What it costs to get a Texas property and casualty license

Getting licensed in Texas costs more than the examination fee, and the charges come from three different organizations at three different points. Knowing the order helps you avoid paying for the same step twice.

What does it cost to get a Texas property and casualty license?

You pay three parties: Pearson VUE for the examination, IdentoGO by IDEMIA for fingerprinting, and the Texas Department of Insurance for the license application. TDI's resident agent application fee is $50. The current examination fee is published on the Texas Property and Casualty course page alongside the other official exam facts.

Who charges what?

The examination fee is payable at the time of reservation by credit card, debit card or voucher. It is not accepted at the test center, and walk-in examinations are not available.

Can any of it be refunded?

Rarely, and only the examination fee. Examination fees are non-refundable and non-transferable except under the change and cancel policy: call Pearson VUE at least forty-eight hours before your appointment and you can transfer the fee to a new reservation or request a refund. Without that notice you forfeit it.

TDI's application fees are neither refundable nor transferable in any circumstance, and each license type needs its own application and its own fee.

What does fingerprinting cost?

The fingerprinting fee is set by IdentoGO by IDEMIA rather than by TDI or Pearson VUE, and neither official source publishes the amount, so we do not state a figure here. Check IdentoGO's current schedule when you book. What the official sources do confirm is that resident applicants must submit fingerprints unless they already have active fingerprints on file with TDI from another license, and that TDI will not process your application until it has your criminal history reports from the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI.

What makes the total go up?

Two things, mostly.

Sitting the examination more than once. There is no cap on attempts, but you pay the examination fee again each time.

Applying in the wrong order. TDI requires you to pass before you apply. Apply first and you will have to submit a new application after you pass and pay the application fee a second time.

Is there a cheaper route in?

Not cheaper, but there is a faster one. Texas offers a one-time temporary general lines license valid for 180 days, whose application fee covers both the temporary application and the permanent one. It needs a sponsor who certifies they are considering you for appointment as a full-time agent and who supervises at least 40 hours of training given by the appointing company. It cannot be renewed.

Veterans should also check reimbursement. Veterans who have passed Texas insurance examinations taken on or after 1 February 2019 can apply to the US Department of Veterans Affairs to have the examination fee reimbursed.