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Canada · Licensing exam

The RIBO Level 1 exam: the first step to an Ontario insurance broker licence

To sell general insurance as a broker in Ontario, you need a licence from the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO), and the RIBO Level 1 exam is where it starts. You get three hours for 100 scored multiple-choice questions plus 15 pilot questions, and you need 75 of the 100 to pass. RIBO writes the exam but doesn’t run it: you book with the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) or the Insurance Institute of Canada. From January 1, 2027, it’s in person only.

  • 100Scored questions, plus 15 pilot questions
  • 75Scored questions you need right, or 75%
  • 3 hoursTime for the whole exam
Where to studyHow the test works

Updated November 2026 · Written from the RIBO Level 1 Entry Level Broker Competency Profile and Blueprint

Key facts

At a glance

Written by
RIBO, Ontario’s regulator of general insurance brokers
Delivered by
IBAO or the Insurance Institute of Canada, your choice
Where
In person at a test centre in Canada from January 1, 2027
Who it’s for
People who are new to insurance; licensed agents and brokers may qualify for shorter equivalency exams
A job?
Not needed to write the exam, but needed to get the licence
Fee
$325 for each attempt

How it works

How the RIBO Level 1 exam works, from booking to results

Level 1 exam · 75 to pass
To pass you need 75 of 100 right.
  1. Pick one of the two exam providers RIBO approves, the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) or the Insurance Institute of Canada. You register and pay with them, not with RIBO.
  2. You don’t need a job to write the exam. You’ll need one at a RIBO-registered brokerage to get the licence.
  3. From January 1, 2027, every RIBO exam is written in person, on a computer at the provider’s test centre, with a proctor in the room.
  4. All the questions are multiple choice, and they run across five domains. The 15 pilot questions don’t count toward your mark.
  5. You can use the on-screen tools, such as a calculator and notes, and RIBO’s FAQ says Level 1 candidates can see the policy wordings. Books, notes and phones are out.
  6. Your provider gives you an unofficial result within two business days and the official one 14 days after the exam.
  7. Then apply to RIBO for the licence. Passing doesn’t let you sell insurance on its own.

Topics

What’s on the RIBO Level 1 exam

These five domains and their question counts come from RIBO’s exam page and blueprint. RIBO’s competency profile lists the detail under each one.

01

General Insurance and Industry Knowledge

How insurance works in Ontario, who regulates it, and the laws, duties and ethics a broker works under.

Key points (3)
  • The blueprint gives this domain 25 of the 100 scored questions.
  • You should know the roles of the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA).
  • Federal laws in the profile are the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation.
02

Personal Lines Automobile

The Ontario Automobile Policy, its coverages and endorsements, no-fault rules and the accident benefit changes that began on July 1, 2026.

Key points (3)
  • The blueprint gives this domain 25 of the 100 scored questions.
  • RIBO says its exams began taking in the auto reform content as early as January 2026.
  • From July 1, 2026, income replacement, caregiver, housekeeping, dependant care and death and funeral benefits are among the optional ones; medical, rehabilitation, attendant care and cost of examinations stay mandatory.
03

Personal Lines Habitational

Home, tenant, condominium, secondary, seasonal and vacant property policies, and how they’re built.

Key points (3)
  • The blueprint gives this domain 25 of the 100 scored questions.
  • You can expect basic co-insurance calculations, including the penalty.
  • The profile asks you to know why endorsements, exclusions and special limits exist, not just their names.
04

Commercial Lines

Business insurance at an entry level: property, liability, business interruption, commercial auto and specialty lines.

Key points (3)
  • The blueprint gives this domain 20 of the 100 scored questions.
  • Commercial auto topics include fleets, individually rated autos and the Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration.
  • Specialty lines named in the profile include errors and omissions, directors and officers, surety, marine cargo and farm.
05

Travel Health

A short domain on travel insurance: the coverage types, exclusions and how a claim works.

Key points (3)
  • The blueprint gives this domain 5 of the 100 scored questions.
  • RIBO’s FAQ says the old 60% minimum on this section no longer applies.
  • RIBO says candidates who pass the Level 1 exam may sell travel health insurance.

Test day

What to bring to a RIBO exam

  • Original government-issued photo ID that hasn’t expired, such as a passport, Canadian driver’s licence, Canadian health card or Canadian Permanent Resident card. Copies and digital versions aren’t accepted.
  • ID showing exactly the same name and date of birth you registered with
  • A drink in a clear container with no markings or labels, if you want one; the lid can be non-transparent at an in-person exam
  • Nothing else on your desk: food, books, notes, cell phones, smartwatches, tablets and headphones aren’t allowed

Before you go

  1. Read RIBO’s Level 1 Competency Profile and Blueprint. It’s the official list of what can be tested.
  2. Check RIBO’s exam rules page close to your date. RIBO said it would publish updated rules in December 2026, to apply from January 2027.
  3. Check you’re eligible for a licence before you pay. A pass doesn’t guarantee one, because RIBO runs background checks when you apply.
  4. Ask your provider for any accommodation before you book, with your documents.
  5. Arrive at the centre at least 15 minutes before the start. If you’re 30 minutes late or more, you may not be allowed to write.
  6. Keep your exam content to yourself. Copying or discussing questions breaks RIBO’s rules, and results can be nullified, even after a licence is issued.
RIBO: Exam providers and registrationYou book with the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario or the Insurance Institute of Canada. Both charge the same RIBO-set fee, and each manages its own dates, seats and locations.

Study options

Where to study

RIBO publishes the blueprint, a PDF of 79 retired exam questions and a single document holding the Act, regulations, by-laws and auto policy. It doesn’t run or accredit prep courses. IBAO, the Insurance Institute of Canada and private companies sell those, and the study options page gives each one’s own prices.

OptionPriceFree to useLinks
RIBO’s own material
RIBO Level 1 sample questions79 retired exam questions in a PDF, each with review informationFrom the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO). RIBO says your score here won’t predict your exam result and the set isn’t balanced to the blueprint. It may also help with the equivalency exams.
No price listed; it’s a PDF on RIBO’s siteRIBO lists no charge, though it doesn’t use the word free
RIBO: Level 1 sample questions (PDF) ↗
RIBO blueprint and Consolidated Examinee ResourceThe official list of what’s tested, and one PDF with the Act, regulations, by-laws and Ontario auto policyRIBO’s self-study route starts with these. It calls its list high level and not exhaustive.
No price listed; both are PDFs on RIBO’s siteRIBO lists no charge, though it doesn’t use the word free
RIBO: Level 1 Competency Profile and Blueprint (PDF) ↗RIBO: Consolidated Examinee Resource (PDF) ↗
Courses from the exam providers
IBAO Broker LaunchpadLevel 1 course from the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO), live or self-pacedFor people with limited industry experience. The on-demand version gives 180 days of access. IBAO says the exam fee isn’t included, and its page says which textbook edition to use.
On demand $640, weekend $985, weekday $1,035 for non-members; members pay $580, $775 and $810No
IBAO: Broker Launchpad ↗
IBAO Broker Launchpad textbookSelf-study kit: Becoming An Insurance Broker (4th edition), policy wordings and the RIBO legislationThere’s also a bundle of both formats on IBAO’s site.
$260 for non-members, $215 for members, in hardcopy or digitalNo
IBAO: Hardcopy textbook ↗IBAO: Digital textbook ↗
IBAO Exam ClinicTwo-day online session, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a second try at Level 1Made for people who’ve already attempted the exam or prepared alone. You bring your questions, and you’ll need the 3rd or 4th edition of IBAO’s textbook.
$385 for non-members, $355 for membersNo
IBAO: Exam Clinic ↗
IBAO Equivalency PrepTwo online courses: RIB Act, Regulations and By-Laws, and Ontario Auto180 days of access, with quizzes and practice exams, in IBAO’s words. IBAO suggests confirming your eligibility with RIBO before you enrol.
$175 each for non-members, $140 each for membersNo
IBAO: Equivalency Prep Courses ↗
Insurance Institute licensing kit and tutorialSelf-study manuals and sample policies, with an optional online tutorial of extra practice questionsFrom the Insurance Institute of Canada. The tutorial gives 120 days of access. Its Ontario auto equivalency study kit is $80.
Kit $301; kit with tutorial $351; tutorial alone $50No
Insurance Institute of Canada: Level 1 Broker ↗
Insurance Institute pre-recorded lecturesRecorded Level 1 lessons from an industry instructor120 days of access. You order by contacting the Institute. It also sells recorded lectures for the RIB Act equivalency exam, with the price on request.
$350No
Insurance Institute of Canada: Level 1 Broker ↗
Other course sellers
PNC Learning RIBO 1 courseOnline course with notes, videos and about 1,000 practice questions and mock exams, in its wordsEight months of access. PNC Learning says RIBO isn’t affiliated with it and doesn’t endorse it. It also says you can return and study for free until you pass.
$249; its study guide and its practice questions are $99 eachA free preview and free trial, in its words
PNC Learning: RIBO 1 course ↗PNC Learning: RIBO 1 practice questions ↗
ILS RIBO Licensing Exam Preparation CourseOnline course with a printed textbook and workbook, flashcards, review tests and a RIBO practice exam, from ILScorpThree months of access, with a suggested 80 to 120 hours of study, in its words. It also lists 3 continuing education credits.
$449No
ILScorp: RIBO Licensing Exam Preparation Course ↗

Prices and ratings checked November 2026.

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FAQ

Common questions

What is the RIBO Level 1 exam?

It’s the entry-level licensing exam for general insurance brokers in Ontario, also called the Level 1 Entry-Level Broker Exam. RIBO says it’s built for people new to insurance. It covers general insurance knowledge, home, auto and commercial insurance, and a little travel health, along with the Registered Insurance Brokers Act, the regulations and RIBO’s by-laws.

What is a RIBO licence?

It’s the licence that lets you act as a general insurance broker in Ontario, meaning home, auto, travel and commercial insurance, which RIBO also calls property and casualty. There are three levels. Level 1 is the entry point, and you work under the supervision of a Principal Broker at a RIBO-registered brokerage. An agent, who typically works with one insurer, is licensed by a different body, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario.

Is the RIBO exam open book?

No. RIBO’s rules ban books, notes and devices, and you can only use the tools inside the exam screen, such as a calculator and a note-taking section. RIBO’s FAQ adds one thing: Level 1 and auto equivalency candidates can get at the policy wordings during the exam.

Do you have to pass each section of the Level 1 exam?

No. RIBO’s Level 1 rule is one overall mark of 75%, or 75 out of 100. Its FAQ says the old 60% minimum on the travel health section has gone, and that this doesn’t change what brokers may sell.

Can you write the RIBO exam online?

Not after December 31, 2026. RIBO says virtual schedules are closed for 2027 and onward, and every session from January 1, 2027 is at an authorized test centre in Canada. There are no centres outside Canada, and living far from one isn’t grounds for an accommodation.

Can you sell insurance once you pass?

No. Only licensed people can sell. After you pass, you need a job with a RIBO-registered brokerage, a criminal record check dated within 60 days and an approved application, and you have to be at least 18. Your pass is good for 12 months.

Is the 2026 Ontario auto reform on the exam?

Yes. Several accident benefits became optional on July 1, 2026, and RIBO says its exams would begin taking in this content as early as January 2026. It expects every candidate to know which benefits stay mandatory, which became optional, and how that changes a client conversation. That applies to equivalency candidates too.

Sources: RIBO and 7 more. Checked November 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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