Abstract: An online system using a computer network for accepting applications for the appointment of an agent by an insurance carrier. The system interacts with the agent, a general agent contracting with the agent and licensing staff of the insurance carrier. In one implementation, the system is adapted to perform at least the following steps: receiving an appointment application for the appointment of an agent by an insurance carrier via the computer network, the appointment application including agent data, a state the agent is seeking an appointment, and a product the agent wishes to solicit; transmitting a request for additional information about the agent from an external database via the computer network; and receiving the additional information from the external database via the computer network. By way of example, the additional information may be license information and/or securities registration information for the agent.