Alaska insurance adjuster license
Anyone adjusting claims on behalf of an insurer that is not their employer needs an Alaska Independent Adjuster license (AS 21.27.830). Applicants need 6 months' active working experience in the previous 2 calendar years (claims, producer, underwriting and similar roles count), or a Trainee Independent Adjuster license. Staff adjusters of admitted insurers, appointed producers/MGAs and surplus lines brokers are exempt; Alaska issues no staff or public adjuster license.
How to get licensed in Alaska, step by step
- Choose the license you need. Alaska issues Independent Adjuster, Trainee Independent Adjuster. Most new independent adjusters start with the Independent Adjuster license.
- Pass the state exam (14). It is given by Pearson VUE: 80 questions in 90 minutes, passing score 70 (scaled), fee $89. Some applicants can skip it (see exemptions below). Practice first with our Alaska Independent Adjuster practice test.
- Submit fingerprints for the criminal background check if your application type requires them (see fees below).
- Apply for the license with the Alaska Division of Insurance (Dept. of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development) and pay the $75 license fee.
- Keep it active. Complete 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, every 2 years and renew on time (license term: 2 years; renews on the licensee's birthday every odd year (odd birth year) or every even year (even birth year)).
Alaska adjuster license types
| License | Covers | Exam | Prelicensing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Adjuster | Lines of authority on NIPR: Property, Casualty (workers' compensation may be adjusted under casualty authority), Personal Lines, Crop, Life, Accident & Health or Sickness, Miscellaneous | Required Exam waived when applying for an Alaska resident license within 90 days of canceling a resident license in another state with the same class and lines of authority | Not required |
| Trainee Independent Adjuster | Adjusting while employed and supervised by a licensed independent adjuster | Required Not required at issuance: trainee must pass the adjuster exam with 60+ by month 4 and 70+ by month 8, and obtain the Independent Adjuster license within 1 year (AS 21.27.840) | Not required |
The Alaska adjuster exam
| Vendor | Pearson VUE |
|---|---|
| Exam | Alaska Adjuster (Independent Adjuster) examination (14) |
| Questions | 80 |
| Time limit | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled) |
| Exam fee | $89 |
| Candidate handbook | Official handbook (PDF) |
License fees
- Resident license: $75
- Nonresident license: $75
- Fingerprinting: about $50
Biennial license fee $75 for Independent Adjuster and Trainee (resident or nonresident); +$50 if filing on paper when electronic filing is available. Fingerprint card processing fee $50 on the Division's fee schedule 08-214 as reissued September 30, 2026 (earlier issues said $48.25 and $47, and some Division pages still show the older figure). Reinstatement $100 (1-60 days) or $200 (61+ days). Exempt (emergency) Independent Adjuster: $0 state fee. NIPR transaction fees extra.
License term: 2 years; renews on the licensee's birthday every odd year (odd birth year) or every even year (even birth year)
Continuing education
Alaska adjusters need 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, every 2 years (each renewal). Nonresidents who meet their home state requirement are generally exempt.
Applies to resident licensees who have held a license for a full two-year period. No more than 8 hours in management, marketing, sales and training; up to 8 excess hours may carry over. Nonresidents who meet CE in their home state are exempt, except holders who designated Alaska as their home state, who must complete Alaska CE (AS 21.27.020(f)(5), effective January 1, 2026).
Nonresident adjusters, reciprocity and DHS
Nonresidents properly licensed in their home state apply through NIPR with no Alaska exam (AS 21.27.270(h)). DHS licenses are accepted only for applicants residing in a non-licensing state (Division lists CO, DC, IL, TN, KS, MA, MD, VA, MO, ND, NE, WI, NJ, OH, PA, SD) and only when the DHS license was issued by a state with substantially similar requirements (background check, exam and CE): AL, DE, FL, GA, ID, IA, LA, MN, NV, NM, TX, UT, WA, WV, WY.
Designated home state license: Yes. Since January 1, 2026 a nonresident may designate Alaska as home state (AS 21.27.270(j)) by meeting the resident qualifications in AS 21.27.020: pass the Independent Adjuster exam, apply through NIPR and submit a fingerprint card. The applicant must not hold an active resident adjuster license in another state, and Alaska DHS licensees must complete Alaska CE.
See every state's rules side by side on the adjuster license reciprocity map.
Emergency and catastrophe adjusters
AS 21.27.860: a nonresident independent adjuster licensed and in good standing in their home state may, without an Alaska license, adjust a single loss per calendar year or losses from a catastrophe declared by the Director. Apply on NIPR as an 'Exempt Independent Adjuster' within 10 days of starting work; the exempt license is effective 90 days. DHS licenses cannot be used as the basis.
Public adjusters in Alaska
Alaska does not issue a public adjuster license and its insurance code does not require one; the Division warns that public adjusting may constitute the practice of law.
Insurance adjuster salary in Alaska
| Claims adjusters, examiners and investigators | Alaska | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Mean annual wage | $92,930 | $80,470 |
| Median annual wage | $87,670 | $78,000 |
| 10th to 90th percentile | $62,200 to $132,200 | $48,850 to $117,040 |
| Employment | 220 | 324,230 |
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to be an insurance adjuster in Alaska?
Anyone adjusting claims on behalf of an insurer that is not their employer needs an Alaska Independent Adjuster license (AS 21.27.830). Applicants need 6 months' active working experience in the previous 2 calendar years (claims, producer, underwriting and similar roles count), or a Trainee Independent Adjuster license. Staff adjusters of admitted insurers, appointed producers/MGAs and surplus lines brokers are exempt; Alaska issues no staff or public adjuster license.
How much does an adjuster license cost in Alaska?
In Alaska, the exam fee is $89, the resident license fee is $75, fingerprinting costs about $50. Fees change, so confirm current amounts with the Alaska Division of Insurance (Dept. of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development).
Can a nonresident get an adjuster license in Alaska?
Nonresidents properly licensed in their home state apply through NIPR with no Alaska exam (AS 21.27.270(h)). DHS licenses are accepted only for applicants residing in a non-licensing state (Division lists CO, DC, IL, TN, KS, MA, MD, VA, MO, ND, NE, WI, NJ, OH, PA, SD) and only when the DHS license was issued by a state with substantially similar requirements (background check, exam and CE): AL, DE, FL, GA, ID, IA, LA, MN, NV, NM, TX, UT, WA, WV, WY.
How many continuing education hours do Alaska adjusters need?
24 hours, including 3 hours of ethics, every 2 years (each renewal). Applies to resident licensees who have held a license for a full two-year period. No more than 8 hours in management, marketing, sales and training; up to 8 excess hours may carry over. Nonresidents who meet CE in their home state are exempt, except holders who designated Alaska as their home state, who must complete Alaska CE (AS 21.27.020(f)(5), effective January 1, 2026).
How much do insurance adjusters make in Alaska?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, claims adjusters, examiners and investigators in Alaska earned a mean of $92,930 a year in May 2025, with a median of $87,670. The national mean was $80,470. Independent catastrophe adjusters are paid by fee schedule and can earn more or less than this.
Official Alaska resources
Regulator: Alaska Division of Insurance (Dept. of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development)
Sources
- commerce.alaska.gov/web/ins/IndependentAdjuster
- commerce.alaska.gov/web/ins/Licensees/ContinuingEducation
- commerce.alaska.gov/web/ins/Fingerprinting
- commerce.alaska.gov/web/Portals/11/Pub/Licensing/Forms/08-214.pdf
- pearsonvue.com/us/en/ak/insurance.html
- pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/122200.pdf
- pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/122203.pdf
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/alaska-non-resident-adjuster-licensing-indivi
Adjuster license requirements in other states
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