How do I become an insurance adjuster with no experience?

Most states do not require prior claims experience to become an adjuster. You must be at least 18, pass the state exam where your state requires one, and clear a background check; entry-level adjusters start on small claims under supervision. If you live in a state that does not license adjusters, Florida and Texas issue designated home state licenses that other licensing states accept by reciprocity.

Delaware offers an apprentice adjuster license designed for people entering the field. It is valid for 1 year, requires no exam, and needs a statement from a licensed adjuster who assumes responsibility and certifies that you are a full-time supervised employee. Apprentice applications are one of the few types not submitted electronically through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR); they are filed on paper. The standard path after that requires passing a Pearson VUE adjuster exam.

Kansas adjuster licensing covers public adjusters, who assist policyholders only on first-party commercial claims; per Kansas Attorney General Opinion 2025-22, residential lines public adjusting requires no license. A resident public adjuster applicant must be at least 18, submit the NAIC Uniform Application through NIPR with a $100 fee plus a $60 fingerprinting fee, and pass the Kansas Public Adjuster examination. Renewal requires 18 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, and a $100 biennial fee.

New Jersey does not license staff or independent adjusters, so there is no experience prerequisite to clear. To work as an adjuster in the state, you obtain the Public Adjuster license: pass the PSI exam, complete Live Scan fingerprinting, and pay the $70 fee. Public adjusters initially licensed after July 4, 2011 must also complete 15 hours of continuing education.

Rhode Island's adjuster license requirements do not include prior experience. You must pass the applicable Rhode Island adjuster exam at a Pearson VUE test center, wait 3-5 days for results to post, and apply electronically through NIPR. Resident applicants also provide a certified background check (BCI) no more than 30 days old, pay a $250 license fee, and complete 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, every two years.

You can qualify for a Vermont adjuster license without prior experience. The experience requirement is met through at least two years of loss-claims experience, special training of sufficient duration and scope, or immediate personal supervision by a Vermont-licensed adjuster who has been licensed for at least 3 years. You must still be at least 18, pass the required written exam, and pay the application and license fees.

Wyoming does not require adjuster applicants to have prior experience. You must be at least 18, pass the Wyoming Insurance Adjuster Licensing Exam through Pearson VUE, apply online through Sircon with the $100 resident fee, and be fingerprinted. The typical resident license turnaround is 30 days from application to issuance.