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

The North Carolina Department of Insurance requires you to complete a five-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 North Carolina

Obtaining your North Carolina P&C license is easy. Just follow these five 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 North Carolina life insurance license as well.

Step 1: Complete a North Carolina Pre-License Education Course

Before you take the North Carolina 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.

In North Carolina, you must take a total of 40 hours of pre-license education for a P&C license (a 20-hour course on property insurance plus a 20-hour course on casualty insurance). After completing the courses, you’ll need to present a valid photo ID and an original certificate of completion from the approved pre-licensing education provider when you arrive to take your exam. Your pre-license course certificate will remain valid for 12 months.

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: Complete a North Carolina License Application

Once you complete your pre-license education hours, you can apply for your P&C insurance license.

In North Carolina, you must apply online via the NIPR. The fee for an online application is $50 per line of authority ($100 for both property and casualty) plus an $82 application fee, the $38 fingerprinting fee, and a $5.60 NIPR transaction fee for a total cost of $225.60.

The North Carolina DOI will issue a P&C insurance license to individuals who are at least 18 years old and have passed the proper licensing exam (see Step 4 below). To apply for a P&C insurance license in North Carolina, make sure you comply with the insurance licensing requirements as defined under the North Carolina Insurance Code.

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

Step 3: Get a Fingerprint-Based Background Check

After you apply for your North Carolina P&C insurance license, you’ll receive a fingerprint-based background check packet from NIPR. The fee for fingerprinting services is $38, which you should have already paid to the NIPR when you submitted your application.

Schedule your fingerprinting appointment with any of the approved vendors in this list of North Carolina Electronic Fingerprint Submission Locations. Please read the instructions on the document carefully to be sure the local law enforcement office will do Live Scan fingerprints for non-criminal reasons (the North Carolina DOI won’t accept fingerprints cards). Take the form included in the background check packet you received from the NIPR, including the cover page, to your preferred local law enforcement agency for digital fingerprints.

Send your completed SBI forms pages 1 through 3 to the North Carolina Licensing Office of Pearson VUE:

• Fax to 888-959-3010; or
• Scan the documents and send via email to NorthCarolinaLicensingOffice@Pearson.com; or
• Mail to NCDOI/Pearson VUE, P.O. Box 14209, Raleigh, NC 27620

Step 4: Take the North Carolina Licensing Exam

After you submit your application and complete your fingerprint-based background check, it’s time to take the North Carolina P&C license exam.

North Carolina uses Pearson VUE as its official testing service for delivering licensure exams.

The North Carolina P&C insurance exam:

• Includes a total of 110 scored questions (55 for the property exam plus 55 for the casualty exam). These exams cover insurance terms and concepts, different types of P&C insurance policies, and statutes and regulations pertinent to P&C insurance in North Carolina.
• Gives you 150 minutes to complete both of the tests (75 minutes for each exam). These exams are proctored tests, meaning an official proctor will closely monitor you in a controlled environment.
• Costs $90 ($45 for the property exam + $45 for the casualty exam), a fee you must pay at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card, or voucher.

Passing the North Carolina 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 North Carolina P&C insurance exam, you can schedule a time to retake it as soon as 24 hours after your first attempt. A North Carolina Examination Admission Ticket is valid for 90 days or five examination attempts during that 90-day period — whichever comes first.

Step 5: Watch for Your Application Results

After you complete the previous four steps, the North Carolina Licensing Office of Pearson VUE will review your application and fingerprint-based background check. This process usually takes two to three business days from the date you submit your application.

Once it finishes reviewing your application, the North Carolina Licensing Office of Pearson VUE will email you with its decision. If you need to provide more information, a specialist will contact you.

You can print your license from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) State Based Systems (SBS) License Manager page. There’s no charge to create an account or print a license. If you don’t remember your license number, you can find it by using the NAIC SBS Lookup Search tool.

Congratulations!

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

Next Steps After Securing Your North Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance License

Once you complete the above steps and have your North Carolina 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.

You can find P&C insurance job postings on our Insurance Jobs Board.

When applying for an insurance-related job, potential employers will request your license number and National Producer Number (NPN). You can request a letter of certification, which proves you have a P&C insurance license in North Carolina, by contacting North Carolina DOI representative Tamla Dunson at tamla.dunson@ncdoi.gov or (919) 807-6164. You may need to submit this letter along with your job applications.

Complete Continuing Education and Renew Your License

In North Carolina, you must take 24 hours of continuing education (CE) courses every two years to renew your P&C license. North Carolina CE requirements state that three of those hours must focus on ethics. Property license holders also must complete three hours in the subject of flood insurance during their first renewal period and then again every four years.

If you have a non-resident license with good standing in your home state, you don’t need to take CE courses in North Carolina.

To avoid delays in renewing your license, you must complete the required CE hours at least 60 days before your license expires. The renewal fee is $84.

You can’t renew your license until you complete your CE hours and pay any outstanding fines.

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

North Carolina Department of Insurance Contact Information

Mailing Address:

1201 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-1201

Phone: (919) 807-6800

Email: ASD@ncdoi.gov

Website: http://www.ncdoi.com/

License Search: North Carolina Insurance License Lookup