- How the ND-PC Exam Is Structured
- Property Exam: Domains 1-10
- Casualty Exam: Domains 11-20
- Why North Dakota Laws and Regulations Dominate Both Exams
- Domain Weighting and a Realistic Study Schedule
- Who Actually Uses These 20 Domains on the Job
- Registration, Retakes, and Score Validity Notes Tied to the Domains
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Property and Casualty are separate 110-question scored exams; each has its own set of 10 domains.
- North Dakota Laws and Regulations is the single largest domain: 23.6% of Property and 27.3% of Casualty.
- You need 77 correct scored answers (70%) out of 110 on each exam, within a 150-minute window.
- PSI Services LLC administers both exams under rules set by the North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department.
How the ND-PC Exam Is Structured
Before breaking down all 20 content areas, it helps to understand the mechanics behind them. The "ND-PC" designation on this site refers specifically to the North Dakota Property & Casualty Insurance Producer Exam - the licensing test administered through PSI Services LLC under the authority of the North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department. Property and Casualty are treated as two distinct exams, not one combined test.
Each exam - Property and Casualty - contains 110 scored questions plus 5 to 10 additional unscored experimental questions that are mixed in without identification. You get 150 minutes to complete either exam, and the passing standard is 70%, which works out to 77 correct scored answers out of 110. Every question is computer-based multiple choice, and PSI allows unlimited retakes if you don't clear the bar on your first attempt.
| Feature | Property Exam | Casualty Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Scored Questions | 110 | 110 |
| Unscored Experimental Questions | 5-10 | 5-10 |
| Time Allowed | 150 minutes | 150 minutes |
| Passing Score | 70% (77 correct) | 70% (77 correct) |
| Exam Fee | $64 | $64 |
| Number of Domains | 10 | 10 |
| Largest Domain Weight | 23.6% (ND Laws & Regs) | 27.3% (ND Laws & Regs) |
For a deeper walk-through of the scoring math and what 77 correct answers actually looks like on test day, see our dedicated breakdown of the ND-PC passing score. If you're still weighing whether the format itself is difficult relative to other producer exams, our guide on how hard the ND-PC exam really is unpacks that in more detail.
Property Exam: Domains 1-10
The Property exam is built around ten content areas that move from general regulatory knowledge into specific policy mechanics. Understanding the shape of these domains - not just memorizing definitions - is what separates candidates who pass on the first try from those who need a retake.
Domain 1: Insurance Regulation
Covers the general regulatory framework producers operate under, including licensing authority, producer duties, and how the state oversees market conduct.
- Understand the role of the Insurance & Securities Department in producer oversight
Domain 2: North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property Insurance
This is the heaviest single domain on the Property exam at 23.6% of scored content. It focuses on state-specific statutes governing property insurance transactions, policy provisions, and producer conduct within North Dakota.
- Expect a large share of scenario-based questions rooted in state statute, not generic industry theory
Domain 3: Federal Laws and Regulations
Federal-level rules that intersect with property insurance sales and disclosures, distinct from state statute questions in Domain 2.
Domain 4: General Insurance
Foundational insurance concepts - risk, insurable interest, contract elements - that apply across all property lines.
Domain 5: Property Insurance Basics
Core terminology and coverage structures that underpin every property policy type tested later in the exam.
Domain 6: Dwelling Policy Concepts
Dwelling forms, coverage parts, and typical exclusions specific to residential property risk.
Domain 7: Homeowners Policy Concepts
HO policy forms and how they differ from dwelling policies in coverage scope and eligibility.
Domain 8: Commercial Property Policies
Building and personal property coverage forms used in commercial risk, including causes-of-loss forms.
Domain 9: Businessowners Policy
BOP structure as a packaged commercial solution, and how it differs from standalone commercial property coverage.
Domain 10: Other Types of Property Insurance - Purpose and General Characteristics
A catch-all domain covering specialty property coverages and their general purpose, rounding out the Property content outline.
Casualty Exam: Domains 11-20
The Casualty exam mirrors the Property exam's structure but shifts content toward liability, auto, and workers' compensation topics. It carries the exam's single heaviest domain weighting.
Domain 11: Insurance Regulation
Parallel to Domain 1 on the Property side - general regulatory principles governing producer conduct under Casualty lines.
Domain 12: North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Casualty Insurance
The largest domain across either exam at 27.3% of scored Casualty content. This domain alone can determine whether you clear 77 correct answers.
- Prioritize this domain first when building your study plan
Domain 13: Federal Laws and Regulations
Federal statutory content relevant to casualty lines, tested separately from state-specific rules in Domain 12.
Domain 14: General Insurance
Shared foundational concepts - contract law, risk transfer, underwriting basics - that apply broadly to casualty products.
Domain 15: Casualty Insurance Basics
Core liability concepts: negligence, duty, damages, and how casualty coverage responds to third-party claims.
Domain 16: Personal Automobile Insurance
Personal auto policy structure, coverage parts, and common exclusions - a heavily tested practical area.
Domain 17: Commercial Automobile Policy
Business-use auto coverage differences from personal auto, including covered autos designations.
Domain 18: Commercial General Liability
CGL coverage parts, occurrence versus claims-made triggers, and typical exclusions producers must explain to commercial clients.
Domain 19: Other Types of Casualty Insurance
Umbrella, professional liability, and other specialty casualty products grouped for general characteristics testing.
Domain 20: Workers' Compensation Laws
Workers' compensation statutory framework and coverage structure - frequently tested alongside CGL concepts.
Key Takeaway
Because Domain 12 carries the highest weight of any domain on either exam, allocate more review time to North Dakota-specific casualty statute than to any single policy-form domain.
Why North Dakota Laws and Regulations Dominate Both Exams
It's not an accident that "North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property Insurance" and its Casualty counterpart carry the highest domain weights on their respective exams - 23.6% and 27.3%. These domains test whether you understand the actual legal framework you'll operate under as a licensed producer in this state, not just generic industry concepts you could learn from any national study guide.
Questions in these domains typically draw from statutory definitions, producer conduct requirements, and how state law modifies or restricts standard policy provisions. Because prelicensing coursework isn't required in North Dakota, many candidates arrive at these two domains with the least built-in exposure - making dedicated review here disproportionately valuable.
Our full ND-PC Study Guide walks through a domain-by-domain reading list if you want a more granular breakdown of exactly which statutory topics tend to show up inside Domains 2 and 12.
Domain Weighting and a Realistic Study Schedule
With 20 domains split across two separate exams, sequencing matters. A practical approach is to study one exam's domains at a time rather than mixing Property and Casualty concepts in the same week, since the terminology and statutory references don't overlap much.
Property Foundations
- Domains 1, 3, 4, 5 - regulation, federal law, and general insurance basics
- Build vocabulary before moving into policy-specific domains
Property Statute and Policy Forms
- Domain 2 (heaviest weight) gets extra time
- Domains 6-10 - dwelling, homeowners, commercial property, BOP, and other property types
Casualty Foundations
- Domains 11, 13, 14, 15 - regulation, federal law, and liability basics
- Take a full-length Property practice run at our main practice test site before moving on
Casualty Statute and Coverage Lines
- Domain 12 (highest overall weight) gets the most review time of any single domain
- Domains 16-20 - personal auto, commercial auto, CGL, other casualty, and workers' comp
If you're timing this around a specific test date, cross-check your schedule against our ND-PC exam dates guide so your final review week lands right before your scheduled session, not weeks in advance when retention starts to fade.
Who Actually Uses These 20 Domains on the Job
The domain split isn't just an exam artifact - it mirrors how producer roles are actually structured in the field. Agencies writing homeowners, dwelling fire, and commercial property accounts lean on Property domains daily, while agencies focused on auto, general liability, and workers' comp placements rely on Casualty domains. Many independent agencies handle both lines, which is why a large share of candidates sit for both exams rather than just one.
If you're mapping out where a dual Property and Casualty license fits into your career plans, our ND-PC jobs overview and ND-PC salary guide both go into more detail on how agencies and carriers value candidates who hold both licenses versus just one.
Registration, Retakes, and Score Validity Notes Tied to the Domains
A few mechanical details matter once you're actually scheduling against this domain list. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, reside or maintain a principal place of business in North Dakota, complete a fingerprint-based criminal history check, and apply through NIPR. You must pass each line you're requesting - meaning a passing Property score doesn't carry over to Casualty and vice versa.
Exam scores remain valid for one year, and the initial license fee is $100 on top of the $64 per-exam fee. Once licensed, renewal happens biennially by the last day of your birth month for $25, along with 24 continuing-education hours that must include 3 hours of ethics. None of this changes which domains are tested, but it does affect how you sequence your two exam attempts if you're studying both bodies of content in parallel.
For the complete eligibility checklist and a full fee breakdown, see ND-PC Requirements and ND-PC Certification Cost. And if you want a condensed, printable reference covering all 20 domains at a glance, our ND-PC Cheat Sheet is built specifically for last-minute domain review the night before your test.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Each exam is scored independently, with 110 scored questions and a 70% passing threshold (77 correct) required separately for Property and for Casualty.
Whichever exam you're sitting for first, start with its North Dakota Laws and Regulations domain - it's the largest content area on both the Property exam (23.6%) and the Casualty exam (27.3%).
No. Property and Casualty are separate exams with separate $64 fees, and you can schedule them independently based on which lines you plan to write.
Each exam includes 5 to 10 unscored experimental questions in addition to the 110 scored questions, and they are not identified during the test.
Retakes are unlimited, so you can reschedule and attempt the failed exam again; your passing score on the other exam, if applicable, still stands.