How do you become an insurance claims adjuster?

The typical path starts with a high school diploma or equivalent, though some positions require a bachelor's degree or insurance-related experience. Licensing requirements vary by state: some states have few requirements, others require prelicensing education, a passing exam score, or both. In some states, adjusters employed by insurance companies do not need an individual license because they can work under the company license. Entry-level adjusters work on small claims under supervision before handling larger, more complex claims.

To become an insurance claims adjuster in Alabama, pass one of four state adjuster exams, since no prelicensing education has been required since January 1, 2024. Register with the University of Alabama at least 7 days in advance and pay $75; a 70% score passes. After passing, complete a fingerprint background check through Fieldprint and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) within 30 days of fingerprinting, paying the $110 adjuster license fee. Submit proof of U.S. citizenship within 10 days or the application is rejected and fees are not refunded.

In Alaska, you become an insurance claims adjuster by meeting the state's eligibility rules and passing the licensing exam. You must be at least 18, and independent adjuster applicants need a minimum of six months' active working experience (or special education or training) in handling claims within the last two calendar years. The adjuster exam, administered by Pearson VUE for $89, has 80 scoreable questions and requires a passing scaled score of 70. You then apply through nipr.com or paper form 08-240 with the $75 fee and a fingerprint card.

To become an Arizona insurance adjuster, pass the Adjuster exam (Series 13-36) administered by PSI, then apply for the $120 Adjuster license through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). You must be at least 18 years old, submit electronic fingerprints for a background check, and provide an employment history covering at least five years with no gaps. A score of 70% correct passes, and exam scores are valid for one year.

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, and any three adjuster exams can be taken together.

California licenses independent insurance adjusters under the Insurance Adjuster Act. You must be at least 18, pass the Insurance Adjuster exam (70% to pass, $79 exam fee), and document two years of certified adjusting experience, equal to 4,000 hours of compensated time. The license fee is $311 per qualified manager for a two-year term, and you must also submit a $2,000 surety bond, fingerprints, and a passport photo, unless you adjust solely under an already-bonded adjuster or organization.

Colorado does not license independent or staff adjusters who work on behalf of an insurer, so that path needs no state license. The state licenses only public adjusters, who work solely for policyholders on a contract basis. A public adjuster applicant must pass a Pearson VUE exam, provide a $20,000 signed surety bond and a power of attorney, and apply through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR).

In Connecticut, claims adjusters hold the Property & Casualty Claims adjuster license. Pass the Pearson VUE Casualty Adjuster exam for your line ($70 each, 70% passing score), then apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR); the application fee is $130. The handbook's pre-licensing training requirements apply to producer lines and the Property Public Adjuster, not casualty adjusters. The license renews for $80 by June 30 of every odd year.

To become a Delaware claims adjuster, pass the Pearson VUE adjuster exam for each line of authority you want, submit state and FBI criminal history reports dated within 90 days of receipt, and apply online through NIPR. Available adjuster lines include Property, Casualty, Surety, Motor Vehicle, Marine and Transportation, Crop, and Workers Compensation. New adjusters can also start as apprentices under a licensed adjuster's supervision for up to 1 year.

In DC, claims adjusting is licensed as a public adjuster. You pass the Pearson VUE public adjuster exam (50 scored questions, 1 hour), apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), and pay the $100 biennial license fee. You must also post a $20,000 surety bond and keep records for at least five years after each transaction. DC does not require pre-licensing education or continuing education for public adjusters.

Obtain the Florida 6-20 all-lines adjuster license: complete an application through MyProfile, pay the $50 application fee plus the $5 license ID fee, submit fingerprints through IdentoGO by Idemia ($52.50 plus local county sales tax), and pass the state exam unless you hold an exempting designation such as AIC or CPCU. After approval, an insurer must appoint you before you can adjust claims, and the license expires if unappointed for 48 months.

Complete a 16-hour Property and Casualty adjuster course, pass the Pearson VUE adjuster exam, and apply online through Sircon. The application requires a $120 fee, a completed Citizenship Affidavit (GID-276-EN), and electronic fingerprints for a background check. Salaried staff adjusters follow a different path: they are registered by their insurer with the state rather than licensed.

It depends on the role. Salaried staff adjusters who work directly for an insurer do not need an Idaho license. Independent adjusters must pass the ID Independent Adjuster exam ($65), complete fingerprinting, and apply through NIPR ($80). Public adjusters, who represent policyholders, must also obtain a $20,000 surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit.

Illinois does not license company or staff claims adjusters, so you do not need a state license to handle claims for an insurer. To work as a public adjuster (advocating for policyholders), you must pass the Pearson VUE exam ($92, 165 minutes, 100 scored questions, passing score 70), apply through NIPR with a $250 license fee, post evidence of financial responsibility of $50,000 (a surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit), and be fingerprinted by an Illinois-approved live scan vendor before the license is issued.

In Indiana, you become an independent adjuster by completing a 40-hour pre-licensing education program, passing the Indiana Independent Adjuster exam through Pearson VUE, and applying with a $40 resident fee. Staff adjusters employed directly by an insurer do not need a license. The separate Public Adjuster license instead requires a $50 fee, a $10,000 surety bond, and an exam with no pre-licensing course.

Resident applicants must pass the appropriate Pearson VUE licensing exam and then apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) online system. Public adjuster and independent adjuster applicants must also submit evidence of financial responsibility from an insurer authorized to act as a surety, and public adjusters submit their customer contract. Staff adjuster licensing is optional and requires proof of employment.

Kansas licenses only public adjusters, and their work is limited to first-party claims under commercial lines insurance contracts. To become a resident public adjuster, you must be at least 18, submit the NAIC Uniform Application for Individual Adjuster through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), pay a $100 application fee and a $60 fingerprinting fee, and pass the Kansas Public Adjuster Examination, which requires a 70% score to pass.

Kentucky residents apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), submit an AOC FastCheck background report, and pass the adjuster exam for each line of authority with a 70% score, paying $50 for the license and $50 for the exam per line; no prelicensing course is required for adjusters. Lines of authority are property and casualty (covering all P&C claims, including workers' compensation and crop), workers' compensation only, and crop only. New public adjuster applications are not accepted for two years beginning April 13, 2026.

To become a licensed claims adjuster in Louisiana, you must be at least 18 years old, competent and trustworthy, and reside in or maintain a principal place of business in the state. Louisiana requires no prelicensing education for claims adjusters. You pass the adjuster exam through PSI, file a $75 license application through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), and complete fingerprinting through IdentoGo. The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) receives exam scores within 1 to 2 days and fingerprint results generally within 7 to 10 days.

Pass a state licensing exam, then apply for a license. Maine gives adjuster exams for property and casualty, multi-peril crop, and workers' compensation through Pearson VUE, with a passing scaled score of 70. You then submit the application through NIPR and answer its background questions; the resident adjuster fee is $45 ($15 application plus $30 license). The license is emailed within 24 to 72 hours after approval.

Maryland licenses only public adjusters, not staff or independent adjusters. To become a licensed public adjuster, you must pass the Public Adjuster exam (Prometric code 2023) and submit the NAIC Uniform Individual Application with a $50 fee to the Maryland Insurance Administration. Maryland residents who want to adjust claims for insurers instead commonly obtain a nonresident designated home state license from a state that licenses independent adjusters.

Massachusetts does not license independent or staff adjusters, so the adjuster paths in the state are Public Insurance Adjuster and Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser. A public adjuster license requires being at least 21, having at least 2 years of experience adjusting property loss claims or related work, passing the Massachusetts exam, and clearing a CORI background check. The license costs $200, renews every 3 years, and requires 15 hours of public adjuster continuing education each licensing period.

Michigan offers two adjuster licenses: an independent Insurance Adjuster who represents insurance companies, and an Adjuster for the Insured who represents policyholders. File an application through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with a $15.00 state fee plus a $5.00 transaction fee, then pass the $41 PSI exam for your lines: fire and other hazards, workers' compensation, or crop. No pre-licensing education is required, and the exam must be passed within six months of application.

To become a licensed adjuster in Minnesota, you pass the required exam, submit fingerprints, and complete the adjuster license application online through Sircon. Exams are scheduled with PSI (866-395-1006) at a fee of $25 per adjuster exam, and the available lines of authority are property and casualty, workers' compensation, and crop. Electronic fingerprinting costs $66.75 at a PSI test center, or $35.00 by mail with the card. Public adjusters must also email an original $10,000 surety bond to the Department of Commerce.

In Mississippi, resident adjusters complete 20 hours of prelicensing education, or submit written proof of claims-handling experience in place of the course, then pass the state exam through Pearson VUE. You must be at least 18 years old. Apply for the $100 license at sircon.com/mississippi or nipr.com. Salaried employees of an insurance company are not required to hold an adjuster license in Mississippi.

Missouri's Licensing Section issues public adjuster licenses but does not issue licenses for staff or independent adjusters, so those roles require no state license there. To become a public adjuster, you must be at least 18, pass the Pearson VUE exam (50 scored questions, $25 fee), and pay a $100 application fee along with a $10,000 corporate surety bond or a $1,000 bond. The license runs one year and renews annually for $50; it may not be late renewed, and if it expires you must retake the exam and reapply.

To become a licensed adjuster in Montana, pass the adjuster exam through Pearson VUE with a score of 75% or better ($65 fee), then apply through NIPR, where the adjuster application fee is $50. Resident adjusters must maintain a Montana office accessible to the public with the usual records. Adjusters complete 24 hours of continuing education each biennium, including 3 hours of ethics and 1 hour of Montana law. Public adjusters must also file a $5,000 surety bond.

Nebraska's adjuster license is the Public Adjuster license, issued by the Nebraska Department of Insurance. To qualify, you must be at least 18, maintain a principal place of residence or business in Nebraska, pass the public adjuster licensing exam, pay a $50 application fee, and show proof of financial responsibility through a $20,000 surety bond. You must also maintain an in-state office with public access.

Pass the Pearson VUE adjuster exam for your line of authority, submit fingerprints for a criminal history background report, and apply online through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR). The Property and Casualty Adjuster exam costs $37, and the state application fee is $185. Nevada will not issue an adjuster license to anyone holding an active producer license with Property or Casualty lines, and the reverse also applies.

Resident claims adjusters in New Hampshire must pass the PSI adjuster exam and then apply online through NIPR with a $75 fee. Licenses run two years and expire on the last day of the birth month. To renew, adjusters complete 24 continuing education hours per cycle, including at least 3 ethics credits, and workers' compensation adjusters need at least 10 workers' compensation credits. State law also requires adjusters to exhibit their license to each person they deal with when adjusting a claim.

New Jersey does not license independent or staff adjusters, so adjusters who work for insurance companies need no state license. The only adjuster license the state issues is the public adjuster license, which requires passing a PSI-administered exam, paying a $70 total initial fee, posting a $10,000 bond, and completing Live Scan fingerprinting. Public adjusters first licensed after July 4, 2011 must also complete 15 hours of continuing education.

New Mexico licenses three adjuster types: public, staff, and independent. All applicants must be at least 18, be trustworthy with a good business reputation, and have passed the exam within one year before applying. Independent and public adjusters file a $10,000 surety bond; staff adjusters need an appointment from an insurance company instead. Applications are submitted online through NIPR after passing the exam.

New York licenses independent adjusters, who handle claims for insurers, and public adjusters, who represent insureds. Independent adjuster candidates need no prelicensing course but must pass a PSI exam and submit fingerprints. Public adjuster candidates must complete a 40-hour Department-approved course, pass the exam, submit fingerprints, a $1,000 bond, and five Certificates of Character from community members who know them well. The license fee is $100 for a term over one year ($50 for one year or less), and adjuster licenses expire on December 31 of even-numbered years.

To become a claims adjuster in North Carolina, apply online at www.nipr.com, pay the applicable fees (an adjuster license totals $169 in state fees plus a $5.60 transaction fee), and pass the adjuster exam through Pearson VUE, which costs $45 per attempt and requires a passing score of 70. The exam has 100 questions plus 20 pretest questions and runs 2 hours 15 minutes. Prelicensing education is not required for adjusters.

If you want to handle claims for an insurance company in North Dakota, no license is required, and hiring is handled by employers. To work as a public adjuster representing policyholders, you must pass the public adjuster exam ($58, 70% to pass), apply for the $100 license, and submit a $20,000 bond to the department.

In Ohio, the adjuster license available to individuals is the Public Insurance Adjuster license; the state does not issue independent or company adjuster licenses. A Public Insurance Adjuster applicant does not need pre-licensing education. You must pass the Series 11-38 exam (100 questions, 2 hours) through PSI for a $49 fee, then apply with a $100 fee; no fingerprint background check is required for this license type.

To become an adjuster in Oklahoma, pass the adjuster exam that PSI administers with a score of 70%, then wait 3 business days for your results to reach the state before applying online. The Oklahoma Insurance Department processes producer and adjuster applications in 5-7 business days. Under the fee schedule revised in September 2023, the license fee is $30 for one line of authority and $50 for two or more, and the adjuster exam fee is $20 per exam.

Oregon resident adjuster applicants must pass the Oregon adjuster exam, which PSI administers; no prelicense training is required. After passing, you provide fingerprints (at an Oregon PSI test center or a FieldPrint location) and apply online at NIPR.com. Once licensed, adjusters complete 24 hours of continuing education each two-year cycle, including 3 hours of ethics.

Pennsylvania issues two adjuster-related licenses. A public adjuster license requires passing the Public Adjuster exam (16-19), using a Department-approved contract, and obtaining a surety bond of at least $20,000; the initial fee is $200 and the license renews every two years by birth month. A Motor Vehicle Physical Damage Appraiser license requires the appraiser exam plus either six months of continuous estimating experience or a completed training program within the last three years; the fee is $55 and it expires annually on June 30.

Rhode Island licenses three types of claims adjusters: company adjusters, independent adjusters, and public adjusters. You must pass the applicable Rhode Island adjuster exam at a Pearson VUE test center, provide a certified background check, and apply electronically through NIPR. Company and independent adjusters specify lines such as Property/Casualty, Crop, or Workers Compensation, and the biennial license fee is $250 for all three types.

To become a resident adjuster in South Carolina, pass the state adjuster exam administered by Pearson VUE, then apply online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), pay the $80 license fee, and provide the original South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) report. Exam certificates expire 12 months after issuance. Adjuster licenses renew in August of odd-numbered years, and South Carolina does not require fingerprints or continuing education for adjusters.

South Dakota does not license property and casualty adjusters, so there is no state adjuster application, exam, or fee to complete. A person handling claims for property and casualty coverage in South Dakota works without a state adjuster license.

Tennessee does not issue licenses for independent claims adjusters, so residents who adjust property and casualty claims typically obtain a Designated Home State license from a state such as Texas, which many other states accept on a reciprocal basis. Tennessee does license public adjusters: that path requires passing an examination, a $100 filing fee, a $50,000 surety bond, and proof of $500,000 in errors and omissions coverage.

Pass the state adjuster licensing exam, complete fingerprinting through the Texas Department of Insurance online portal, and apply through Sircon within one year of passing, paying the $50 application fee. Exam waivers are available if you completed a TDI-approved adjusting course within the last 12 months, hold a CPCU or Associate in Claims (AIC) designation, or hold a good-standing license in a reciprocal state. TDI processes most license applications within one business day.

Utah licenses independent adjusters, who represent insurers, and public adjusters, who represent policyholders; it does not license staff adjusters employed by insurers, per Utah Code 31A-26-201. You register with Prometric and pass the adjuster exam, either Series 17-11 property and casualty (150 questions, 2.5 hours) or Series 17-12 accident and health (100 questions, 2 hours), then apply online through SIRCON or NIPR and be fingerprinted at a Prometric test center.

To become a claims adjuster in Vermont, apply for the Property and Casualty Adjuster license: you must be at least 18, pass the written Adjuster's Property and Casualty exam, and show two years of loss-claims experience, equivalent special training, or immediate supervision by a Vermont-licensed adjuster of 3 or more years. Adjusting workers compensation claims requires a separate Workers Compensation Adjuster license. Fees are $30 for the application plus $120 for the license.

Virginia does not license independent or company adjusters, so most residents seeking that work obtain a Designated Home State adjuster license, such as Florida's or Texas's, and Virginia accepts that arrangement. To become a Virginia public adjuster, you pass the Series 11-08 Prometric exam, complete Fieldprint fingerprinting, and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR); the application fee is $15.

Washington issues three adjuster licenses: crop, independent, and public. To become a resident independent adjuster, first qualify under one of three paths: 12 months of full-time salaried claims experience with an insurer or managing general agent, a designation such as the Associate in Claims (AIC) or Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), or a supervised adjuster-trainee program of 6 to 9 months totaling at least 960 hours. Then pass the $38 exam with a 70% score, apply online, and submit fingerprints; the license fee is $50. Public adjusters must also file a $5,000 bond.

West Virginia offers three adjuster licenses: company adjuster, independent adjuster, and public adjuster. Adjuster candidates do not need pre-licensing education, but they must pass the Pearson VUE exam for their line (such as Property and Casualty or Workers' Compensation) with a scaled score of 70. After passing, submit fingerprints through Identogo (service code 228NS5) and apply through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) with a $50 fee.

Wisconsin registers public adjusters rather than licensing every type of claims adjuster. Residents may apply for public adjuster registration, and nonresidents must register before performing adjusting services in the state. To register, pass the $50 PSI exam, wait 48-72 hours for scores to reach NIPR, apply via NIPR with a $50 fee, and mail an original surety bond of at least $20,000 plus a home-office availability statement. Resident public adjusters then complete 15 continuing-education credits every two years, including 3 ethics credits.

Wyoming licenses adjusters in three lines of authority: Property, Casualty, and Crop. As a resident, you must be at least 18 years old, pass the Wyoming Insurance Adjuster Licensing Exam through Pearson VUE, apply through Sircon, pay the $100 resident fee, and be fingerprinted for a background check. The typical turnaround from application to issuance is 30 days, and the background check usually takes 2-3 weeks from fingerprint receipt.