How to Get a Texas Insurance License: Requirements, Exams, and Costs

To get an insurance license in Texas, pass the Pearson VUE state licensing exam for your license type, complete an electronic fingerprint background check, and apply to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) within one year of passing the exam. The application fee is $50 per license type, and the exam costs $29 to $49 under the October 2024 Pearson VUE fee schedule, while Texas requires no prelicensing education. TDI reviews most applications within one business day, so a prepared candidate can move from first study session to active license in a few weeks.

Requirements for a Texas insurance license

Texas sets four core requirements for an individual agent or adjuster license: you must be at least 18 years old, pass the state licensing exam for your line of authority, submit electronic fingerprints, and file your application with the fee. The National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR) resident requirements page for Texas^[1] adds that applicants must supply a valid Social Security number, list a resident business address rather than a post office box, and must not hold an active resident license in another state. Federal law (18 USC 1033), as noted on the NIPR Texas renewal requirements page^[2], bars anyone convicted of a crime involving dishonesty or breach of trust from working in insurance without written consent from the commissioner.

Texas licenses a large population: about 850,000 active licensees held TDI credentials as of March 2025, and TDI received about 197,000 license applications in the year covered by its licensing and continuing education presentation^[3].

Texas license types and lines of authority

Texas licenses agents by line of authority, and the license you choose determines the exam you take, the products you may sell, and your continuing education load. TDI's agent and adjuster licensing hub^[4] lists the full catalog; the table below covers the credentials most candidates pursue.

Exam fees come from the October 2024 Pearson VUE candidate handbook^[5], and question counts from the content outlines effective September 1, 2026^[6]. The General Lines Property and Casualty license includes personal lines authority, and the General Lines Life, Accident, and Health license includes life agent authority, so the narrower credential inside each is covered automatically, per the NIPR resident licensing page^[1]. TDI also issues specialty credentials, including managing general agent (150 scoreable exam questions), risk manager (100), surplus lines (60), title insurance, and county mutual licenses. Surplus lines applicants must already hold a General Lines Property and Casualty or managing general agent license.

The Texas licensing process, step by step

The path to become an insurance agent in Texas is the same for every applicant, regardless of line. The Pearson VUE candidate handbook^[5] lists the steps:

"Individuals who wish to obtain an insurance license in the state of Texas must: 1. Make an examination reservation and pay the fee. 2. Make a fingerprint reservation. 3. Take the examination. 4. Get fingerprinted. 5. Apply for a license."

The order matters less than the gate at the end: you must pass the exam before TDI will approve your application. You can study on your own schedule in between, because the state requires no coursework.

Do you need prelicensing education in Texas?

No. Texas requires no prelicensing course hours for agent licenses, and TDI's application steps for every agent line go straight from exam to fingerprints to application. A prep course is optional, and commercial providers commonly suggest about 20 hours of study per line of authority. Pearson VUE publishes a free content outline for every exam, which is the authoritative list of what each test covers.

The Texas insurance licensing exam

All Texas insurance licensing exams are administered in person by Pearson VUE, the state's contracted exam vendor. You schedule online through the Pearson VUE Texas insurance page^[7] or by phone at 888-754-7667, and tests run at centers across the state, including select centers on military bases.

Each major exam has two scored parts: a general section on insurance products and practices, and a state section on Texas law, with the score based on the exam as a whole. The passing score is a scaled score of 70 on a 0 to 100 scale, not a raw number or percentage of questions answered correctly, under the Pearson VUE candidate handbook (October 2024)^[5].

If you fail, you can schedule a new exam within one day, and there is no limit on attempts. Each retake requires a new exam fee, and all exam fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Exams are offered in Spanish, and candidates who speak English as a second language (ESL) can request time-and-a-half through the ESL request form. Veterans can be reimbursed for exam fees for exams taken on or after February 1, 2019, through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, per TDI's general lines application page^[8]. Pearson VUE also publishes monthly pass-rate reports^[9] for every Texas exam.

The exam is the step that screens out most unprepared candidates.

Fingerprinting and the background check

Resident applicants must complete electronic fingerprinting before TDI will issue a license, and the prints are checked against criminal history records held by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). You start on TDI's online fingerprint and initial application portal^[10]; TDI emails a service code that you use to book an appointment with IdentoGO, either online or at 888-467-2080. IdentoGO charges a separate fee for the service, payable by credit card, business check, money order, or coupon code; personal checks and cash are not accepted, per the TDI fingerprint instructions^[11].

Keep the receipt, because TDI requires a copy attached to your application, and an online payment confirmation does not count. Fingerprints are transmitted electronically, so no printed card is issued. If electronic capture is unavailable where you live, you can mail ink fingerprints on an FBI card carrying TDI's ORI number to IdentoGO.

General lines property and casualty license in Texas

The General Lines Property and Casualty license authorizes an agent to sell both commercial and personal property and casualty products, including auto, homeowners, and liability coverage, and it includes personal lines authority. Its exam has 130 scoreable questions, 100 on general insurance and 30 on Texas law, with 150 minutes of testing time under the content outlines effective September 1, 2026^[6], and the exam fee is $49. TDI's application page^[8], citing Texas Insurance Code Section 4051.051, lists three ways to skip the exam: a comparable license expired more than 90 days but less than one year, a nonresident license in good standing in a reciprocal state, or the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. Both a temporary license and an emergency license are available for this line.

General lines life, accident, and health license in Texas

This is the credential for life and health insurance agents, covering life, accident, health, and health maintenance organization (HMO) products, and agents commonly call it the life and health license. The exam has 130 scoreable questions, 100 on general insurance and 30 on Texas law, with 150 minutes of testing time, and the exam fee is $49. TDI's application page^[12], citing Texas Insurance Code Section 4054.051, exempts from the exam anyone holding a comparable license expired more than 90 days but less than one year, a nonresident licensed in good standing in a reciprocal state, or the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation. A temporary license is available for this line; an emergency license is not.

Life agent license in Texas

The Life Agent license is the narrower of Texas's two life credentials and covers life insurance only. Its exam has 80 scoreable questions, 50 on general insurance and 30 on Texas law, with 120 minutes of testing time, and the exam fee is $39. TDI's application page^[13], citing Texas Insurance Code Section 4054.301, lists no professional designation waiver, unlike the general lines credentials, and offers a temporary license but no emergency license.

Personal lines license in Texas

The Personal Lines Property and Casualty license authorizes an agent to sell personal, but not commercial, property and casualty products. Its exam has 100 scoreable questions, 75 on general insurance and 25 on Texas law, with 120 minutes of testing time, and the exam fee is $39. TDI's application page^[14] cites Texas Insurance Code Section 4051.401 and exempts from the exam holders of a comparable license expired more than 90 days but less than one year, nonresidents licensed in good standing in reciprocal states, and CPCU designees. A temporary license is available; no emergency license or provisional permit is offered.

Limited lines license in Texas

The Limited Lines license covers narrow product lines, including credit, travel, rental car, self-service storage, portable electronic, motor vehicle, and crop insurance, and it carries the lightest requirements in the state. Its exam has 50 scoreable questions with 60 minutes of testing time, and the exam fee is $29. TDI's application page^[15] cites Texas Insurance Code Section 4051.101 and offers a temporary license but no emergency license.

Insurance adjuster licenses in Texas

TDI licenses claims adjusters separately from agents, with credentials covering everything from auto and property claims to workers' compensation, per the TDI licensing hub^[4]. Adjuster license types include all lines, designated home state, emergency catastrophe, property and casualty, public insurance, trainee, and workers' compensation.

All-lines adjuster license

The all-lines credential is the broadest adjuster license, covering all types of claims. Its exam has 150 scoreable questions with 150 minutes of testing time, and the exam fee is $49. TDI's application page^[16], citing Texas Insurance Code Section 4101.001, waives the exam for candidates who completed a TDI-approved course or training program in adjusting losses within the last 12 months, hold a comparable license expired more than 90 days but less than one year, are nonresidents licensed in good standing in a reciprocal state, or hold the CPCU or Associate in Claims (AIC) designation. An emergency catastrophe license is available for this line.

Property and casualty adjuster license

The property and casualty adjuster license covers property and casualty claims specifically. Its exam also has 150 scoreable questions with 150 minutes of testing time at $49, and TDI's application page^[17], citing Texas Insurance Code Section 4101.003, grants the same waivers as the all-lines license. An emergency license is available; no temporary license or provisional permit is offered.

Public insurance adjuster license

Public insurance adjusters represent policyholders rather than insurers. Beyond the exam and fingerprints, TDI's application page^[18], citing Texas Insurance Code Sections 4102.001 to 4102.105, requires a surety bond of at least $10,000 with the applicant as sole principal, an approved client contract, and fingerprints even from nonresident applicants. TDI does not accept a DBA for public insurance adjusters or adjusting firms. The exam has 100 scoreable questions with 120 minutes of testing time at $39, and no temporary or emergency license is offered.

How to apply for your Texas insurance license

Agent applications are filed through Sircon or NIPR; Texas adjuster applications are not carried by NIPR, so adjusters file on Sircon, per the NIPR Texas state information page^[19]. The application fee is $50 per license type and is non-refundable, per the Pearson VUE candidate handbook^[5]. Apply within one year of passing your exam, and note that you cannot submit a General Lines Property and Casualty application and a General Lines Life, Accident, and Health application at the same time; separate applications are required, per the NIPR resident licensing page^[1].

Do not apply before you pass. TDI warns on every apply page that if you apply first, "you will be required to: (1) submit a new application after you pass the exam, and (2) pay the application fee again." TDI processes most applications within one business day, and a complete application free of qualification issues can be licensed as soon as the next business day, per the TDI licensing FAQ^[20].

Carrier appointments

An insurer must file an appointment with TDI before you may transact any business for it, under Texas Insurance Code Section 4001.201, per TDI's appointment transactions page^[21]. The carrier files the appointment online through Sircon or NIPR, not you, and each additional company appointment carries a $10 fee under the candidate handbook^[5]. Terminations for cause go to TDI on the Notice of Termination (Form FIN501). A temporary licensee may not obtain additional appointments.

Nonresident licenses and reciprocity

Nonresidents pay the same $50 application fee and must hold an active equivalent license in their home state for the line they request, per the NIPR nonresident licensing page^[22]. When that state grants Texas residents a nonresident license on a reciprocal basis, the applicant is exempt from the Texas exam, continuing education (CE), and criminal history report requirements, and Texas has waived fingerprinting for nonresidents, per TDI's reciprocity page^[23]. Texas adopted its version of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Producer Licensing Model Act on September 1, 2001.

A new Texas resident who held the same or a similar license in the previous state within the 90 days before applying does not have to pass the exam, per the candidate handbook^[5]. To convert an existing nonresident license to a resident one, file the Application for Residency Change to Texas (Form FIN594), per the TDI licensing FAQ^[20]. Nonresidents follow their home state's CE rules, except designated home state adjuster licensees and residents of states without CE requirements follow Texas rules.

Temporary and emergency licenses

A sponsoring company can put a new agent to work before the exam through a one-time, 180-day temporary license, available for Life Agent, Personal Lines, General Lines, and Limited Lines applicants. The $150 application fee covers both the temporary and the permanent application, the sponsor files Form FIN700, the licensee must complete at least 40 hours of company training no later than the 30th day after applying, and the state exam must be passed within the 180-day term, per TDI's general lines application page^[8]. Companies may sponsor up to 500 temporary licensees per calendar year, and at least 70% of them must take the exam with at least 50% passing, per the candidate handbook^[5].

Separately, a 90-day emergency license costs $50 and is available for the property and casualty lines and the all-lines adjuster license when someone must handle the business of a deceased, disabled, or insolvent agent. No new exam is required for the emergency license.

Renewal and continuing education

Most licenses renew every two years and expire on the last day of your birth month, and a first license may carry a shorter first term so later renewals line up with your birthday, per the TDI licensing hub^[4]. To renew, complete your CE, then pay the $50 renewal fee through Sircon or NIPR before midnight Central Time on your expiration date; TDI adds a $25 late fee after that, per the TDI life agent management page^[24], so a late renewal costs $75 total. After you pay, you can print your license free on Sircon for 30 days, per the TDI licensing FAQ^[20].

CE loads vary by license, per the TDI continuing education page^[25]: major agent lines, managing general agents, and adjusters need 24 hours every two years, including 3 hours of ethics, while limited lines, county mutual, and life insurance under $25,000 licenses need 10 hours including 3 hours of ethics. At least half the hours must be classroom or classroom equivalent, and TDI recommends finishing at least 30 days before expiration because providers need time to post credits.

Missing the deadline is expensive. TDI fines you $50 for each deficient hour, capped at $500 per license type for licenses expired after June 1, 2018, and gives you 90 days to complete the hours and pay before the license goes inactive and requires a new application. From day 91 through one year after expiration, you reinstate by filing a new application and paying $75 total, a $50 application fee plus a $25 late fee, per TDI's reinstatement page. After one year, you start over as a new applicant with a new exam. After 20 continuous years of licensure with full CE compliance, the general CE requirement ends, though annuity, long-term care partnership, and Medicare training obligations continue, per the TDI licensing FAQ^[20].

Certain products require extra certification before you may sell them, on top of the general hours: annuities require a 4-hour "Annuity Best Interest" course under Commissioner's Bulletin B-0021-21 plus 8 hours per license term afterward, per the TDI annuity page^[26]; Medicare-related products require 8 hours initially and 4 hours per term; long-term care partnership insurance requires an 8-hour certification and 4 hours per reporting period, which may count toward regular CE, per the TDI certification page^[27]; and small employer health benefit plans require 8 hours initially and 4 hours per term. TDI's March 2025 materials list only those four products, so flood insurance training is not a state requirement, though TDI certifies 3-hour flood courses that count toward CE; confirm any training rules with your carrier before selling flood.

How to look up a Texas insurance license

Texas license records are public, so employers, carriers, and clients can confirm credentials at no cost before appointing or buying. A check also catches lapses, because unpaid CE hours and fines block issuance of any new license until they are cleared, per the TDI licensing FAQ^[20].

Auto insurance without a driver's license in Texas

An unlicensed vehicle owner can still insure a car in Texas, and carriers have settled ways of writing these policies. Common situations include a car driven by a family member or caregiver, a vehicle kept in storage, a suspended license that requires an SR-22 filing, and a driver who holds only a learner's permit. The usual arrangement names a licensed household member as the person who mainly drives the car, with the unlicensed owner excluded, which means claims from the owner's own unlicensed driving are generally not covered. A policy never makes it legal to drive without a valid license.

Next steps

Pick your line of authority first, because it sets the exam, the fee, and the application. Download the free content outline for that exam from Pearson VUE^[6], decide whether you want a prep course on top of it, and schedule the exam online or at 888-754-7667. After you pass, move straight to TDI's fingerprint portal^[10] and file your application while your score is fresh.