ND-PC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown

Core ND-PC Exam Fees for 2026

The North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department oversees producer licensing, but the actual testing is handled by PSI Services LLC. Property and Casualty are administered as two distinct exams, and each one costs $64 per attempt. If you're pursuing a full Property & Casualty license - which most agents do - you should plan for $128 in combined exam fees before any licensing paperwork is filed.

Each exam consists of 110 scored questions plus 5-10 unscored experimental questions folded in without notice, all delivered as computer-based multiple choice within a 150-minute window. A passing score is 70%, which equals 77 correct scored answers out of 110. There's no partial credit for the experimental items, and you won't know which questions are experimental, so every question deserves your full attention regardless of how it "feels."

Licensing Costs Beyond the Exam

Passing the exam is only one line item in the total cost of becoming licensed. After you clear the required score on each line, you still need to complete a fingerprint-based criminal history check and formally apply for licensure through NIPR (the National Insurance Producer Registry). Budget time and a modest processing fee for the fingerprinting step, since it's a mandatory part of the eligibility chain rather than an optional add-on.

Once your background check clears and your application is processed, the state charges an initial license fee of $100. This is separate from - and in addition to - the $128 you've already spent on the two exams. Applicants must also be at least 18 years old and either reside in North Dakota or maintain a principal place of business there, so out-of-state candidates need to confirm eligibility before spending a dollar on exam fees.

One cost-saving detail worth noting: North Dakota does not require a prelicensing education course before you sit for either exam. That removes a fee that many other states impose, but it also means the burden of preparation falls entirely on self-study, structured practice questions, or a dedicated resource like the ND-PC practice test platform. Skipping formal coursework only saves money if you replace it with disciplined, targeted review - otherwise the savings evaporate the moment you need a $64 retake.

Renewal and Ongoing Compliance Costs

Getting licensed isn't a one-time expense. North Dakota producer licenses renew biennially, due by the last day of your birth month, and each renewal cycle costs $25. To renew, you must also complete 24 continuing education hours, including a mandatory 3 hours of ethics content, during the renewal period.

These recurring costs are modest compared to the initial licensing outlay, but they're easy to overlook when budgeting long-term. A producer who plans to hold an active ND-PC license for a full career should factor in the $25 renewal fee every two years indefinitely, along with whatever your CE provider charges for the 24-hour requirement.

Retakes, Study Materials, and Other Variable Costs

The single biggest variable in your total ND-PC cost is retakes. Retakes are unlimited, but each attempt costs the full $64 fee again - there's no discount for a second or third sitting. A candidate who fails the Casualty exam twice before passing has effectively spent $192 on that one exam alone, nearly triple the base cost.

This is why understanding exactly what score you need to pass and how the 70% threshold translates into 77 correct answers matters so much before you schedule your first attempt. It's also why many candidates evaluate how difficult the exam actually is before assuming a light review session will be enough.

Other variable costs to plan for include:

• Study materials or practice exams - a one-time or subscription cost depending on the resource you choose.
• Rescheduling fees charged by PSI if you need to move a scheduled appointment close to the test date.
• Score expiration risk - since exam scores remain valid for only one year, delaying your application too long could force a costly retake even after an initial pass.

Property vs. Casualty Cost Comparison

Financially, the Property and Casualty exams are identical twins: same $64 fee, same 110 scored questions, same 150-minute time limit, same 70% passing threshold. The cost difference between them isn't in the fee schedule - it's in how much preparation each line demands based on its content mix.

Property exam domains span Insurance Regulation, North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property Insurance, Federal Laws and Regulations, General Insurance, Property Insurance Basics, Dwelling Policy Concepts, Homeowners Policy Concepts, Commercial Property Policies, the Businessowners Policy, and Other Types of Property Insurance. Casualty domains cover Insurance Regulation, North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Casualty Insurance, Federal Laws and Regulations, General Insurance, Casualty Insurance Basics, Personal Automobile Insurance, the Commercial Automobile Policy, Commercial General Liability, Other Types of Casualty Insurance, and Workers' Compensation Laws.

If one line covers material you already know from work experience, you may need fewer practice hours - and therefore lower effective cost per correct answer - on that exam. For a full breakdown of what each of the 20 domains actually tests, see the complete guide to all 20 ND-PC content areas.

Why Domain Weighting Affects Your Total Cost

Not all content areas carry equal weight, and ignoring that fact is one of the fastest ways to pay for an unnecessary retake. On the Casualty exam, North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Casualty Insurance accounts for 27.3% of the exam - easily the largest single domain. On the Property exam, North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property Insurance makes up 23.6%, also the largest domain on that test.

Spending your limited study hours evenly across all 20 domains, rather than weighting them toward these state-specific rules, is a common and expensive mistake. A candidate who under-prepares on the state law domain risks missing enough points there to fall below 77 correct answers even while performing well elsewhere - triggering a $64 retake that better allocation would have prevented. The ND-PC study guide for passing on your first attempt walks through how to sequence review time around this exact weighting.

Budgeting Your Time to Protect Your Money

Since every failed attempt costs $64, the most cost-effective study plan is one that front-loads the highest-weighted domains and leaves buffer time for weak spots before test day - not a generic countdown calendar.

This kind of targeted scheduling isn't about generic productivity tricks - it's about matching your limited hours to the exact percentage weights PSI and the state have already published, so your money goes toward one confident attempt per exam instead of two or three.

Who Actually Pays for the ND-PC Exam

Cost tolerance for the ND-PC exams often depends on who's footing the bill. Many candidates enter the process sponsored by an insurance agency, brokerage, or carrier that reimburses exam fees, the $100 initial license fee, or both once the candidate is actively producing business. Others pay entirely out of pocket while transitioning careers.

Either way, understanding the full cost picture - not just the $64 exam fee - helps you evaluate whether the investment makes sense relative to the career path. If you're weighing whether the license is worth pursuing at all, the complete ROI analysis on ND-PC certification lays out the trade-offs in more depth, and the ND-PC salary guide covers what licensed producers typically pursue next in terms of roles and opportunities.

If you're still confirming basic eligibility before committing any money, review the full eligibility and prerequisite requirements so you don't pay exam fees before confirming you qualify to sit for the test in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions