Health Care Insurance Navigators

Certification or Licensing

Certification is required for all health insurance navigators under the Affordable Care Act. The specific certification training depends on the type of marketplace in which the navigator will work. The type of marketplace is determined by each state.

States with their own marketplace may use federal training programs and standards, though some states (such as New York, Texas, and California) have developed more rigorous state training and certification programs. Where a state does not have its own marketplace, residents participate in a federally facilitated marketplace; in those states, navigators obtain training and certification through federal programs.

The federal standards require navigators to complete eight online courses, each with accompanying assessments that must be passed. In 2025, the required courses were Training Overview; Health Coverage Basics; Affordable Care Act Basics; Privacy, Security, and Fraud Prevention Standards; Marketplace Application Essentials; Serving Vulnerable and Underserved Populations; Cultural Competence and Language Assistance; and Working with Consumers with Disabilities. Optional courses are also available.

While state-based health insurance exchanges may adopt the federal standards, most have added training and certification requirements. While these training and certification requirements vary, most require a minimum of 40 hours of training. In Texas, for example, in addition to the federal training, navigators must have 20 additional hours of training including five hours on Texas-specific Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program provisions, five hours on applicable privacy requirements, five hours on ethics, two hours on basic insurance terminology and how insurance works, two hours of exam preparation, and an hour allotted for completion of a final examination.

The Texas certification training permits classroom courses, self-study, one-time training events and other training opportunities. Federal and most state certification programs require annual or semi-annual recertification, including additional certification training.

Other Requirements

Fingerprinting and criminal background checks are required for certification as an ACA health insurance navigator. Some positions require a valid driver’s license. Some positions require bilingual candidates to serve diverse communities.