How do I become an insurance adjuster?

Requirements vary sharply by state: some states require prelicensing education or a licensing exam for adjusters, some have few requirements, and in some states adjusters employed by insurance companies can work under the company license. Where a license is required, the usual path is any mandated prelicensing course, the state exam, a background check with fingerprints, and the license application. Public adjusters, who represent policyholders, face separate rules such as Florida's $50,000 surety bond.

Pass one of the four Alabama adjuster exams (Property and Casualty, Workers' Compensation, Crop, or the combined Property and Casualty with Workers' Compensation and Crop), each $75 per attempt with a 70% passing score; register at least 7 days ahead with the University of Alabama. Then complete a fingerprint background check through Fieldprint, apply online through NIPR with the $110 license fee, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship within 10 days. Alabama licenses independent adjusters but does not license or regulate public adjusters.

To become an independent adjuster in Alaska, you need at least six months of active working experience within the last two years, or special education or training in handling claims, and you must pass the 80-question adjuster exam administered by Pearson VUE for an $89 fee. You then apply for $75, submitting one fingerprint card with a $48.25 fee. Applicants without the experience can start with a Trainee Adjuster license, which requires working under an Alaska-licensed independent adjuster supervisor.

Pass the Arizona adjuster exam (Series 13-36) through PSI, Arizona's exam administrator, then apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry and submit fingerprints electronically. The passing score is 70%, the exam fee is $59, and the license fee is $120. A first license runs between three and four years and expires on the last day of your birth month, and adjusters have no continuing education requirement.

To become an Arkansas adjuster, you submit a resident application through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), complete the online criminal background check, and pass the exam for the line you want, such as Property, Casualty, or Workers' Compensation. Each adjuster exam allows 1.5 hours, costs $40, and requires a 70% score to pass. Any three adjuster exams can be taken together.

To become an independent insurance adjuster in California, be at least 18, document 2 years of certified adjusting experience (4,000 hours of compensated time), and pass the Insurance Adjuster exam, which requires a 70% score. Then apply through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), pay the $311 two-year license fee per qualified manager, and submit fingerprints, a passport photo, and a $2,000 surety bond unless you adjust only under an already bonded adjuster or organization.

Colorado does not license independent, staff, or company adjusters who work on behalf of an insurer, so no state license is required for that adjusting work. The state licenses only public adjusters, who represent policyholders on a contract basis. Public Adjuster licensure requires passing a Pearson VUE exam and posting a $20,000 signed surety bond with a power of attorney.

Connecticut offers four Casualty Adjuster exams: All Lines, All Lines except Workers' Compensation, Workers' Compensation Only, and Auto Only. Each costs $70 and requires a 70% passing score, and the handbook's pre-licensing training requirements cover producer lines and the Property Public Adjuster, not casualty adjusters. After passing, apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR); the application fee is $130.

To become a Delaware adjuster, apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), pass the Pearson VUE exam for your line of authority ($90), and provide a State Criminal Background Report. Adjuster exams include Property, Casualty, Motor Vehicle, Marine and Transportation, Surety, Workers Compensation, Crop, and Public Adjuster. Public adjusters must also file a $20,000 bond and a copy of their contract. The license fee is $125.

The District of Columbia licenses public insurance adjusters and does not license independent adjusters. To become one, pass the Pearson VUE public adjuster exam (50 scored questions, 1 hour, $75 fee), then apply online at nipr.com and pay the $100 biennial license fee. DC requires public adjusters to hold a $20,000 surety bond and keep records for several years after each transaction. No pre-licensing education or continuing education is required.

To become an insurance adjuster in Florida, you apply online through MyProfile, complete fingerprinting ($52.50 plus local county sales tax), and pass the state adjuster exam administered by Pearson VUE; the application fee is $50 plus a $5 license ID fee, and the exam fee is $44. Applicants holding an approved designation, such as AIC or CALA, need not sit for the exam. The license is perpetual while you hold a valid appointment, and adjusters complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years.

Complete a 16-hour Property and Casualty adjuster course within the 12 months before your exam, then pass the Pearson VUE adjuster exam (exam 12-GA-24, 2 hours, 70% passing score, $67 fee paid at reservation). You must pass the exam within one year of finishing the prelicensing course. Next, submit a notarized Citizenship Affidavit (form GID-276-EN), apply online at sircon.com/georgia with a $100 license fee plus $20 processing, and register with Identogo for electronic fingerprints after submitting the application.

To become an independent adjuster in Idaho, pass the ID Independent Adjuster exam through Pearson VUE, submit fingerprints for a background check, and apply online through NIPR with the $80 application fee. Salaried staff adjusters who work directly for an insurer are exempt from licensure, and no company appointments are required for adjusters. Public adjusters follow a separate path and must also maintain a $20,000 surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit.

Illinois licenses public adjusters through the Department of Insurance. You must pass the Pearson VUE public adjuster examination ($92, which includes a $50 state administrative fee), then apply online through NIPR with a $250 fee paid by electronic funds transfer. You must also submit evidence of financial responsibility of $50,000 (a surety bond or an irrevocable letter of credit) and be fingerprinted by an Illinois-approved live scan vendor before the license is issued. You cannot contract with an insured until the Department approves the contract and issues the license.

To become a resident independent adjuster in Indiana, you must be at least 18, complete a 40-hour pre-licensing education course, and pass the Indiana Independent Adjuster examination (100 questions, 105 minutes, $69), scheduled through Pearson VUE. You then apply through Sircon, NIPR, or a paper application; the resident license fee is $40. Note that Indiana does not license staff adjusters, and holders of an active Uniform Claims Certification are exempt from the course and exam.

Iowa licenses public adjusters, independent adjusters, and staff adjusters. Each license has its own Pearson VUE exam: Public Adjusters (12-IA-20), Independent Adjuster (12-IA-21), and Staff Adjuster (12-IA-22), each 1 hour long with a $44 fee and 50 scoreable questions. After passing, submit your application and license fee online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) within 90 days. Iowa law also sets adjuster standards of conduct, including no contact with insureds during the first 72 hours after a catastrophic event.

Kansas does not license independent or staff adjusters; the state licenses only public adjusters, and their work is limited to first-party claims under commercial insurance contracts. To qualify, you must be at least 18, pass the Kansas Public Adjusters Examination, and apply online through NIPR with a $100 application fee and a $60 fingerprint fee. Residents who want an adjuster credential for other types of claims typically obtain a designated home state license from another state that licenses them.

Kentucky licenses independent adjusters (contractors for insurers), staff adjusters (insurer employees), and public adjusters, but no new public adjuster applications are accepted for two years beginning April 13, 2026. You must pass the exam for each line of authority (property and casualty, workers' compensation, and crop are separate exams) with a score of at least 70%, pay $50 per line plus a $50 exam fee per line, and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). Residents must also submit a criminal background report from the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

To become a claims adjuster in Louisiana, you must be at least 18, reside in or maintain a principal place of business in the state, pass the licensing exam, submit the application, and be fingerprinted. No prelicensing education is required. You schedule the exam with PSI, file the $75 application online through NIPR, and then complete fingerprinting through IdentoGo after the application is submitted.

Maine resident adjuster applicants must pass the Pearson VUE exam for their line (Property & Casualty, Multi-Peril Crop, or Workers' Compensation) and then submit a license application through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). The resident adjuster fee is $45, a $15 application fee plus a $30 license fee, and the exam costs $55. Resident adjuster licenses renew by October 1 of even-numbered years for $30.

Maryland licenses only public adjusters, who adjust claims on behalf of policyholders for property losses; it does not license staff adjusters employed by insurers. To become one, pass the Prometric public adjuster exam (code 2023), then submit the application with the $50 fee. The license is biennial and requires 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, to renew. Residents seeking an independent adjuster license can obtain a designated home state license from a state that issues them.

Massachusetts does not license independent or staff adjusters; its adjuster-related licenses are the Public Insurance Adjuster and the Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser. To become a Public Insurance Adjuster, you must be at least 21, have at least two years of experience adjusting property loss claims or related work, and pass the state exam. Then apply through NIPR and upload your exam report, written contract, photo, experience letter, and CORI background check. The license costs $200 for a 3-year term and requires 15 hours of continuing education each licensing period.

Michigan offers two adjuster licenses: an Adjuster for the Insured (public adjuster) and an Insurance Adjuster (independent). File an Electronic Resident Licensing application through NIPR, paying a $15.00 state fee plus a $5.00 transaction fee, then pass the licensing exam within 6 months of the application entering the DIFS database. Note that a salaried staff adjuster employed directly by an insurance company does not need a Michigan license.

To become a resident independent adjuster in Minnesota, pass the required adjuster exam scheduled through PSI, submit fingerprints ($66.75 for electronic prints at a PSI test center), and complete the adjuster license application online at Sircon. Available lines of authority are property and casualty, workers' compensation, and crop, and the adjuster exam fee is $25. Resident public adjusters must also email an original $10,000 surety bond on the Commerce-approved form.

To become a resident independent adjuster in Mississippi, complete 20 hours of approved prelicensing education per line of authority (or submit written proof of sufficient claims-handling experience), pass the Pearson VUE exam, and apply at sircon.com/mississippi or nipr.com with the $100 license fee. Public adjusters must also file a bond or letter of credit of at least $50,000. Non-residents can qualify by holding an adjuster license in their home state.

Missouri does not license staff, independent, or catastrophe adjusters; only public adjusters are licensed. To become one, you must be 18, pass the Pearson VUE public adjuster exam (50 scored questions, $25 exam fee), pay the $100 license fee, and file a $10,000 corporate surety bond or a $1,000 bond. The license renews annually for $50. Missouri residents who want a property and casualty adjuster credential commonly obtain a designated home state license from another state.

To become an adjuster in Montana, you must be a state resident, pass the multi-line adjuster exam (88 scoreable questions) through Pearson VUE with a score of 75 or better, apply for the $50 license through NIPR, and submit fingerprints with a $30 payment to Montana Criminal Records. Resident adjusters must maintain a Montana office accessible to the public and keep usual and customary records. Adjuster licenses renew every two years for $100 and require 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics and 1 hour of Montana law.

In Nebraska, the individual adjuster license the state issues is the public adjuster license. Resident applicants must be at least 18, pass the public adjuster exam with a 70% score, pay a $50 fee, file a $20,000 surety bond, and maintain an office in the state with public access. Non-residents must hold a public adjuster license in their home state and pay the $50 fee.

In Nevada, start by passing the Pearson VUE adjuster exam for your line: the Property and Casualty Adjuster exam has 90 scored questions and the Workers Compensation Adjuster exam has 50, and each costs $37. Then apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) or Sircon for the license class that fits your role: Independent, Company, Staff, or Public Adjuster. The state fee is $185 per application, and fingerprints must be submitted within 90 days of applying. Note that an adjuster license cannot be held together with an active Property or Casualty producer license.

Resident adjusters must pass the New Hampshire adjuster examination, administered by PSI, before applying. You must be at least 18 years old, then apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) using the uniform application with the $75 fee and your passing exam results on file. Non-residents need a home-state adjuster license or 6 months of verifiable adjusting experience.

New Jersey does not issue staff or independent adjuster licenses; the state's only adjuster credential is the Public Adjuster license. To become a public adjuster, pass the PSI exam, complete Live Scan fingerprinting (service code 2F1F7N), pay the $70 initial fee, and post a $10,000 bond. The license renews biennially on the last day of your birth month, with 15 hours of continuing education required for those first licensed after July 4, 2011.

New Mexico licenses public, staff, and independent adjusters. You must be at least 18, be a bona fide New Mexico resident or a resident of a reciprocal state, pass the exam with a 70% score, and pay the $30 license fee; the exam costs $75. Public and independent adjusters must also file a $10,000 surety bond, and a staff adjuster must be appointed by an insurance company to be licensed. After passing, complete the $67 IdentoGO background check and apply online through NIPR.

New York licenses two adjuster types. Independent adjusters, who act for insurers, need no prelicensing course but must pass a PSI line exam; public adjusters, who represent policyholders, must complete a 40-hour approved course, pass the exam, post a $1,000 bond, and submit five certificates of character. Both apply online through NY LINX, pay a $100 fee ($50 for terms of one year or less), and complete fingerprinting through IdentoGO.

Apply online at www.nipr.com and pay the total initial fee of $169, made up of a $50 registration fee, a $75 license fee, and a $44 application processing fee. No pre-licensing education is required for adjusters, and fingerprints are not required for the Adjuster license. You must then pass the Pearson VUE adjuster exam, a 2 hour 15 minute exam with 100 scored questions, with a passing scaled score of 70. After licensing, adjusters complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, including mandatory ethics and flood hours.

Independent or staff adjusters who represent an insurance company do not need a license in North Dakota. To work as a public adjuster representing policyholders, you must pass the $58 PSI public adjuster exam, apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) for a $100 fee, and submit a $20,000 bond to the Department. The public adjuster license renews every two years for $25.

Ohio issues public insurance adjuster licenses; the state does not offer independent or company adjuster licenses. To become a public insurance adjuster, you must pass the PSI Series 11-38 exam (100 questions, 2 hours, $49 exam fee) and submit a license application with a $100 fee. No pre-licensing education is required for this line, and a fingerprint background check is not required.

Pass one of PSI's Oklahoma adjuster exams, such as Property & Casualty, which costs $20 and requires 70% correct to pass. Wait 3 business days after passing so results reach the state, then apply online; paper applications are not accepted. The license fee is $30 for a single line of authority or $50 for two or more, and the department processes producer and adjuster applications in 5-7 business days.

Pass the Oregon adjuster exam administered by PSI; no prelicense training is required. Then provide fingerprints at an Oregon PSI test center or a FieldPrint location, and apply online at NIPR.com. The adjuster exam fee is $45. Resident adjusters must complete 24 hours of continuing education each renewal cycle, including 3 hours of ethics and 3 hours of Oregon law.

Pennsylvania licenses public adjusters, and that path requires passing the Public Adjuster exam (16-19) administered by PSI, paying a $200 initial license fee, and obtaining a surety bond of no less than $20,000 before transacting business. You must also use a Department-approved contract with policyholders. The license runs on a 2-year term based on your birth month, with a $200 renewal fee.

In Rhode Island, you must pass the applicable adjuster exam at a Pearson VUE test center ($80 per exam), wait 3-5 days for results to post, then apply electronically through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). Resident applicants must also provide a certified background check (BCI) from the Rhode Island Attorney General that is no more than 30 days old. The license fee is $250, licenses renew every 2 years, and adjusters must complete 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, every two years.

To become a resident adjuster in South Carolina, pass the state adjuster exam with Pearson VUE, apply online through NIPR, pay the $80 license fee, and provide the original SLED report. The state does not require adjuster fingerprints or continuing education. Adjuster licenses renew in August of odd-numbered years.

South Dakota does not license property and casualty adjusters, so no state adjuster license is required to adjust property and casualty claims in the state. There is no separate adjuster application process in South Dakota for that work.

Tennessee does not license independent adjusters, so there is no state application or exam for that role. Residents who want independent-adjuster credentials typically obtain a Texas designated home state license, which is reciprocal in many states. Tennessee does license public adjusters and crop adjusters: public adjusters pay a $100 filing fee, pass an exam, and must file a $50,000 surety bond plus $500,000 in errors and omissions coverage.

Pass the state adjuster exam through Pearson VUE, get fingerprinted, then apply through Sircon within one year of passing, paying the $50 application fee. Texas adjuster applications must go through Sircon, not the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). You can skip the exam if you completed a TDI-approved adjusting course within the last 12 months, hold a CPCU or Associate in Claims (AIC) designation, or are a nonresident licensed in a reciprocal state.

Utah requires independent adjusters, who represent insurers, and public adjusters, who represent policyholders, to be licensed under Utah Code 31A-26-201. Pass the applicable Prometric adjuster exam, apply online through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), and, as a resident, complete fingerprinting at a Prometric test center. Utah does not license company or staff adjusters. If your home state licenses adjusters, you can also obtain a nonresident license by reciprocity.

To become a property and casualty adjuster in Vermont, you must be at least 18, be deemed competent, trustworthy and financially responsible, pass the written adjuster exam, and meet an experience requirement. The experience requirement can be satisfied with two years of loss-claims experience, special training of sufficient duration and scope, or immediate personal supervision by a Vermont-licensed adjuster licensed for at least 3 years. The resident paper application requires a $30.00 application fee and a $120.00 license fee, and the license runs April 1 to March 31 of even years.

Virginia licenses public adjusters, who act for policyholders on first-party property claims. A resident applicant must be at least 18, pass the Prometric Public Adjuster exam (Series 11-08), be fingerprinted at a Fieldprint location, and apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) for a $15 fee. Public adjusters must then complete 24 hours of continuing education each biennium.

Washington issues three adjuster licenses: crop, independent, and public. Before taking the adjuster exam, you must meet one of three criteria: one year as a full-time salaried employee of an insurer or managing general agent adjusting claims, a qualifying designation such as AIC or CPCU, or a supervised adjuster-trainee program of six to nine months and at least 960 hours. Then pass the exam, apply online, and, as a resident, submit fingerprints. The license fee is $50, and public adjusters must also file a $5,000 bond.

West Virginia offers three adjuster licenses: company adjuster, independent adjuster, and public adjuster, all covering Property and Casualty lines (company and independent adjusters can also hold Crop and Workers' Compensation). No pre-licensing education is required, but you must pass the Pearson VUE exam ($84), get fingerprinted through IdentoGo (service code 228NS5), and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with a $50 fee. Adjusters complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years, including 3 hours in ethics.

Wisconsin registers individual public adjusters rather than licensing them, and only nonresidents must register before providing adjusting services; residents may register but are not required to. Resident applicants take the $50 exam through PSI, wait 48-72 hours for scores to record with the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), apply through NIPR for a $50 initial fee, and mail an original surety bond of at least $20,000 plus a written home-office availability statement. Registered adjusters complete 15 continuing education credits every two years, with a required ethics component.

Wyoming resident adjusters follow three steps: pass the Wyoming Insurance Adjuster Licensing Exam through Pearson VUE, apply and pay the $100 resident fee, and submit fingerprints ($39) for a background check. Adjuster lines of authority are Property, Casualty, and Crop. Anyone 18 or older can apply, and the typical resident license turnaround is 30 days.