Overview
There is no single national insurance licensing exam in the United States. Each state, through its department of insurance, licenses the people who sell insurance there, and the exam, fees and steps differ by state and by line of insurance. This page uses Texas as one clearly labelled worked example. If you plan to be licensed in another state, read that state's insurance department site instead.
In Texas the regulator is the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). It offers separate individual licences by line, including general lines life, accident, health and HMO; general lines property and casualty; life agent; personal lines property and casualty; limited lines; and title insurance.
Who can apply
A resident applicant for a Texas agent licence must pass the Texas licensing exam before applying, unless an exemption applies.
A non-resident applicant needs an active licence in good standing in their home state, with the same or greater authority.
An agency licence needs a Texas designated responsible licensed producer (DRLP) holding the same or greater authority.
Exam exemptions listed by TDI include a licence that expired more than 90 days ago but less than one year ago, and a valid licence from a reciprocal state. For property and casualty, holders of the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter designation are also exempt.
Veterans can claim exam fee reimbursement for exams taken after 1 February 2019 (property and casualty page).
Exam pattern
The exam for the Texas lines above is run by Pearson VUE on behalf of the state. Candidates download the candidate handbook and the content outlines for their line from the Pearson VUE site. A Spanish-language exam can be requested through an ESL request form. The TDI pages I read do not give the number of questions or the passing score, so check the content outline for your line.
Syllabus
The topics for each line are set out in Pearson VUE's content outlines, not on the TDI pages. Download the outline for your exact line before studying.
Fees
For 2026, as listed on the TDI pages:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Agent licence application, resident or non-resident | $50 |
| Agency licence application, resident or non-resident | $50 |
| Temporary licence (also covers the permanent application) | $150 |
| Emergency licence (property and casualty page) | $50 |
The exam fee is paid to the test provider and is not stated on these TDI pages.
How to apply
Pass the state exam, unless you are exempt.
Start the application on TDI's online initial application and fingerprint portal.
Complete fingerprinting through IdentoGO and submit the receipt showing the prints were sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Applicants who already have prints on file with TDI, or non-residents with an active home-state licence, can be exempt.
Apply through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry.
Submit the application within one year of passing the exam.
Holders of a temporary licence must complete at least 40 hours of training from the appointing company within 30 days.
After the exam
TDI says most licences renew every two years and that continuing education credit is required. Use TDI's licensing FAQ and continuing education pages for current rules.
FAQs
Is there one US insurance licence exam?
No. Licensing is done state by state, and each state sets its own lines, exams and fees.
Who runs the Texas exam?
Pearson VUE administers the Texas insurance licensing exams for TDI.
Can I use a licence from another state?
A non-resident applicant in Texas needs an active licence in good standing in the home state with the same or greater authority. Texas also lists an exam exemption for holders of a valid licence from a reciprocal state.