How to Become a Public Adjuster in Tennessee (2026)
A complete guide to the Tennessee public adjuster license: the Pearson VUE exam, TBI fingerprinting, the two financial responsibility filings (a $50,000 bond and a $500,000 E&O policy), the $100 NIPR application, and the Title 56, Chapter 6, Part 9 rules that govern how you practice, including the three-tier fee cap and the 3 business day rescission right.
Free download: the Public Adjuster Field Guide
Every Tennessee rule new PAs get wrong (the three-tier fee cap, the 72-hour policy limit rule, the 2-day and 7-day solicitation waiting periods, contract requirements, escrow, and recordkeeping) in one printable PDF you can keep in your truck.
Get the free Field Guide →What does a public adjuster do in Tennessee?
Under T.C.A. 56-6-902, a public adjuster is any person, other than someone employed by an insurance carrier, who for compensation acts on behalf of the insured solely in relation to first-party claims arising under insurance contracts that insure the real or personal property of the insured, or who advertises or solicits that business. In plain English: when a homeowner or business owner files a storm, fire, or water claim, the insurance company sends its own adjuster. A public adjuster is the licensed professional the policyholder can hire to investigate, document, and negotiate the claim on their side of the table.
T.C.A. 56-6-903 makes the license mandatory: no person may act as, or hold themselves out as, a public adjuster in Tennessee without one. The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) administers the license under the Tennessee Public Adjuster Licensing Act of 2006 (T.C.A. 56-6-901 through 56-6-920) and its administrative rules at Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. chapter 0780-01-91.
Tennessee public adjuster license: requirements at a glance
| Regulator | Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI); governed by T.C.A. 56-6-901 through 56-6-920 and rule chapter 0780-01-91 |
| License required | Yes (T.C.A. 56-6-903); you may not act as or hold yourself out as a public adjuster without one |
| Pre-licensing course | Not required; the resident path is exam-only |
| Exam | "Tennessee Public Adjuster" at Pearson VUE: 50 scoreable questions, 1 hour, $50 fee (handbook 124300; fee fixed by rule 0780-01-91-.06) |
| Passing score | 70 percent minimum (rule 0780-01-91-.06) |
| Fingerprints | Required: $48 TBI criminal history fee plus a fingerprint collection fee (T.C.A. 56-6-904; rule 0780-01-91-.06) |
| Financial responsibility | Both a $50,000 surety bond AND a $500,000 per-occurrence E&O policy (T.C.A. 56-6-911) |
| Application fee | $100, nonrefundable, filed via NIPR (rule 0780-01-91-.05) |
| License term | 2 years (T.C.A. 56-6-909); renewal fee $100 per biennium (rule 0780-01-91-.07) |
| Continuing education | 24 hours per biennium, including ethics (T.C.A. 56-6-912) |
| Fee caps | 15% of proceeds pre-offer; 25% of the difference between last offer and final settlement post-offer; 10% for a catastrophe total-loss home; commercial exempt (T.C.A. 56-6-913) |
| Client rescission | 3 business days after signing, by written notice (T.C.A. 56-6-914(h)) |
| Records | Complete transaction records kept at least 5 years after the transaction ends, open to the commissioner (T.C.A. 56-6-916) |
The five steps
- 1
Study for the Tennessee Public Adjuster exam
Tennessee does not require a pre-licensing course: no course mandate appears in T.C.A. 56-6-905 or 56-6-906, in rule 0780-01-91-.05, or in TDCI's licensing instructions, so the resident path is exam-only. The exam still tests both property insurance fundamentals and the Tennessee-specific rules in Title 56, Chapter 6, Part 9 (fee caps, contract requirements, solicitation waiting periods), so structured study matters. Our $49.99 Tennessee Public Adjuster exam prep course includes 550+ practice questions built around the Pearson VUE content outline. Start with the free practice exam to see where you stand.
- 2
Pass the Pearson VUE "Tennessee Public Adjuster" exam
The Tennessee Public Adjuster exam is administered by Pearson VUE and has 50 scoreable questions with a 1 hour time limit, per the Tennessee Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (Pearson VUE publication 124300). The exam fee is $50 per attempt, and rule 0780-01-91-.06 sets the minimum passing score at 70 percent. Per the content outline (publication 124301, effective October 15, 2025), expect 15 questions on Tennessee laws and regulations for public adjusters, 16 on general property insurance product knowledge, 16 on property and casualty terms and concepts, and 3 on policy provisions. Reserve online at pearsonvue.com or by phone at (800) 274-4957 at least 24 hours ahead; walk-ins are not accepted. If you fail, rule 0780-01-91-.06 requires a 30 day wait before retesting, and three consecutive failures trigger a one year wait plus a new application.
- 3
Complete TBI fingerprinting
Tennessee requires a fingerprint-based criminal background check. T.C.A. 56-6-904 authorizes fingerprints for Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and FBI checks, and rule 0780-01-91-.06 requires two full sets of fingerprints with a $48 criminal history check fee payable to the TBI, plus a reasonable administrative fee paid to the fingerprint collection vendor. If your prints are already on file with the NAIC central repository, 56-6-904 allows a waiver.
- 4
Secure the $50,000 surety bond AND the $500,000 E&O policy
Tennessee requires both, not one or the other. Under T.C.A. 56-6-911, every public adjuster must file a surety bond of at least $50,000 in favor of the state, issued by an insurer authorized to write surety bonds in Tennessee, and must also carry an errors and omissions policy with a minimum limit of $500,000 per occurrence from an admitted insurer. Both must be in place before the license issues and for the entire life of the license: your authority to act terminates automatically if either lapses or becomes substantially impaired. TDCI requires the bond form and proof of the E&O policy with your application.
- 5
Apply through NIPR and wait for TDCI review
Submit your application electronically at nipr.com with the $100 nonrefundable filing fee set by rule 0780-01-91-.05. TDCI instructs candidates to wait 48 hours after passing the exam before submitting the NIPR application so the exam result posts, and to allow 30 days for application review. Once issued, the license runs for a two year term under T.C.A. 56-6-909, with a $100 renewal fee each biennium.
Before you book Pearson VUE, take our free practice exam to see whether you're ready: a failed attempt costs another $50 and a mandatory 30 day wait under rule 0780-01-91-.06.
Rules that surprise new Tennessee public adjusters
The Tennessee Public Adjuster Licensing Act is short, but it hides several rules that trip up new licensees and show up on the exam's Tennessee-law section:
- The 72-hour policy limit rule (56-6-914(b)). This is a fee rule, not a solicitation rule. If the insurer, not later than 72 hours after the loss is reported, pays or commits in writing to pay the policy limit, the public adjuster may not take a percentage commission on that claim and is entitled only to reasonable compensation based on time spent and expenses incurred.
- The 2-day and 7-day solicitation waiting periods (56-6-917). A public adjuster may not solicit an insured for 2 days after any loss, and may not contract with the insured for an additional 3 days after that. After a catastrophic loss, the no-solicitation period is 7 days. These waiting periods do not apply to commercial insurance. Tennessee defines a catastrophic disaster with a bright-line trigger: a single occurrence that damages 25 or more residential dwellings (56-6-902).
- No fees of any kind before settlement (56-6-913). A public adjuster may not require, demand, or accept any fee, retainer, compensation, deposit, or other thing of value before the claim settles.
- Client funds go into escrow (56-6-915). Funds received on behalf of an insured must be held in a noninterest-bearing escrow or trust account in a federally insured financial institution located in the insured's home state or the state where the loss occurred.
- Tennessee requires E&O, not just a bond (56-6-911). Many states let public adjusters satisfy financial responsibility with a surety bond alone; Tennessee is unusual in requiring both a $50,000 bond and a $500,000 per-occurrence errors and omissions policy, and your authority to act terminates automatically if either one lapses.
All of these, with citations, are in the free Public Adjuster Field Guide, formatted so you can find the rule mid-conversation with a client.
What it costs to become a Tennessee public adjuster
Tennessee's fees are unusually well documented because most of them are fixed by rule:
- Exam-prep course: $49.99 with Elite Training Academy (550+ practice questions built around the Pearson VUE outline)
- Pearson VUE exam fee: $50 per attempt, nonrefundable (rule 0780-01-91-.06; handbook 124300)
- TBI criminal history check: $48, plus a fingerprint collection fee paid to the vendor (rule 0780-01-91-.06)
- NIPR application fee: $100, nonrefundable (rule 0780-01-91-.05)
- $50,000 surety bond and $500,000 E&O policy (T.C.A. 56-6-911): annual premiums vary by carrier and your history, so get quotes on both before you apply
- Renewal: $100 every 2 years plus 24 CE hours (rule 0780-01-91-.07; T.C.A. 56-6-912)
Realistically, budget roughly $250 in state and vendor fees plus your bond and E&O premiums. The biggest hidden cost is failing the exam: each retake is another $50 and a mandatory 30 day wait, and a third consecutive failure means a full year before you can test again.
Ready to start studying?
Our Tennessee Public Adjuster exam prep course is $49.99 with 550+ practice questions covering the Pearson VUE content outline: Tennessee public adjuster law, property insurance product knowledge, and P&C terms and concepts. It is exam preparation, not state-approved education (Tennessee requires none). Not sure yet? Take the free practice exam first, or grab the free Field Guide PDF.
Start the exam prep course →Frequently asked questions
How much does a Tennessee public adjuster license cost?
Direct state and vendor fees total roughly $200 to $250 before the bond and insurance: a $50 Pearson VUE exam fee per attempt (rule 0780-01-91-.06), a $100 nonrefundable application fee filed through NIPR (rule 0780-01-91-.05), and a $48 TBI criminal history fee plus a fingerprint collection fee (rule 0780-01-91-.06). On top of that, budget annual premiums for the $50,000 surety bond and the $500,000 per-occurrence E&O policy that T.C.A. 56-6-911 requires, plus study materials (our exam prep course is $49.99). Renewal costs $100 every two years.
Does Tennessee require a course to become a public adjuster?
No. Tennessee has no pre-licensing education requirement for the public adjuster license: no course mandate appears in T.C.A. 56-6-905 or 56-6-906, in rule 0780-01-91-.05, or in TDCI's published licensing instructions. The resident path is exam-only: pass the Pearson VUE Tennessee Public Adjuster exam with a score of at least 70 (rule 0780-01-91-.06), then apply. Because there is no required course, most candidates use dedicated exam prep; ours is $49.99 with 550+ practice questions built around the Pearson VUE content outline.
What is the Tennessee public adjuster fee cap?
Tennessee uses a three-tier cap under T.C.A. 56-6-913. If the contract is signed before the insurance company makes a settlement offer, the fee may not exceed 15 percent of the total proceeds. If the contract is signed after the insurer has already made an offer, the fee may not exceed 25 percent of the difference between the insurer's last offer and the final settlement. For a home that is a total loss during a catastrophic disaster, the fee is capped at 10 percent of total proceeds, subject to conditions in the statute involving 100 percent mortgage financing and a twelve month period. The caps do not apply to commercial insurance, and no fee of any kind may be collected before the claim settles.
How much is the Tennessee public adjuster bond?
The surety bond is a minimum of $50,000, and it is only half of the requirement. T.C.A. 56-6-911 requires both a $50,000 surety bond in favor of the state and an errors and omissions policy with a minimum limit of $500,000 per occurrence, issued by an admitted insurer. Both must exist before the license issues and remain in force for the duration of the license; the adjuster's authority to act terminates automatically if either terminates or becomes substantially impaired.
Does Tennessee require CE for public adjusters?
Yes. T.C.A. 56-6-912 requires a minimum of 24 hours of commissioner-approved continuing education courses, including ethics, reported on a biennial basis; the statute does not set a specific number of ethics hours. Proof of the 24 hours is due with the biennial renewal under rule 0780-01-91-.07. Licensees who have not been licensed for one full year before the end of the biennium are exempt, and nonresidents who satisfy their home state's CE requirements are exempt where the home state gives Tennessee residents credit on substantially the same basis.
Can I charge a fee before the claim settles in Tennessee?
No. T.C.A. 56-6-913 prohibits a public adjuster from requiring, demanding, or accepting any fee, retainer, compensation, deposit, or other thing of value before settlement of a claim. Related rules reinforce this: funds received on behalf of an insured must be held in a noninterest-bearing escrow or trust account in a federally insured financial institution (56-6-915), and the contract may not require collection of the entire fee from the first check the insurer issues (56-6-914).
How long do I have to cancel a public adjuster contract in Tennessee?
The insured may rescind a Tennessee public adjuster contract within 3 business days after the date the contract was signed, under T.C.A. 56-6-914(h). The rescission must be in writing and mailed or delivered to the public adjuster at the address shown in the contract within that period. If the insured gave the adjuster anything of value, it must be returned within 3 business days after the adjuster receives the cancellation notice (56-6-914(i)).
Do nonresidents need to take the Tennessee exam?
No. Under T.C.A. 56-6-908, a nonresident can be licensed without the Tennessee exam by holding a resident public adjuster license in good standing in a home state whose public adjuster licensing act is substantially similar to Tennessee's, paying the fees, and showing financial responsibility; TDCI verifies the home-state license through the National Producer Database or a certification letter. Separately, 56-6-907 exempts from the exam applicants who were previously licensed in another state (or apply within 12 months of a cancellation in good standing) and new Tennessee residents who apply within 90 days of establishing legal residence.
Sources
Every requirement on this page traces to one of these primary sources:
- TDCI: Public Adjuster licensing requirements (application steps, NIPR filing, 48-hour wait, 30-day review)
- T.C.A. Title 56, Chapter 6, Part 9 (Justia) including 56-6-903 (license requirement), 56-6-904 (application and fingerprints), 56-6-909 (2-year term and renewal), 56-6-911 (bond and E&O), 56-6-912 (CE), 56-6-913 (fee caps), 56-6-914 (contracts, 72-hour rule, rescission), 56-6-915 (escrow), 56-6-916 (records), and 56-6-917 (solicitation)
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-01-91-.05 (Cornell LII) ($100 application fee) and 0780-01-91-.06 ($50 exam fee, 70% passing score, $48 TBI fee, retake waits) and 0780-01-91-.07 ($100 biennial renewal, CE proof)
- Pearson VUE: Tennessee Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (publication 124300) (50 questions, 1 hour, $50 fee, scheduling procedures)
- Pearson VUE: Tennessee Insurance Content Outlines (publication 124301) (Tennessee Public Adjuster exam topic breakdown, effective 2025-10-15)
Last verified: facts on this page were verified 2026-08-09 against the Tennessee Code, TDCI's published licensing instructions, and the Pearson VUE candidate handbook.
Related guides
Statutory requirements summarized from Tenn. Code Ann. Title 56, Chapter 6, Part 9 and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. chapter 0780-01-91, current as of 2026-08-09. Our course is exam preparation for the Tennessee Public Adjuster examination; Tennessee does not require any pre-licensing course for this license, and our course is not approved or endorsed by TDCI. Fees and procedures change; verify current requirements at tn.gov/commerce/insurance before relying on any specific number. This guide is not legal advice.