- What Does ND-PC Stand For?
- Who Oversees the ND-PC Exam
- Two Exams, One Acronym: Property vs. Casualty
- Breaking Down the 20 ND-PC Exam Domains
- Exam Format, Timing, and Scoring
- Registration, Fees, and Eligibility
- Why the ND-PC Acronym Matters to Employers
- Studying Around the Two Halves of ND-PC
- After You Pass: Licensing and Renewal
- Frequently Asked Questions
- ND-PC stands for the North Dakota Property & Casualty Insurance Producer Exam, administered by PSI Services LLC.
- Property and Casualty are two separate exams, each with 110 scored questions and a 70% (77-correct) passing score.
- North Dakota Laws and Regulations is the single largest content area on both exams - 27.3% of Casualty and 23.6% of Property.
- Each exam costs $64, allows 150 minutes, and retakes are unlimited if you don't pass on the first try.
What Does ND-PC Stand For?
ND-PC stands for the North Dakota Property & Casualty Insurance Producer Exam - the state licensing test that anyone who wants to sell property insurance, casualty insurance, or both in North Dakota must pass before applying for a producer license. The acronym is sometimes confused with other unrelated credentials that happen to share the same letters, but on this site, and in this article, ND-PC refers exclusively to the North Dakota insurance producer licensing exam overseen by the North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department.
The "P" and "C" in ND-PC reflect the fact that Property and Casualty are actually two distinct exams, not one combined test. A candidate who wants both lines of authority has to sit for, and pass, each exam separately. If you're trying to understand exactly what this means for your licensing path, the ND-PC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify guide walks through every prerequisite in detail.
Who Oversees the ND-PC Exam
Licensing authority for insurance producers in North Dakota rests with the North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department. That department sets the eligibility rules, licensing fees, and continuing-education standards for anyone holding a producer license in the state. Actual exam delivery, however, is outsourced to PSI Services LLC, which operates the computer-based testing infrastructure, publishes the official candidate bulletin, and scores each attempt.
The current state-hosted PSI candidate bulletin is dated December 27, 2024, and it's the authoritative source for exam content outlines, allowable identification, and testing-center policies. If you haven't reviewed it yet, pairing it with a structured resource like the ND-PC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt gives you both the official rules and a practical study framework in one pass.
Two Exams, One Acronym: Property vs. Casualty
Because ND-PC covers two separate licensing lines, it helps to think of it as "ND-P" and "ND-C" stitched together under one umbrella name. Each exam is independently scored, independently timed, and independently priced - passing one does not grant credit toward the other.
| 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 |
| Largest content area | North Dakota Laws and Regulations (23.6%) | North Dakota Laws and Regulations (27.3%) |
Every question on both exams is delivered in a computer-based multiple-choice format, and there's no cap on retakes - you can schedule again if you fall short, though each attempt requires paying the $64 fee again. For a deeper look at how tough these exams actually feel in practice, see How Hard Is the ND-PC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Breaking Down the 20 ND-PC Exam Domains
Across both the Property and Casualty exams, ND-PC content is organized into 20 domains total - 10 on each side. Understanding what each domain actually tests is far more useful than memorizing percentages, because the domain names describe the real-world knowledge an underwriter or agency expects a licensed producer to already have.
Property - North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Property Insurance
This is the single heaviest domain on the Property exam at 23.6% of scored questions. It covers state-specific licensing rules, producer duties, and regulatory requirements unique to North Dakota rather than generic insurance theory.
- Know North Dakota's specific statutory language, not just general P&C principles
Casualty - North Dakota Laws and Regulations Pertinent to Casualty Insurance
The Casualty exam's largest domain, at 27.3%, mirrors the Property side but applies to liability, auto, and workers' compensation contexts. Candidates consistently underestimate how much of the exam hinges on this single domain.
- Expect questions on producer conduct, license maintenance, and state-specific disclosure rules
Beyond the two laws-and-regulations domains, candidates need working knowledge of Dwelling Policy Concepts, Homeowners Policy Concepts, Commercial Property Policies, and the Businessowners Policy on the Property side; and Personal Automobile Insurance, Commercial Automobile Policy, Commercial General Liability, and Workers' Compensation Laws on the Casualty side. Each exam also devotes sections to Insurance Regulation, Federal Laws and Regulations, and General Insurance concepts that apply broadly across both lines. A full breakdown of every one of the 20 domains, including how questions are typically framed, is available in the ND-PC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 20 Content Areas.
Key Takeaway
Because North Dakota Laws and Regulations makes up the largest single slice of each exam, allocate more review time to that domain than to any other single topic - it has more weight than any other domain by a meaningful margin.
Exam Format, Timing, and Scoring
Both the Property and Casualty exams are delivered as computer-based multiple choice tests at PSI testing centers. Each exam presents 110 scored questions plus 5 to 10 additional unscored, experimental questions that PSI uses to evaluate future exam items - candidates can't tell which questions are scored and which aren't, so every question should be treated as if it counts.
You have 150 minutes to complete each exam, and a passing result requires 70% correct, which works out to 77 correct scored answers out of 110. Knowing this threshold precisely - rather than guessing at "around 70%" - matters for pacing your review. The ND-PC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass article breaks down what that number means for how many questions you can afford to miss.
Registration, Fees, and Eligibility
Getting to test day for ND-PC involves a specific sequence of steps set by the North Dakota Insurance & Securities Department:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Reside in North Dakota, or maintain a principal place of business there
- Complete a fingerprint-based criminal history background check
- Apply for licensing through NIPR (the National Insurance Producer Registry)
- Pass each exam for the line of authority you're requesting - Property, Casualty, or both
Notably, North Dakota does not require a prelicensing course before sitting for either exam, which puts more weight on self-directed study. Once you pass an exam, that score stays valid for one year, giving you a window to complete your license application. After passing, the initial license fee is $100. For the complete cost picture - exam fees, license fees, and what to budget for retakes - see ND-PC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. And if you're still mapping out timing around your test date, the ND-PC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling guide covers scheduling logistics with PSI.
Why the ND-PC Acronym Matters to Employers
Insurance agencies, independent brokerages, and captive-agent programs operating in North Dakota use ND-PC licensure as a baseline hiring requirement for producer roles. Because the exam is split into Property and Casualty lines, some employers specifically seek candidates who hold both lines of authority, since it allows a single producer to quote and bind a broader range of policies - homeowners, dwelling fire, commercial property, personal auto, commercial auto, general liability, and workers' compensation - without needing a second licensed colleague involved.
This is also why understanding the acronym correctly matters: a hiring manager referencing "ND-PC" is talking about state licensing status, not a voluntary certification or resume add-on. If you're evaluating whether pursuing both lines is worth the additional exam fee and study time, Is the ND-PC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and ND-PC Jobs both explore how the license translates into hiring opportunities within North Dakota's insurance market.
Studying Around the Two Halves of ND-PC
Because ND-PC is really two exams stacked under one name, the most effective preparation treats Property and Casualty as separate study tracks rather than one blended review. A simple way to structure this is to dedicate focused blocks of time to each exam's laws-and-regulations domain first, since that's the heaviest-weighted content on both sides, then move into product-specific domains.
North Dakota Laws and Regulations (Property + Casualty)
- Work through both state-specific regulation domains first since they carry the most weight on each exam
- Cross-reference the PSI candidate bulletin's outline for exact terminology used in questions
Property Product Domains
- Dwelling Policy Concepts, Homeowners Policy Concepts, Commercial Property Policies, Businessowners Policy
- Use timed practice questions to simulate the 150-minute, 110-question format
Casualty Product Domains
- Personal Automobile, Commercial Automobile, Commercial General Liability, Workers' Compensation Laws
- Drill the differences between personal and commercial auto policy triggers, since these are commonly confused
Full-Length Review and Practice
- Take full-length timed practice runs for whichever exam you're sitting first
- Revisit missed questions using spaced repetition on weak domains rather than re-reading entire chapters
A one-page reference of must-know facts can also anchor last-minute review the night before your test - the ND-PC Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts is built for exactly that purpose. And once you've built a study rhythm, running full practice exams on our ND-PC practice test platform is the closest simulation you'll get to the real 150-minute, multiple-choice format before test day.
After You Pass: Licensing and Renewal
Passing the exam is only the midpoint of the licensing process. After you clear the 70% threshold on your chosen line (or lines), you'll need to finalize your application through NIPR, complete the fingerprint background check if you haven't already, and pay the $100 initial license fee. Remember that your exam score is only valid for one year, so don't let too much time lapse between passing and applying.
Once licensed, North Dakota producer licenses renew biennially, due by the last day of your birth month, for a $25 renewal fee. Renewal also requires completing 24 continuing-education hours during the renewal period, including 3 hours specifically in ethics. Building CE planning into your calendar early prevents a last-minute scramble near your renewal deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two. Property and Casualty are separate exams under the ND-PC umbrella, each with its own 110 scored questions, $64 fee, and 70% passing requirement. You choose which line(s) to test for based on the license you want.
No. North Dakota does not mandate a prelicensing education course before sitting for either the Property or Casualty exam, so self-study and practice testing carry more of the preparation burden.
Each exam has 110 scored questions plus 5-10 unscored experimental questions, and you're given 150 minutes to complete it on a computer at a PSI testing center.
You need 70% correct, which equals 77 correct answers out of the 110 scored questions on each exam.
A passing score remains valid for one year, during which you should complete your license application through NIPR along with the fingerprint background check and license fee.