Reviewed October 2, 2026 by the CoveragePrep editorial team · Sources: state insurance departments, statutes, exam candidate handbooks · How we research

Licensing guide · IL

Does Illinois require an adjuster license?

Illinois does not license company (staff) adjusters or independent adjusters hired by insurers. Only public adjusters, who represent policyholders, must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Insurance under 215 ILCS 5/Art. XLV.

License required

No license required

Offers a DHS license

What to do if you want to adjust claims from Illinois

Because Illinois does not issue its own adjuster license, residents who want to work as independent or catastrophe adjusters in other states usually earn a designated home state (DHS) license from a state such as Texas or Florida. Many licensing states then issue nonresident licenses based on that DHS license.

Texas DHS license Reciprocity map

Nonresident adjusters, reciprocity and DHS

Designated home state license: Not applicable. Illinois issues no independent adjuster license, so it offers no adjuster DHS license. For public adjusters, 215 ILCS 5/1510 lets a PA whose residence and business states lack a substantially similar PA law declare another licensing state as home state.

See every state's rules side by side on the adjuster license reciprocity map.

Emergency and catastrophe adjusters

No emergency or temporary license is needed for insurer-side adjusters, because Illinois does not license staff or independent adjusters.

Public adjusters in Illinois

Yes, a separate Public Adjuster license under 215 ILCS 5/Art. XLV. It requires the Pearson VUE IL Public Adjuster exam (IL-PubAdj17, 165 minutes), with no prelicensing education. It also requires a $50,000 surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit (215 ILCS 5/1560) and fingerprints on file. Fees are $250 resident and $500 nonresident (NIPR). CE is 24 hours, including 3 hours of classroom or webinar ethics, reported biennially (215 ILCS 5/1565). Fees are capped at 10% of the settlement (215 ILCS 5/1570). Nonresident reciprocity requires a resident PA license in the home state (215 ILCS 5/1540).

Insurance adjuster salary in Illinois

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 13-1031. Compare all states.
Claims adjusters, examiners and investigators	Illinois	United States
Mean annual wage	$79,680	$80,470
Median annual wage	$77,010	$78,000
10th to 90th percentile	$48,620 to $118,810	$48,850 to $117,040
Employment	14,210	324,230

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to be an insurance adjuster in Illinois?

No license is required for company or independent adjusters in Illinois. Illinois does not license company (staff) adjusters or independent adjusters hired by insurers. Only public adjusters, who represent policyholders, must be licensed by the Illinois Department of Insurance under 215 ILCS 5/Art. XLV.

How much do insurance adjusters make in Illinois?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, claims adjusters, examiners and investigators in Illinois earned a mean of $79,680 a year in May 2025, with a median of $77,010. The national mean was $80,470. Independent catastrophe adjusters are paid by fee schedule and can earn more or less than this.

Official Illinois resources

Regulator: Illinois Department of Insurance

Sources

Adjuster license requirements in other states

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