North Dakota
North Dakota insurance licensing: requirements, renewal, and agency rules
North Dakota licenses producers through the North Dakota Insurance Department (NDID) in Bismarck, with no prelicensing education requirement for any standard line — applicants go straight to the exam.
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- CE hours
- 24 hours (3 ethics)
- Application fee
- $100
- DOI phone
- 701-328-2440
Overview
North Dakota licenses producers through the North Dakota Insurance Department (NDID) in Bismarck, with no prelicensing education requirement for any standard line — applicants go straight to the exam. NDID switched exam vendors to PSI in March 2022 and moved the Producer Licensing Division to email-only correspondence in November 2024. Business entity licenses in North Dakota don't expire; an agency stays licensed indefinitely as long as it keeps an active Designated Responsible Licensed Producer on file. The state does not license independent or staff adjusters at all, only public adjusters, and treats crop insurance as its own actively regulated line given the state's agricultural base.
How to get licensed
Skip prelicensing education
North Dakota law no longer requires a prelicensing course for any standard line, and NDID doesn't ask applicants to submit proof of study. You can go straight to scheduling your exam.
Register for and pass the exam
North Dakota uses PSI as its exam vendor, a single-part exam covering your chosen line. Portable electronics, self-service storage, title, and travel lines are exam-exempt.
Get fingerprinted
NDID requires a state and national fingerprint-based background check for every initial resident applicant, submitted on hard-copy cards — digital fingerprinting services aren't accepted. Budget $29 for PSI's processing fee plus $40 for the North Dakota Attorney General's background-check fee.
Apply for your license
The fastest path is to apply through InsureTrek — we file your North Dakota application for the state's $100 resident fee, pulled from NIPR at the moment of application.
Watch for NDID's response by email
The Producer Licensing Division corresponds entirely by email as of November 2024 — no paper mail. Once approved, look up and print your license through NAIC's State Based Systems.
Prelicensing education
Not required. No line requires prelicensing coursework or proof of study; applicants apply directly to sit for the exam.
Exam
Vendor: PSI. Exam fee: $67. PSI also offers an optional $10 retake-protection add-on at registration; confirm current pricing when you register.
Fingerprinting
Required. Vendor: PSI. Fee: $69. Required for initial resident applicants only — waived on renewal, on reapplication within 12 months of a cancelled or expired license, and when adding a line. Submitted on hard-copy cards. Budget $29 for PSI's processing fee plus $40 for the North Dakota Attorney General's background-check fee.
Fees
| Fee | Initial | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Resident individual producer license | $100 | $25 |
| Public adjuster license (individual or business entity) | $100 | $25 |
| Business entity license This license doesn't expire, so there's no renewal fee, as long as the entity keeps an active Designated Responsible Licensed Producer on file. | $100 | — |
Fees as of 2026-08-21. Fees change without much notice. When you apply through InsureTrek, we always use the current fee at the moment of application. Sources: NIPR – North Dakota Resident Licensing (Individual), NDID – Fee Information
Renewal & CE
Renewal window — License expires on the last day of the producer's birth month; the renewal window opens 90 days before expiration.
Up to 12 CE hours can carry forward into the next renewal period. North Dakota repealed its former "Rule of 85" CE exemption for long-tenured, older producers.
24 total CE hours per renewal term, including 3 ethics hours.
Producers licensed only in credit, surety, travel, title, bail bonds, and/or legal expense are exempt from CE, though they still renew biennially.
For agencies and non-residents
Agencies, appointments & DRLP
A separate business entity license is required to contract with a carrier under an agency name, for a $100 initial fee. Unlike the individual license, entity licenses don't expire — there's no biennial renewal fee — as long as the entity keeps an active Designated Responsible Licensed Producer on file. The DRLP must hold an active North Dakota individual producer license covering the entity's lines but doesn't need to be an officer or director; DRLP changes are filed on SFN 60801 with no fee. Entities must report address changes within 30 days under N.D.C.C. § 26.1-26-33.
Carriers must file a producer appointment with NDID, submitted through NIPR, before the producer transacts business on their behalf.
Appointments — Just-in-time appointments: Appointments must be filed within 30 days of the contract's execution date or the date the first insurance application is received, whichever is later. Deadlines: The appointment fee is $25 per line, raised from $10 effective August 1, 2025. Appointments renew annually; NIPR posts invoices March 1, due by 4pm CST April 30 with no grace period — an unpaid invoice auto-terminates the appointment. Terminate an appointment by February 15 to avoid being billed for the next cycle.
Managing DRLPs across states? See how InsureTrek handles it →
Non-residents
North Dakota grants non-resident producers reciprocity based on their home-state license — there's no separate exam, prelicensing, or fingerprinting requirement, and no additional ND continuing education if your home license is in good standing. Apply through InsureTrek for the same $100 fee residents pay. Non-residents seeking variable life/annuity authority must first be licensed as ND securities salespersons under N.D.A.C. § 45-02-02-11.
Apply for a non-resident North Dakota license through InsureTrek, plus the state fee.
Official resources
- North Dakota Insurance Department — licensing
- DOI phone: 701-328-2440
Terms used on this page
Sources & disclaimer
This guide is informational and summarizes publicly available state and NIPR licensing rules as of 2026-08-21. Requirements change — verify current rules with the North Dakota Insurance Department or NIPR before you rely on anything here.
Official NIPR reseller · Applications filed through InsureTrek are submitted via NIPR.
- NDID – About Us — accessed 2026-08-19
- NDID – Apply for a Resident Producer License — accessed 2026-08-21
- NDID – Appointments — accessed 2026-08-19
- NDID – Business Entity FAQ — accessed 2026-08-19
- NDID – Business Entity Licensing — accessed 2026-08-19
- NDID – Continuing Education — accessed 2026-08-19
- NDID – Fee Information — accessed 2026-08-19
- NDID – Non-Resident Producer — accessed 2026-08-19
- NDID – Producers — accessed 2026-08-19
- PSI – North Dakota insurance exams — accessed 2026-08-19
FAQs
How much does it cost to get an insurance license in North Dakota?
NDID's application fee is $100, unchanged across its recent fee schedule updates. On top of that you'll pay a PSI exam fee and separate fingerprinting/background-check fees; check current PSI pricing when you register since NDID doesn't publish those amounts itself.
Do I need a prelicensing course before I can sit for the North Dakota exam?
No. North Dakota law doesn't require prelicensing education for any line, and NDID doesn't ask for proof of study. You apply directly to schedule your PSI exam.
Where do I take the North Dakota insurance licensing exam?
North Dakota uses PSI as its exam vendor, effective since March 2022. Register at test-takers.psiexams.com/ndins.
How long does a North Dakota business entity license last?
It doesn't expire. Unlike the individual producer license, an entity license stays active indefinitely as long as the agency keeps an active Designated Responsible Licensed Producer on file and reports address changes within 30 days.
Does North Dakota license independent insurance adjusters?
No. North Dakota doesn't require a license for independent or staff adjusters representing an insurer. The one adjuster category it does license is public adjusters, available as individual or entity licenses since July 1, 2019.
Can I get a North Dakota non-resident license without retaking the exam?
Yes. North Dakota grants reciprocity based on your home-state license in good standing — no separate exam, prelicensing, or fingerprinting, and no extra ND continuing education. You apply through InsureTrek for the same $100 fee residents pay.
How much continuing education do I need, and how often do I renew?
North Dakota licenses run on a 2-year cycle expiring on the last day of your birth month. Most lines require 24 CE hours per cycle, including 3 ethics hours, with up to 12 hours carrying forward to the next cycle. Producers licensed only in credit, surety, travel, title, bail bonds, or legal expense are CE-exempt.
When do carrier appointments need to be filed in North Dakota?
Within 30 days of the contract's execution date or the date the carrier receives the producer's first application, whichever comes later, filed through NIPR. The appointment fee is $25 per line, and appointments renew annually with invoices due by 4pm CST on April 30.
See how InsureTrek handles North Dakota licensing at scale.
Renewals, CE, and appointments tracked across every state your producers write in.