Licensing pathCalifornia P&C license
How to get a California property and casualty license
A California property and casualty license needs the 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code, due before the license is issued (CDI notice), a 60% on the PSI exam (CDI exam page), fingerprints after you pass, and a $55 exam fee plus a $188 filing fee (CDI fees), all checked October 8, 2026. The 20-hour course that older guides list was repealed on January 1, 2026.
The 12 hours stayed; the 20 hours went
- Jan 1, 1992
Section 1749 takes effect
Insurance Code section 1749 sets pre-licensing education for new property and casualty broker-agents and requires 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code.
- Oct 10, 2025
AB 943 signed
The governor signs AB 943 (Chapter 566, Statutes of 2025), removing the 20-hour requirement from Insurance Code section 1749.
- Nov 10, 2025
CDI notice
The Department of Insurance tells insurers, agents and education providers what changes and when.
- Jan 1, 2026
Repeal takes effect
Applicants for property, casualty, commercial lines, personal lines, limited line automobile, life, and accident and health licenses no longer owe the 20 hours. The 12 hours of ethics and code study stay.
- Jan 11, 2026
Last roster date
Final day for rosters of courses completed by December 31, 2025 to be recorded for credit.
- Jan 12, 2026
Old courses switched off
The 20-hour courses and the 32- and 52-hour bundles that included the ethics hours are inactivated.
Before and after AB 943
| Requirement | Through Dec 31, 2025 | From Jan 1, 2026 | ≠ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-licensing course | 20 hours | None | differs |
| Ethics and Insurance Code study | 12 hours | 12 hours | same |
| Combined course bundles | 32 and 52 hours, ethics included | Inactivated Jan 12, 2026 | differs |
| Bail agents, public adjusters | 20 hours | 20 hours | same |
marks a row where the two differ. The 12 hours must be completed before the CDI issues the license.
The exam options
| Exam | Questions | Time | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property and casualty, combined | 150 | 3 hours | $55 |
| Property only | 75 | 1.5 hours | $55 |
| Casualty only | 75 | 1.5 hours | $55 |
After the exam
Apply for both lines of authority. The CDI notice reminds applicants to select property and casualty together on the application, since the full license is two lines. You must be at least 18; California residency is not required (CDI qualifications).
Order matters here. After you pass the exam, you must submit your fingerprints before you submit the license application (CDI notice of November 10, 2025, checked October 8, 2026).
Keeping the license costs $188 at each renewal (CDI fees) plus 24 hours of continuing education per two-year license period, including at least 3 hours of ethics with 1 hour on insurance fraud (CDI qualifications). Renewal and CE by state compares that cycle with the other states we checked.
One exam or two
The exam blends national P&C concepts with California code. The CDI also offers Property and Casualty as separate exams of half the length, so you can sit one line at a time if that suits your study plan. The P&C practice test covers the national material on either route, and how to get a P&C license shows the general sequence across states.
California questions
Is any course still required in California?
The 12 hours of study on ethics and the California Insurance Code, which section 1749 has required since 1992 and which must be done before the license is issued (CDI notice, checked October 8, 2026). The 20-hour course was repealed on January 1, 2026. Pre-licensing in the other states we checked ranges much wider.
I finished a 52-hour course in 2025. What happens to it?
The notice set January 11, 2026 as the last date for rosters of courses completed by December 31, 2025 to be recorded (CDI notice, checked October 8, 2026). Check your education record with the CDI if you are unsure it was posted.
Can I test for property and casualty separately?
Yes. The CDI lists 75 items in 1.5 hours for each, against 150 items in 3 hours for the combined exam (CDI exam page, checked October 8, 2026).
Does testing one line at a time cost more?
Each sitting has its own fee: the CDI lists $55 for the combined exam and $55 for each single-line exam, plus the $188 filing fee and $188 at each renewal (CDI fees, checked October 8, 2026).
Sources
- California Department of Insurance, notice of Nov 10, 2025 (AB 943) · checked October 8, 2026
- California Department of Insurance, exam time limits and questions · checked October 8, 2026
- California Department of Insurance, licensing fees · checked October 8, 2026
- California Department of Insurance, property broker-agent qualifications · checked October 8, 2026