North Carolina insurance adjuster license
Anyone paid to investigate or report on claims other than life/annuity must hold a North Carolina Adjuster license, including adjusters employed by an insurer or an adjusting firm. NC also issues separate Hail Adjuster, Public Adjuster and Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser licenses. An individual may not hold both a property/casualty/personal lines agent license and an adjuster license.
How to get licensed in North Carolina, step by step
- Choose the license you need. North Carolina issues Adjuster, Hail Adjuster, Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser. Most new independent adjusters start with the Adjuster license.
- Pass the state exam (26). It is given by Pearson VUE: 100 questions in 135 minutes, passing score 70 (scaled score), fee $45. Some applicants can skip it (see exemptions below). Practice first with our North Carolina 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 North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI), Agent Services Division and pay the $169 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: Renewed annually: the renewal fee is due each April 1 (NIPR lists a March 31 expiration with a 60-day window before it)).
North Carolina adjuster license types
| License | Covers | Exam | Prelicensing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjuster | Company and independent adjusting of property and casualty claims (single license; no separate lines of authority) | Required Exam waived for an adjuster licensed by exam in a prior home state who moves to NC and cancels that license within 90 days of applying. Also waived for someone who held an NC nonresident license with NC as DHS and applies within 90 days of moving to NC. | Not required |
| Hail Adjuster | Crop-hail claims | Required | Not required |
| Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser | Motor vehicle physical damage appraisals | Not required | Not required |
The North Carolina adjuster exam
| Vendor | Pearson VUE |
|---|---|
| Exam | Adjuster (26) |
| Questions | 100 |
| Time limit | 135 minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Exam fee | $45 |
| Candidate handbook | Official handbook (PDF) |
License fees
- Resident license: $169
- Nonresident license: $169
Adjuster initial fee: $50 registration + $75 license + $44 processing = $169, the same for residents and nonresidents. Hail Adjuster: $114. Annual renewal: $109 for Adjuster, $54 for Hail Adjuster. Adjuster applicants are not fingerprinted; public adjusters pay a $38 fingerprint fee. NIPR transaction fees are extra. The exam includes up to 20 unscored pretest questions on top of the 100 scored.
License term: Renewed annually: the renewal fee is due each April 1 (NIPR lists a March 31 expiration with a 60-day window before it). CE compliance is biennial, with a compliance date based on birth month and year.
Continuing education
North Carolina adjusters need 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, every 2 years (biennial compliance period based on birth month/year). Nonresidents who meet their home state requirement are generally exempt.
3 hours of flood CE in the first compliance period and every other period after (every 4 years). Applies to company, independent, public and self-employed adjusters. Nonresidents licensed through their resident state or another DHS only need good standing there; nonresidents who use NC as DHS must meet NC CE.
Nonresident adjusters, reciprocity and DHS
Nonresident Adjuster license through NIPR, based on a resident or DHS adjuster license (state fee $169). To designate a DHS you must hold an active nonresident adjuster license on the PDB and no active resident adjuster license. From October 10, 2025, residents of California, Hawaii and New York must pass the NC adjuster exam, and applicants may not designate CA, HI or NY as their DHS. Holding an active P/C/personal lines agent license blocks a nonresident adjuster license.
Designated home state license: Yes. Residents of states that do not license adjusters can take the NC adjuster exam through Pearson VUE out-of-state testing and designate North Carolina as their DHS, then use it for licenses in other states. They must then meet NC CE (24 hours with ethics and flood). The NIPR online process isn't available for this, so a paper or Pearson VUE-assisted application is used.
See every state's rules side by side on the adjuster license reciprocity map.
Emergency and catastrophe adjusters
G.S. 58-33-70: the Commissioner may let experienced adjusters licensed in another state (if that state requires a license) adjust without an NC license for an authorized insurer during emergencies, for a period set case by case. Each emergency adjuster must complete NCDOI's Catastrophe Adjuster Certification Course (70% quiz score; 2 hours NC CE credit). Insurers submit adjuster lists to CATAdjusterRequest@ncdoi.gov by storm and carrier.
Public adjusters in North Carolina
Separate Public Adjuster license (G.S. 58-33A): state exam (Pearson VUE, 2 hr 15 min), a $20,000 surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit, and fingerprints. Fee $169 plus $38 fingerprints; annual renewal $109. Same CE as other adjusters. Cannot be held together with a Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser license.
Insurance adjuster salary in North Carolina
| Claims adjusters, examiners and investigators | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Mean annual wage | $76,300 | $80,470 |
| Median annual wage | $75,310 | $78,000 |
| 10th to 90th percentile | $48,200 to $108,630 | $48,850 to $117,040 |
| Employment | 9,880 | 324,230 |
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to be an insurance adjuster in North Carolina?
Anyone paid to investigate or report on claims other than life/annuity must hold a North Carolina Adjuster license, including adjusters employed by an insurer or an adjusting firm. NC also issues separate Hail Adjuster, Public Adjuster and Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser licenses. An individual may not hold both a property/casualty/personal lines agent license and an adjuster license.
How much does an adjuster license cost in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, the exam fee is $45, the resident license fee is $169. Fees change, so confirm current amounts with the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI), Agent Services Division.
Can a nonresident get an adjuster license in North Carolina?
Nonresident Adjuster license through NIPR, based on a resident or DHS adjuster license (state fee $169). To designate a DHS you must hold an active nonresident adjuster license on the PDB and no active resident adjuster license. From October 10, 2025, residents of California, Hawaii and New York must pass the NC adjuster exam, and applicants may not designate CA, HI or NY as their DHS. Holding an active P/C/personal lines agent license blocks a nonresident adjuster license.
How many continuing education hours do North Carolina adjusters need?
24 hours, including 3 hours of ethics, every 2 years (biennial compliance period based on birth month/year). 3 hours of flood CE in the first compliance period and every other period after (every 4 years). Applies to company, independent, public and self-employed adjusters. Nonresidents licensed through their resident state or another DHS only need good standing there; nonresidents who use NC as DHS must meet NC CE.
How much do insurance adjusters make in North Carolina?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, claims adjusters, examiners and investigators in North Carolina earned a mean of $76,300 a year in May 2025, with a median of $75,310. The national mean was $80,470. Independent catastrophe adjusters are paid by fee schedule and can earn more or less than this.
Official North Carolina resources
Regulator: North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI), Agent Services Division
Sources
- ncdoi.gov/documents/company-licensing/nc-insurance-licensing-examination-candidate-guide/o
- ncdoi.gov/licensees/insurance-producer-and-adjuster-licensing/registration-fees-adjusters
- ncdoi.gov/licensees/insurance-producer-and-adjuster-licensing/continuing-education-insuran
- ncdoi.gov/licensees/insurance-producer-and-adjuster-licensing/nc-catastrophe-adjuster-cert
- prometric.com/files/nc-insurance/NC-Agt-Handbook.pdf
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/north-carolina-non-resident-adjuster-licensin
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/north-carolina-non-resident-adjuster-renewal-
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/north-carolina-resident-licensing-individual
Adjuster license requirements in other states
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