Rhode Island insurance adjuster license
Rhode Island licenses company (staff) adjusters and independent adjusters under one Company/Independent Adjuster license, and public adjusters under a separate license (R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 27-10; 230-RICR-20-50-4). A person cannot hold both. Motor vehicle damage appraisers need their own license.
Some details on this page could not be confirmed on the regulator's own website. Check with the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Insurance Division before you apply, and tell us if anything has changed.
How to get licensed in Rhode Island, step by step
- Choose the license you need. Rhode Island issues Company/Independent Adjuster, Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser. Most new independent adjusters start with the Company/Independent Adjuster license.
- Pass the state exam (14). It is given by Pearson VUE: 35 questions in 60 minutes, passing score 70 (scaled score), fee $80. Some applicants can skip it (see exemptions below). Practice first with our claims 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 Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Insurance Division and pay the $250 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: Biennial, renewing in the licensee's birth month; fees are not prorated).
Rhode Island adjuster license types
| License | Covers | Exam | Prelicensing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company/Independent Adjuster | Lines of authority: Property/Casualty, Workers' Compensation, Crop | Required No exam for the Crop line. Holders of a resident or DHS adjuster license who move to RI and apply within 90 days are exempt (230-RICR-20-50-4.8). | Not required |
| Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser | Motor vehicle physical damage appraisals | Required | Not required |
The Rhode Island adjuster exam
| Vendor | Pearson VUE |
|---|---|
| Exam | Property/Casualty Adjuster (14) |
| Questions | 35 |
| Time limit | 60 minutes |
| Passing score | 70 (scaled score) |
| Exam fee | $80 |
| Candidate handbook | Official handbook (PDF) |
License fees
- Resident license: $250
- Nonresident license: $250
State fee per NIPR is $250 for a Company/Independent or Public Adjuster license ($300 reinstatement) and $150 for a Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser. No fee for emergency adjusters beyond NIPR's. Pearson VUE fee is $80 per exam: P&C Adjuster (#14) has 35 scored + 5 pretest questions in 1 hour; WC Adjuster (#18), 50 scored, 1 hour; Public Adjuster (#17), 50 scored, 1 hour; MV Damage Appraiser (#38), 40 scored, 45 min. Residents send a state BCI background check (not over 30 days old) instead of fingerprints.
License term: Biennial, renewing in the licensee's birth month; fees are not prorated.
Continuing education
Rhode Island adjusters need 24 hours of continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics, every 2 years (reported with the biennial renewal). Nonresidents who meet their home state requirement are generally exempt.
Added by the regulation amendment effective 05/28/2024. Applies to company/independent and public adjusters, but not to those licensed less than one full year before the end of the biennium. Nonresidents who meet home-state CE are exempt if the home state gives RI residents the same credit.
Nonresident adjusters, reciprocity and DHS
Nonresident company/independent adjusters need an active resident license or an active DHS license on the PDB, for the same lines (no RI exam). RI will reciprocate with any DHS the applicant actually holds; DHS selections are reviewed manually. Company adjusters living in a state that licenses independent adjusters must first get their resident license. Nonresident public adjusters must hold a resident public adjuster license and cannot use a DHS.
Designated home state license: Yes. Residents of states without independent adjuster licensing (RI lists MA, NJ, PA, MD, VA, OH, TN, IL, WI, IA, MO, KS, NE, SD, ND, CO, DC) may choose Rhode Island as DHS. They must pass the RI exam at Pearson VUE and provide a background check; MA residents use a CORI request form. RI warns that most other states do not reciprocate with RI DHS status.
See every state's rules side by side on the adjuster license reciprocity map.
Emergency and catastrophe adjusters
R.I. Gen. Laws §27-10-8 / 230-RICR-20-50-4.6: once DBR triggers it by Industry Alert after a declared emergency, experienced company/independent adjusters licensed elsewhere (or regularly adjusting in a non-licensing state for an RI-authorized insurer) apply on NIPR within 5 days of deployment. No state fee. The regulation says the license lasts up to 90 days unless extended; NIPR's RI rules say 120 days, non-renewable. Public adjusters and current RI licensees are ineligible.
Public adjusters in Rhode Island
Separate Public Adjuster license (first-party property claims other than auto, life, A&H). Pearson VUE exam #17 (50 questions, 1 hour, $80). State fee $250. Same 24-hour/3-ethics CE. Cannot be held with a company/independent license; must keep funds in a federally insured escrow/trust account. Bond amount not verified.
Insurance adjuster salary in Rhode Island
| Claims adjusters, examiners and investigators | Rhode Island | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Mean annual wage | $91,320 | $80,470 |
| Median annual wage | $86,520 | $78,000 |
| 10th to 90th percentile | $60,290 to $130,480 | $48,850 to $117,040 |
| Employment | 1,150 | 324,230 |
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a license to be an insurance adjuster in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island licenses company (staff) adjusters and independent adjusters under one Company/Independent Adjuster license, and public adjusters under a separate license (R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 27-10; 230-RICR-20-50-4). A person cannot hold both. Motor vehicle damage appraisers need their own license.
How much does an adjuster license cost in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, the exam fee is $80, the resident license fee is $250. Fees change, so confirm current amounts with the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Insurance Division.
Can a nonresident get an adjuster license in Rhode Island?
Nonresident company/independent adjusters need an active resident license or an active DHS license on the PDB, for the same lines (no RI exam). RI will reciprocate with any DHS the applicant actually holds; DHS selections are reviewed manually. Company adjusters living in a state that licenses independent adjusters must first get their resident license. Nonresident public adjusters must hold a resident public adjuster license and cannot use a DHS.
How many continuing education hours do Rhode Island adjusters need?
24 hours, including 3 hours of ethics, every 2 years (reported with the biennial renewal). Added by the regulation amendment effective 05/28/2024. Applies to company/independent and public adjusters, but not to those licensed less than one full year before the end of the biennium. Nonresidents who meet home-state CE are exempt if the home state gives RI residents the same credit.
How much do insurance adjusters make in Rhode Island?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, claims adjusters, examiners and investigators in Rhode Island earned a mean of $91,320 a year in May 2025, with a median of $86,520. The national mean was $80,470. Independent catastrophe adjusters are paid by fee schedule and can earn more or less than this.
Official Rhode Island resources
Regulator: Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Insurance Division
Sources
- rules.sos.ri.gov/regulations/part/230-20-50-4
- pearsonvue.com/us/en/ri/insurance.html
- pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/124000.pdf
- pearsonvue.com/content/dam/VUE/vue/en/documents/publications/124001.pdf
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/rhode-island-non-resident-adjuster-licensing-
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-requirements/rhode-island-resident-licensing-individual
- nipr.com/licensing-center/state-information/rhode-island
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