider approaches to proctoring:

Self-arranged proctoring: Most providers require you to arrange your own proctor. Plan accordingly.

Provider-facilitated proctoring: Some providers partner with proctoring services.

Testing center completion: Some candidates complete online course content at home and then take the proctored final exam at a PSI or other authorized testing center.

Planning implication: Build proctor scheduling into your CE timeline. Don't complete all your course content and then discover you need to schedule a proctor for the final exam.

Major Michigan CE Providers

Multiple major CE providers serve Michigan producers:

Multiple national providers and online platforms offer state-approved CE courses. Verify the relevant state insurance department's approved-provider list before enrolling.

Michigan-focused providers. Some providers specialize in Michigan content including Michigan Insurance Code and no-fault auto updates.

Multi-format providers. Providers offering online self-paced, live webinar, and classroom options for candidates with different learning preferences.

When choosing:

Provider track record with Michigan DIFS reporting

Ethics course availability (3-hour mandatory)

Specialty training availability (Annuity Best Interest, LTC, Flood)

Proctor arrangement support

Pricing transparency (including $1.00/hour reporting fee)

Progressive completion enforcement (required by DIFS)

Customer support quality

Course Format Options

Michigan accepts CE in several formats:

Online self-study. Most popular format. Self-paced content with online final exam. Requires disinterested third-party proctor for final exam.

Live webinar. Real-time online instruction. Attendance verification serves as completion documentation. Generally no proctor requirement for webinar formats.

Classroom instruction. In-person at provider locations. No proctor requirement — instructor oversees.

Self-study with books. Traditional book-based self-study with online or mailed final exam. Proctor required for final exam.

Important distinction: The proctor requirement applies primarily to self-study final exams where there's no live instructor present. Live webinars and classroom courses have different completion verification methods.

The $1.00 Reporting Fee Structure

Michigan's $1.00 per credit hour state reporting fee:

Very low compared to states like Pennsylvania ($5.00 per course) or North Carolina ($2.05 per credit hour)

Applied to all CE courses

Charged through providers at purchase or completion

Total for 24-hour requirement: $24.00 in reporting fees

Providers typically include this in their displayed pricing or disclose separately

Factor this into total CE cost comparison when evaluating providers.

The Signed Affidavit Process

Michigan uses a signed affidavit process for CE credit reporting:

How it works:

Upon completing a CE course (including passing the proctored final exam), your provider issues a completion affidavit

You sign the affidavit confirming completion

Provider submits the signed affidavit to DIFS

Credits are processed when DIFS receives the signed affidavit

Most credits are processed the same day the affidavit is received

After-hours affidavits: processed next business day morning

You receive a notification email with Certificate of Completion upon processing

Practical implication: Don't complete CE courses the day before your review date. Allow several business days between final exam completion and CE review date to ensure affidavit is processed.

Checking Your CE Transcript

Michigan CE compliance verification:

DIFS Insurance Agent Locator: difs.state.mi.us/locators?searchtype=InsAgent

Enter your 7-digit Michigan System ID (license number)

Shows CE record and compliance status

Available to both you and DIFS

Your CE review date: Printed on the lower left-hand corner of your physical license document.

Provider CE records: Quality providers maintain their own records of your completions and can provide certificates if needed.

Check your transcript quarterly — catching a reporting problem early (while you still have time to address it) is far better than discovering it close to your review date.

Warning Signs of Low-Quality Providers

Watch for:

Cannot confirm DIFS approval number

No mention of proctor requirement for online final exams

Unclear progressive completion enforcement

No signed affidavit process described

No information on $1.00/hour state reporting fee

Outdated content (not reflecting 2020 no-fault reform, 2021 Annuity Best Interest, 2024 DIFS complaint response changes)

No customer support contact information

Unreasonably low pricing without explanation

Reputable Michigan CE providers are transparent about DIFS approval, proctor requirements, progressive completion, and reporting processes.

CE Transcript and Record Keeping

Your responsibilities:

Retain completion certificates for 5 years after course completion

Do NOT send certificates to DIFS (DIFS doesn't want them)

Maintain digital and physical copies as backup

Keep the signed affidavit copies for your records

DIFS tracks through provider reporting. You don't submit CE documentation unless specifically requested by DIFS during an audit or investigation.

5 Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I find DIFS-approved Michigan CE providers? Through the DIFS website at michigan.gov/difs. Most established national CE providers (national providers, specialty online providers, online platforms, etc.) offer Michigan-approved courses. Verify DIFS approval before enrolling.
• Do all Michigan online CE courses require a proctor? Online self-study final exams require a disinterested third-party proctor. Live webinar and classroom courses have different completion verification methods that typically don't require a separate proctor. Verify your specific course's proctor requirements before starting.
• How quickly are Michigan CE credits processed after completion? Credits are processed when DIFS receives your signed affidavit, typically the same day for affidavits received during business hours. After-hours affidavits are processed the next business day morning.
• What's the state reporting fee for Michigan CE? $1.00 per credit hour — very low nationally. Total for a full 24-hour requirement: $24.00. Charged through providers at purchase or completion.
• How long must I keep my Michigan CE certificates? 5 years from course completion date. Do not send certificates to DIFS. Retain them in your own files as documentation.

Choose Quality Michigan CE Providers

The right CE provider makes compliance efficient and educational. At JustInsurance, our Michigan CE courses are DIFS-approved, address the proctor requirement clearly, and provide quality content covering Michigan-specific topics including no-fault reform updates, DIFS regulatory changes, and specialty training requirements.

Enroll today and meet your Michigan CE requirements with confidence.