To get a Texas adjuster license, complete a 40-hour pre-licensing course approved by the Texas Department of Insurance, pass the state exam at Pearson VUE, submit fingerprints through IdentoGO, and file a $50 application on Sircon. TDI handles the licensing, and most approvals come through within one business day once your file is complete. The order matters, and a couple of the deadlines are strict, so it helps to see the full path before you start paying for anything.
Pick the Right License First
Texas issues several adjuster licenses, and the right one depends on the claims you plan to handle.1Texas Department of Insurance. Agent and Adjuster Licensing Most people pursue the all-lines license because it covers property, casualty, workers’ compensation, and liability claims. A property and casualty license covers everything except workers’ comp, and a workers’ compensation license is limited to that single area. Public insurance adjusters, who represent policyholders instead of insurers, go through a separate track with extra requirements. There are also narrower options for trainees, catastrophe work, and residents of states that don’t license adjusters.
The steps below are the standard path for the all-lines license. Property and casualty follows the same process with a different exam. The shorter alternatives are covered further down.
Step 1: Complete the 40-Hour Pre-Licensing Course
Before you can sit for the exam, you need to finish a 40-hour pre-licensing course approved by TDI.2Texas Department of Insurance. Register an Adjuster Pre-Licensing Course The curriculum covers Texas insurance law, policy interpretation, claims handling, and ethics. Several providers offer approved courses online or in person.
When you finish, the provider gives you a completion certificate. Keep it. You will upload it with your application, and the certificate is only valid for 12 months, so plan your exam date accordingly.
Step 2: Pass the State Exam
Pearson VUE administers the exam at testing centers across Texas. The all-lines exam has 150 multiple-choice questions, runs 150 minutes, and costs $49 paid directly to Pearson VUE when you schedule.3Pearson VUE. Texas Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook The property and casualty exam uses the same format and fee. The workers’ compensation exam is shorter: 60 questions in 60 minutes for $29.
Scores are scaled from 0 to 100, and you need a 70 to pass. The scaled score is not a straight percentage of correct answers, so there is no way to work backward from it. You get your result immediately.
When you book, the exam code for the all-lines version is InsTX-ALAdj16.4Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – Designated Home State – All Lines A Spanish-language version is available.
Who Can Skip the Exam
You can waive the exam if you hold the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) or Associate in Claims (AIC) designation.5Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – All Lines Adjusters already licensed in good standing in a reciprocal state may also qualify. Otherwise, there is no shortcut.
Step 3: Get Fingerprinted
Every new applicant has to complete an electronic fingerprint background check through IdentoGO, the state’s vendor.5Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – All Lines Start on TDI’s online fingerprint portal, which gives you a service code and scheduling instructions. IdentoGO captures your prints and sends them to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Hold onto the IdentoGO receipt. You will upload it with your Sircon application. If you already hold an active Texas license and have previously submitted prints, you do not need to repeat this step.4Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – Designated Home State – All Lines
Step 4: Apply Through Sircon
Texas adjuster applications are filed online through Sircon. It is the only portal that works for this; NIPR does not process Texas adjuster applications.6NIPR. Texas Non-Resident Renewal Individual Choose “New Adjuster License,” enter your personal information, and upload your IdentoGO receipt and your course completion certificate.
The application fee is $50 and is nonrefundable.5Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – All Lines Two timing rules catch people. You have to pass the exam before you apply; if you submit first, TDI will make you file again and pay the $50 again after you pass. You also have to apply within one year of passing, or you have to retake the exam.4Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – Designated Home State – All Lines
TDI processes most applications within one business day. Check your status on Sircon under “Check license application status.” If the department wants more documentation, you can attach it through the same portal.7Texas Department of Insurance. Agent Licensing FAQ Once approved, your license is issued digitally and you can download and print it through Sircon within 30 days.
If You Have a Criminal Record
A criminal record does not automatically disqualify you. TDI reviews each case under the “directly relates” standard in Texas Occupations Code Section 53.022, weighing the seriousness of the offense, how closely it maps to adjuster duties, whether the license would create opportunities to reoffend, and the skills the job requires.8State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Section 53.022 – Factors in Determining Whether Conviction Directly Relates to Occupation
Fraud, embezzlement, forgery, and other dishonesty offenses get the hardest look because they mirror the risks of claims work, and there is no time limit on how far back TDI can reach for those. For offenses that do not directly relate to adjuster duties, convictions older than five years generally are not grounds for denial.
You have to disclose every conviction, including felonies, misdemeanors, deferred adjudication, and anything from other states or federal court. If you answer yes to any background question, prepare written explanations and supporting documents before you start the application so you can upload them in one pass.
Shorter Paths and Alternatives
Trainee License
If you want to start working while you prepare for the exam, the trainee license lets you adjust claims for up to 12 months under a licensed adjuster’s supervision.9Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – Trainee No exam, no pre-licensing course. You still need fingerprints and a Sircon application.
Emergency (Catastrophe) License
When a disaster is declared in Texas, TDI issues 90-day emergency licenses so out-of-state adjusters can help with the claims surge. The fee is $20, with no exam or fingerprint requirement, but you need a sponsor: a licensed Texas adjuster, an adjusting firm, or a Texas-licensed insurer.10Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – Emergency (Catastrophe) If you already hold an active license in your home state, you can apply as a non-resident for $50 instead.
Public Insurance Adjuster
Public adjusters work for policyholders. The licensing process mirrors the all-lines path (exam plus fingerprints), with two extras: a $10,000 surety bond and a copy of the client contract you intend to use.11Texas Department of Insurance. Adjuster – Public Insurance You can write your own contract if it meets TDI’s requirements or use the department’s standard form. The application fee is $50 through Sircon.
Keeping Your License Active
Texas adjuster licenses renew every two years. The deadline is the last day of your birth month, and there is no grace period.12Texas Department of Insurance. Continuing Education Information for Agents and Adjusters
Each cycle you need 24 hours of continuing education, including at least 3 hours of ethics. Finish your CE at least 30 days before your expiration date so the provider has time to report credits to TDI. Falling short costs $50 per missing hour, up to $500 per license. Miss the renewal deadline entirely and you have 89 days to renew late at $75 per line of authority. If the license has been expired for more than 90 days but less than a year, you can reinstate through Sircon without retesting by paying the $50 application fee plus a $25 late fee. After one year, you start over with a new exam.