How to Get Your North Dakota Insurance License in 2026
A complete step-by-step guide to becoming a licensed insurance producer in North Dakota. Good news up front: North Dakota does not require pre-licensing education for any major line — you can go straight to exam prep and be licensed in about a month. Two quirks to know before you start: the state splits Property & Casualty into two separate exams, and it still requires hard-copy fingerprint cards (no Fieldprint).
North Dakota insurance license — quick facts
| State regulator | North Dakota Insurance Department (NDID) |
| Exam vendor | PSI Services (six in-state test sites across five cities + remote proctoring) |
| Pre-licensing education | Not required — self-study allowed, no proof of study needed |
| Exam fee | $64 per major-lines exam ($128 for full P&C — two exams) |
| Exam format | 110 questions, 150 minutes, 70% to pass (77 correct) — per exam |
| License application fee | $100 via NIPR (adding a line later is free) |
| Fingerprinting | Required — hard-copy cards only; $69 at a PSI center ($29 PSI + $40 BCI/AG) |
| License term | 2 years — expires the last day of your birth month; renewal $25, no grace period |
| CE requirement | 24 hours per biennium, incl. 3 hours ethics |
| Workers' comp | Monopolistic state fund (WSI) — cannot be written by private carriers |
The six steps
- 1
Skip pre-licensing education — North Dakota doesn't require it
North Dakota law does not require classroom instruction before you test — the Insurance Department doesn't even approve or regulate prelicensing providers. You can prepare entirely by self-study and never have to show proof of study to the state or the testing center. Our $49.99 North Dakota exam prep gets you exam-ready in 2-4 weeks.
- 2
Schedule your PSI exam(s)
North Dakota contracts with PSI Services for insurance license exams. Register at test-takers.psiexams.com/ndins, choose a test center (Bismarck, Minot, Grand Forks, Fargo, or Williston) or PSI's remote-proctored option, and pay $64 per major-lines exam. Important: North Dakota administers Property and Casualty as two separate exams — a full P&C license means passing both ($128 in exam fees total).
- 3
Pass the exam at 70%
Each major-lines exam (Life & Annuity, Accident & Health, Property, Casualty) has 110 questions and a 150-minute time limit; you need 77 correct answers (70%) to pass. PSI reports your result to the North Dakota Insurance Department within 48 hours. If you fail, you can retest an unlimited number of times — as soon as two days later — and a passing score stays valid for one full year.
- 4
Get fingerprinted — hard-copy cards only
All new resident producer applicants must complete a state and FBI fingerprint-based background check, and North Dakota is unusual here: it does NOT accept digital submissions like Fieldprint — it requires physical fingerprint cards. The easiest route is getting printed at a PSI test center on exam day: pay a $29 PSI processing fee plus a $40 check or money order payable to the North Dakota Attorney General, and PSI mails everything to the Department for you.
- 5
Submit your license application through NIPR
Apply online at nipr.com using the NAIC Uniform Application. North Dakota charges a $100 initial application fee (one fee covers your license regardless of lines), plus a small NIPR transaction fee. Your exam score must be less than a year old when the Department receives your application. Adding a line of authority to an active license later is free.
- 6
Get appointed by an insurance carrier
A producer license alone doesn't authorize you to sell — you need at least one carrier appointment. The insurer files the appointment with the North Dakota Insurance Department and pays the $25 appointment fee; if you're joining an agency, they'll typically handle this for you.
What's on the North Dakota P&C exams
North Dakota administers Property and Casualty as two separate PSI exams — officially titled Property (Product and Laws) and Casualty (Product and Laws) — each with 110 questions, a 150-minute time limit, and a 70% passing score (77 correct). Both cover the standard NAIC framework plus North Dakota-specific statutes from Title 26.1 of the North Dakota Century Code. Section item counts from the official PSI content outlines:
Property exam (110 items)
- Insurance regulation — 14 items (13%)
- North Dakota property insurance laws (NDCC Title 26.1) — 26 items (24%)
- Federal laws & regulations (FCRA, NFIP) — 3 items
- General insurance concepts — 14 items (13%)
- Property insurance basics — 22 items (20%)
- Dwelling policy — 3 items
- Homeowners policy — 11 items (10%)
- Commercial property policies (incl. farm coverage) — 9 items
- Businessowners policy — 5 items
- Other property insurance (mobile home, earthquake, flood) — 3 items
Casualty exam (110 items)
- Insurance regulation — 10 items
- North Dakota casualty insurance laws (incl. no-fault PIP & UM/UIM) — 30 items (27%)
- Federal laws & regulations — 2 items
- General insurance concepts — 14 items (13%)
- Casualty insurance basics — 22 items (20%)
- Personal automobile policy — 11 items (10%)
- Commercial automobile policy — 5 items
- Commercial general liability — 8 items
- Other casualty insurance (umbrella, surety, professional) — 5 items
- Workers' compensation laws — 3 items
The state-law sections are the heaviest on both exams — a quarter or more of each test comes straight from NDCC Title 26.1, including North Dakota's no-fault auto system (personal injury protection) and its uninsured/underinsured motorist rules. Drill them. Try our free North Dakota practice exam to see where you stand before booking with PSI.
North Dakota has a monopolistic workers' comp fund
North Dakota is one of only four states (with Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming) where workers' compensation is a monopolistic state fund. Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI) is the exclusive insurer — private WC carriers cannot write coverage in the state, which is also why workers' comp gets only 3 items on the Casualty exam. Producers serving multi-state commercial accounts need to know this so they can refer clients with North Dakota payroll to WSI directly.
The fingerprint-card quirk
Most states have moved to electronic live-scan fingerprinting through vendors like Fieldprint or IdentoGO. North Dakota has not: the Insurance Department explicitly does not accept digital fingerprint submissions and requires physical fingerprint cards mailed to Bismarck. The practical shortcut is doing it at a PSI test center on the day of your exam — PSI scans your prints, produces the card, and mails the card, consent form, and your $40 North Dakota Attorney General payment to the Department for you. Bring two payments: $29 to PSI (credit card OK) and a $40 check or money order to the North Dakota Attorney General (no credit cards, no cash). If you already hold a valid North Dakota license and are just testing for another line, no fingerprints are needed.
CE requirements after licensing
North Dakota producer licenses renew every two years by the last day of your birth month. Each biennium requires 24 hours of NDID-approved continuing education, including 3 hours of ethics (N.D.C.C. § 26.1-26-31.1). Renewal costs $25 through NIPR and can be filed up to 90 days early — and there is no grace period: miss the deadline and your license and appointments are canceled, forcing a fresh $100 application. One timing trap: allow time for your CE provider to report completions to the state, so finish your courses several weeks before your expiration date. Producers who sell annuities or long-term care insurance have additional one-time and ongoing training requirements (4 hours annuity training; 8 hours initial + 4 hours biennial LTC training).
Cost breakdown
- Exam-prep course: $49.99 with Elite Training Academy
- PSI exam fees: $64 per major-lines exam — $128 for full P&C (Property + Casualty)
- Fingerprinting: $69 at a PSI test center ($29 PSI processing + $40 to the ND Attorney General)
- NDID license application: $100 via NIPR, plus a small NIPR transaction fee
- Biennial renewal: $25 + CE course costs ($30-$200 depending on provider)
All-in, plan on roughly $290 for a single-line license (life or health) and about $355 for a full P&C license, since P&C means two $64 exams. Every dollar of that except the $100 application fee is avoidable-on-retry money — passing each exam on the first attempt is the single biggest cost saver.
Ready to start studying?
Start your North Dakota insurance license exam prep for $49.99 with lifetime access and 500+ practice questions per course — built around the actual PSI content outlines.
See North Dakota exam prep courses →Frequently asked questions
Does North Dakota require pre-licensing education?
No. North Dakota law does not require classroom instruction for license applicants, and the Insurance Department does not approve or regulate prelicensing providers. You can prepare by self-study and go straight to the PSI exam — a structured exam-prep course is strongly recommended, but not legally required.
How many questions is the North Dakota insurance exam?
Each major-lines exam — Life & Annuity, Accident & Health, Property, and Casualty — has 110 questions with a 150-minute time limit. You need 77 correct answers (70%) to pass. A small number of unscored experimental questions (5-10) may also be included. Note that Property and Casualty are two separate 110-question exams in North Dakota.
How much does the North Dakota insurance exam cost?
$64 per attempt for each major-lines exam (Life & Annuity, Accident & Health, Property, Casualty); the Personal Lines exam is $58. Because Property and Casualty are separate exams, a full P&C license costs $128 in exam fees. Exam fees are non-refundable, so solid practice-exam prep pays for itself.
Is Property and Casualty one exam or two in North Dakota?
Two. Unlike states that offer a single combined P&C exam, North Dakota administers Property (110 questions, $64) and Casualty (110 questions, $64) as separate exams. You must pass both to get a full P&C license. If you fail one, you only retake that one — and each passing score is valid for a year.
Does North Dakota require fingerprinting for an insurance license?
Yes. All first-time resident producer applicants must complete a state (BCI) and FBI fingerprint-based criminal history check. North Dakota does not accept digital fingerprint submissions like Fieldprint — it requires hard-copy fingerprint cards. The simplest option is getting printed at a PSI test center on exam day: $29 to PSI plus $40 by check or money order to the North Dakota Attorney General ($69 total).
How much does a North Dakota insurance license cost in total?
Roughly $290-$360 all-in. For a full P&C license: $49.99 for exam prep, $128 for the two PSI exams ($64 each), $69 for fingerprinting ($29 PSI + $40 BCI), and $100 for the NIPR application plus a small transaction fee — about $355 total. A single-line license (life only, for example) runs closer to $290.
How long does it take to get a North Dakota insurance license?
Typically 3-6 weeks. With no pre-licensing requirement, the timeline is mostly study time: 2-4 weeks of exam prep, then schedule and pass the PSI exam(s), get fingerprinted at the test center the same day, and file the NIPR application. The fingerprint background check and application review add several business days at the end.
Can I sell workers' compensation insurance in North Dakota?
No. North Dakota's Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI) is a monopolistic state fund — private carriers cannot write workers' comp in ND. Producers should direct commercial clients with North Dakota payroll to enroll with WSI directly. Only three other states (Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming) work this way.
Related guides
- Free North Dakota practice exam
- How to get your South Dakota insurance license
- How to get your Montana insurance license
- How to get your Wyoming insurance license
Sources cited
- NDID — Apply for a Resident Producer License (prelicensing, exam, fingerprints, $100 fee)
- PSI — North Dakota Insurance Licensing Candidate Information Bulletin (exam fees, format, scoring)
- PSI — North Dakota Property Insurance Examination content outline
- PSI — North Dakota Casualty Insurance Examination content outline
- NDID — Fee Information ($100 license, $25 renewal, $25 appointment)
- NDID — Renew Producer License (biennial by birth month, $25, no grace period)
- NIPR — North Dakota Resident Licensing (Individual)
- N.D. Cent. Code Title 26.1 — Insurance (incl. § 26.1-26-31.1, continuing education)
This guide is based on North Dakota Insurance Department, PSI, and NIPR published procedures current as of 2026. Fees and procedures change — always verify current requirements at insurance.nd.gov before relying on any specific number.