How to Get a Property and Casualty License in Arizona

Getting your Arizona property and casualty license is the first step toward becoming a P&C insurance agent in Arizona.

The Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions requires you to complete a six-step process to obtain your property & casualty license – from taking the P&C insurance exam to applying for a P&C license.

These steps will take a few weeks to complete so we recommend you bookmark this page so you can use it as a reference throughout the process.

Property and Casualty Insurance License Arizona

Obtaining your Arizona P&C license is easy. Just follow these six simple steps to start your journey toward becoming a property and casualty insurance agent. Once you earn this license, check out our guide on how to get your Arizona life insurance license as well.

Step 1: Complete an Arizona Pre-License Education Course

Before you take the Arizona P&C insurance licensing exam, it’s important to make time to acquire the knowledge you’ll need to pass this exam on your first attempt. Completing a pre-license education course will equip you with the necessary information and tools you’ll need to prepare for your exam.

While Arizona doesn’t have any formal pre-license education requirements, most insurance professionals opt to take a pre-license education course online. Pre-license education courses are self-paced and include study materials like practice exams and flashcards. Others purchase books or self-study materials to prepare themselves for the exam.

A pre-license education course provides very specific industry knowledge that insurance professionals will encounter during the exam. There are very few questions on this test that you can answer with “common sense” information.

You can complete insurance licensing courses on your own schedule and at your own pace when you choose online courses. Taking a pre-license education course will also give you a solid understanding of your duties as a P&C insurance agent.

Step 2: Take the Arizona Licensing Exam

After you complete a pre-licensing education course and/or your own independent study, it’s time to take the Arizona P&C license exam.

Arizona uses Prometric as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams.

The Arizona P&C insurance exam:

• Includes a total of 150 scored questions that fall under 10 sections. Those sections cover insurance regulations, general insurance concepts, property and casualty insurance basics, different types of P&C policies, and other coverages and options specific to P&C.
• Gives you 150 minutes to complete the test. The exam is a proctored test, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.
• Costs $49, a fee you must pay at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher.

Prometric will electronically notify the Arizona DIFI of your exam results within 48 hours of passing the exam. Once you pass the exam, you must apply for the P&C license within one year.

Passing the Arizona P&C license exam can prove challenging, but taking an exam prep course and following a good study program can help prepare you to pass on your first attempt.

If you happen to fail the Arizona P&C insurance exam, you can schedule a time to retake it. Arizona law limits you to four attempts to pass an exam for a particular line of authority within a one-year period. If your fourth attempt is unsuccessful, you’ll have to wait one year from the date of the last attempt to retake the exam.

Step 3: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

You also must get a fingerprint-based background check from Prometric. Prometric provides fingerprinting services at its Arizona test centers. The fingerprints you provide with your license application will initiate a background check. The fingerprinting fee is $20 plus a $22 fee for FBI fingerprint processing. The total cost of fingerprinting services is $42.

You can have your fingerprints taken by Prometric on the same day you take your first exam. Fingerprints must be on FBI Form FD-258 along with Form L-FPV. After you complete your fingerprinting appointment, you’ll receive a fingerprint card. Keep your fingerprint card because you’ll need to mail it in as part of a later step.

Step 4: Complete an Arizona License Application

Once you pass the P&C insurance exam and complete a fingerprint-based background check, you can apply for your P&C insurance license.

In Arizona, you must apply online through the NIPR. The application fee is $120 and the transaction fee is $5.60.

The Arizona DIFI will issue a life insurance license to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have passed the proper licensing exam. You should submit your completed license application within 12 months of passing the exam.

To apply for a P&C insurance license in Arizona, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the Arizona Insurance Code and Arizona Administrative Code.

If you have any questions or need to forward supporting documents related to your license application, send them to insurancelicensing@difi.az.gov.

Step 5: Mail Your Fingerprint Card and Form L-152

After completing and submitting your license application to the NIPR, you must mail your fingerprint card to the Arizona DIFI at:

Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions

100 North 15th Avenue, Suite 261
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2630

Arizona also requires you to submit a completed Form L-152 to verify your identity. You must fill it out and attach a copy of one of the 13 forms of identification listed, such as your driver’s license, birth certificate, or U.S. passport.

Step 6: Watch for Your Application Results

After you complete the previous five steps, the Arizona DIFI will review your application and fingerprint-based background check. This process usually takes up to one month.

Your license will appear within the Arizona DIFI’s License Search tool as soon as the department confirms you meet all the license requirements.

You can also print your license from the NIPR website. There’s no charge to create an account or print a license. You can also manage and search for your license by using the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) State Based Systems (SBS) Arizona Lookup tool.

Congratulations!

You’re now ready to get started as a P&C insurance agent in Arizona.

Next Steps After Securing Your Arizona Property and Casualty Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your Arizona P&C insurance license, here’s what you should pursue next.

Get a Job in the Insurance Field

Once you hold a P&C license, you can consider several different insurance-related careers. The P&C license gives you authorization within your state to sell P&C insurance policies and related products that’ll provide financial protection to your clients against loss or damage.

When applying for an insurance-related job, potential employers will request your license number and National Producer Number (NPN).

Complete Continuing Education and Renew Your License

In Arizona, you must take 48 hours of continuing education (CE) courses every two years to renew your P&C license. Arizona CE requirements include that at least six of those hours must focus on ethics training. You can search for Arizona-approved courses on the Prometric Arizona Licensees page.

If you’re a non-resident that meets all your home state’s licensing requirements, you don’t need to take CE courses in Arizona.

To avoid delays in renewing your license, you must complete CE hours within 90 days before your license expires. Your CE provider will report your successful completion of the course to the Arizona DIFI. You can apply for license renewal on the NIPR website. The renewal fee is $120 and the late fee is $220.

For more detailed information, check out how to renew your license with our Arizona insurance license renewal guide.

Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions Contact Information

Mailing Address:

100 North 15th Avenue, Suite 261
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2630

Phone: (602) 364-4457

Email: insurancelicensing@difi.az.gov

Website: https://insurance.az.gov/ 

License Search: Arizona Insurance License Lookup or Arizona DIFI’s License Search Section