Arizona insurance adjuster license
Anyone who adjusts property and casualty claims for compensation on behalf of an insurer or an insured needs an Arizona Adjuster license (ARS 20-321, 20-321.01). The single license covers both independent and public adjusting. Salaried employees of insurers or MGAs whose pay does not depend on claim outcomes, attorneys, producers adjusting their own policies, workers'-comp-only adjusters and several other groups are exempt. The adjuster statutes are in A.R.S. Title 20, Chapter 2, Article 3.2 (20-321 to 20-321.03); 2026 SB 1206 (effective September 12, 2026) added adjuster conduct rules, and SB 1415 created a salaried-adjuster license path.
How to get licensed in Arizona, step by step
- Choose the license you need. Arizona issues Adjuster, Adjuster - Portable Electronics (limited). Most new independent adjusters start with the Adjuster license.
- Pass the state exam (Series 13-36). It is given by PSI: 150 questions in 150 minutes, passing score 70%, fee $59. Some applicants can skip it (see exemptions below). Practice first with our Arizona 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 Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) and pay the $120 license fee.
Arizona adjuster license types
| License | Covers | Exam | Prelicensing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjuster | Property and casualty claims on behalf of insurers or insureds (independent and public adjusting) | Required Exam and residency requirement waived for holders of a current claims certificate from a Director-approved national or state claims association program (at least 40 hours of pre-exam coursework, a proctored exam and 24 hours of biennial CE) under ARS 20-321.01(C)(3). Separately, under SB 1415 (ARS 20-321.03, effective Sept 12, 2026), salaried insurer/MGA employees who are Arizona residents, held an active DHS adjuster license in another state before Jan 1, 2026 and originally passed a state exam may be licensed without the Arizona exam if they apply by June 30, 2027. That license is valid only while they adjust as salaried employees. | Not required |
| Adjuster - Portable Electronics (limited) | Portable electronics insurance claims only; available to Canadian residents and residents of states that do not license adjusters (ARS 20-321.01(G)-(H)) | Check with the state | Not required |
The Arizona adjuster exam
| Vendor | PSI |
|---|---|
| Exam | Arizona Examination for Property and Casualty Insurance Adjuster (Series 13-36) |
| Questions | 150 |
| Time limit | 150 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Exam fee | $59 |
| Candidate handbook | Official handbook (PDF) |
License fees
- Resident license: $120
- Nonresident license: $120
- Fingerprinting: about $30.69
DIFI: $120 per license class (quadrennial), the same for renewal; $100 extra for late renewal within one year after expiration (ARS 20-289). Nonresident application $120 per NIPR (state fee only). Fingerprints are required (NIPR lists them for the Adjuster line); the processing fee was not verified on an official page. Fingerprints: $8.25 Fieldprint fee plus $22.44 FBI processing fee. Late renewal within one year after expiration adds $100 (A.R.S. 20-289(E)).
License term: First license runs three to four years; each renewal runs four years and ends on the last day of the birth month.
Continuing education
Arizona has no continuing education requirement for adjusters.
DIFI: Arizona law does not require adjusters to complete continuing education.
Nonresident adjusters, reciprocity and DHS
Nonresidents who hold a resident adjuster license in their home state do not take the Arizona exam; on NIPR they apply for the 'Limited to Resident Authority' line. Nonresidents without a resident license (for example from a state that does not license adjusters) must pass PSI Series 13-36 and apply for the full 'Adjuster' line within one year of passing.
Designated home state license: No Arizona DHS license was found. Licensure is limited to Arizona residents or residents of reciprocal states (ARS 20-321.01(C)(2)). SB 1415 (2026) shows that Arizona-resident salaried adjusters have historically held DHS licenses from other states; it offers them a one-time no-exam path to an Arizona license.
See every state's rules side by side on the adjuster license reciprocity map.
Emergency and catastrophe adjusters
ARS 20-321.01(D): an adjuster licensed or allowed to act as an adjuster in their domicile state needs no Arizona license when an insurer sends them to Arizona to adjust a particular loss or a series of losses from a common catastrophe. The statute sets no registration step.
Public adjusters in Arizona
No separate license: the Arizona Adjuster license covers adjusting on behalf of insureds (ARS 20-321). Adjusters may not solicit an insured while a loss-producing occurrence is continuing, may not take part in repairs on claims they adjust, and may not endorse insureds' claim checks without the insured's signature (ARS 20-321.02). No bond requirement was found in the statutes reviewed.
Insurance adjuster salary in Arizona
| Claims adjusters, examiners and investigators | Arizona | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Mean annual wage | $72,290 | $80,470 |
| Median annual wage | $65,110 | $78,000 |
| 10th to 90th percentile | $47,990 to $100,590 | $48,850 to $117,040 |
| Employment | 13,830 | 324,230 |
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to be an insurance adjuster in Arizona?
Anyone who adjusts property and casualty claims for compensation on behalf of an insurer or an insured needs an Arizona Adjuster license (ARS 20-321, 20-321.01). The single license covers both independent and public adjusting. Salaried employees of insurers or MGAs whose pay does not depend on claim outcomes, attorneys, producers adjusting their own policies, workers'-comp-only adjusters and several other groups are exempt. The adjuster statutes are in A.R.S. Title 20, Chapter 2, Article 3.2 (20-321 to 20-321.03); 2026 SB 1206 (effective September 12, 2026) added adjuster conduct rules, and SB 1415 created a salaried-adjuster license path.
How much does an adjuster license cost in Arizona?
In Arizona, the exam fee is $59, the resident license fee is $120, fingerprinting costs about $30.69. Fees change, so confirm current amounts with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI).
Can a nonresident get an adjuster license in Arizona?
Nonresidents who hold a resident adjuster license in their home state do not take the Arizona exam; on NIPR they apply for the 'Limited to Resident Authority' line. Nonresidents without a resident license (for example from a state that does not license adjusters) must pass PSI Series 13-36 and apply for the full 'Adjuster' line within one year of passing.
How much do insurance adjusters make in Arizona?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, claims adjusters, examiners and investigators in Arizona earned a mean of $72,290 a year in May 2025, with a median of $65,110. The national mean was $80,470. Independent catastrophe adjusters are paid by fee schedule and can earn more or less than this.
Official Arizona resources
Regulator: Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI)
Sources
- azleg.gov/ars/20/00321.htm
- azleg.gov/ars/20/00321-01.htm
- azleg.gov/ars/20/00321-02.htm
- azleg.gov/ars/20/00289.htm
- azleg.gov/ars/20/00167.htm
- azleg.gov/ars/20/00287.htm
- azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/bills/SB1415S.pdf
- azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/summary/H.SB1415_040625_SIGNED.DOCX.htm
- web.archive.org/web/20250616054450/https://difi.az.gov/producers/adjuster
- web.archive.org/web/20250621103124/https://difi.az.gov/producers/adjuster/adjuster-continu
- web.archive.org/web/20250621103058/https://difi.az.gov/producers/adjuster/adjuster-license
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/arizona-non-resident-adjuster-licensing-indiv
- test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/12134
- proctor2.psionline.com/media/programs/AZINS/propcasadjx.pdf
- azleg.gov/legtext/57leg/2R/laws/0157.htm
Adjuster license requirements in other states
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