Everything You Need to Know About Property & Casualty Insurance Licensing in the Lonestar State
If you want to sell auto insurance, homeowners insurance, commercial property insurance, liability insurance, or business insurance in Texas, you will likely need a Texas property and casualty insurance license.
In Texas, the main P&C producer license is formally called the General Lines Property and Casualty Agent license. This license gives agents authority to work with many of the insurance products people and businesses use to protect vehicles, homes, property, operations, and legal liability.
This guide explains how to get licensed, how the Texas P&C exam works, what fees to expect, how fingerprinting fits into the process, and how to prepare before exam day.
A Texas property and casualty insurance license is designed for people who want to sell, solicit, or negotiate property and casualty insurance products in Texas.
Property insurance generally protects against loss or damage to property. Casualty insurance generally focuses on liability, legal responsibility, injury, damage to others, and related exposures. Together, property and casualty insurance forms the backbone of personal lines and commercial lines insurance.
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With a Texas General Lines Property and Casualty license, you may work with products such as:
- Personal auto insurance
- Homeowners insurance
- Renters insurance
- Dwelling policies
- Commercial property insurance
- Commercial general liability insurance
- Businessowners policies
- Commercial auto insurance
- Workers’ compensation-related insurance
- Inland marine coverage
- Umbrella and excess liability policies
- Professional liability and specialty casualty products
The Texas Department of Insurance, or TDI, regulates insurance licensing in Texas. TDI’s current General Lines Property and Casualty page states that resident applicants must pass the state licensing exam before applying, complete fingerprints, apply through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry, submit the application within one year after passing the exam, and pay a $50 application fee.
For the broader Texas licensing overview, visit Insurance Licensing in Texas: Complete Guide to License Types and Requirements.
Quick Facts: Texas Property and Casualty Insurance License
| Category | Texas P&C Licensing Information |
|---|---|
| Official license name | General Lines Property and Casualty Agent |
| State regulator | Texas Department of Insurance |
| Exam vendor | Pearson VUE |
| Fingerprinting vendor | IdentoGO by IDEMIA |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Exam required? | Yes, unless an exemption applies |
| Exam name | General Lines Property & Casualty |
| Exam time | 150 minutes |
| Exam fee | $49 |
| Application fee | $50 |
| Application platforms | Sircon or National Insurance Producer Registry |
| Application timing | Apply after passing the exam |
| Application deadline | Within one year after passing |
| Passing score | 70 scaled score |
| Renewal cycle | Typically every 2 years |
| Continuing education | 24 hours, including 3 hours of ethics |
The Texas Candidate Handbook lists the General Lines Property & Casualty exam at 150 minutes with a $49 fee. TDI’s continuing education page lists General Lines Property and Casualty at 24 CE hours per two-year renewal period, including 3 hours of ethics.
What Can You Sell with a Texas Property and Casualty License?
A Texas property and casualty insurance license is one of the most useful licenses for agents who want to work in personal insurance, commercial insurance, or independent agency sales.
Personal Lines Products
A P&C license can support work with personal insurance products such as:
- Auto insurance
- Homeowners insurance
- Renters insurance
- Condo insurance
- Dwelling insurance
- Personal umbrella insurance
- Personal inland marine coverage
Commercial Lines Products
A Texas P&C license can also support work with business insurance products such as:
- Commercial property insurance
- Commercial general liability insurance
- Businessowners policies
- Commercial auto insurance
- Workers’ compensation-related coverage
- Crime insurance
- Surety and fidelity bonds
- Professional liability coverage
- Cyber liability
- Umbrella and excess liability
That broad product range is why many agency owners, producers, account managers, and customer service representatives start with P&C. It is the Swiss Army knife of agency licensing, minus the tiny scissors nobody trusts.
5 Steps to Get a Property and Casualty Insurance License in Texas
Step 1: Confirm That the Texas P&C License Is the Right License
Before you begin studying, make sure the General Lines Property and Casualty license matches your career goal.
This is usually the right license if you want to sell or service:
- Auto insurance
- Homeowners insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- General liability insurance
- Business insurance
- Commercial auto insurance
- Umbrella insurance
- Other property and casualty products
If you want to sell life insurance, health insurance, accident insurance, annuities, disability income insurance, or HMO-related products, you may need the General Lines Life, Accident, Health and HMO license instead. For that path, visit How to Get a Life and Health Insurance License in Texas.
If you are still comparing license types, start with Insurance Licensing in Texas: Complete Guide to License Types and Requirements.
Step 2: Study for the Texas Property and Casualty Exam
The Texas P&C exam is not just a collection of definitions. It tests how well you understand property insurance, casualty insurance, policy structure, insurance terminology, Texas statutes, agent responsibilities, and real-world application.
The Texas Candidate Handbook recommends that candidates review the handbook with special attention to the content outlines before taking the examination.
Your study plan should include:
- Property insurance basics
- Casualty insurance basics
- Policy provisions
- Homeowners and dwelling policies
- Personal auto insurance
- Commercial property
- Commercial general liability
- Businessowners policies
- Workers’ compensation concepts
- Bonds and professional liability
- Texas insurance laws and regulations
- Producer duties and prohibited practices
- Exam-style practice questions
Texas does not have a broad mandatory prelicensing education hour requirement for this standard resident P&C license path, but that does not mean the exam is casual. It simply means the study responsibility sits on the candidate’s desk, tapping its pencil.
Why Exam Prep Matters in Texas
Texas gives candidates flexibility by not requiring mandatory prelicensing hours. But flexibility can become a trap if it leads to scattered studying.
The Texas insurance exam is a content-heavy multiple-choice exam. You are not just memorizing definitions. You need to recognize policy language, understand how coverages work, identify exclusions and conditions, and apply insurance law to exam-style scenarios.
That is why TESTivity uses a multi-tool study system instead of relying on one flat textbook.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package includes:
Step 3: Schedule the Texas General Lines Property and Casualty Exam
Texas insurance exams are administered by Pearson VUE. The Texas Candidate Handbook says walk-in exams are not available, and candidates must make an online or phone reservation at least 24 hours before the desired examination date.
When scheduling, make sure you choose the correct exam:
General Lines Property & Casualty
The handbook lists this exam at:
| Exam | Time Allowed | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| General Lines Property & Casualty | 150 minutes | $49 |
Payment is made when the exam reservation is scheduled. The Candidate Handbook states that payment is not accepted at the test center and that exam fees are non-refundable and non-transferable except under the stated change/cancel policy.
Step 4: Complete Fingerprinting Through IdentoGO
Texas resident applicants generally must complete fingerprinting as part of the licensing process unless fingerprints are already on file with TDI for another active license or registration.
The Texas Candidate Handbook states that all Texas resident applicants, Adjuster Designated Home State applicants, and all nonresident public insurance adjuster applicants must submit fingerprints unless they already submitted fingerprints to TDI for another license or registration that is still active. It also states that fingerprints are used to check Texas Department of Public Safety and FBI criminal history records.
TDI’s General Lines Property and Casualty page also directs resident applicants to complete fingerprints before applying.
Fingerprinting Checklist
Before you apply, make sure you:
- Schedule your fingerprint appointment through IdentoGO.
- Use the Texas insurance fingerprinting process.
- Bring acceptable identification.
- Save your fingerprint receipt.
- Confirm that your name, date of birth, and Social Security number match your exam and application records.
- Attach or provide the fingerprint receipt as required.
Fingerprinting is not the dramatic part of getting licensed, but it is one of the steps most likely to cause delays if the details do not match.
Step 5: Apply for the Texas General Lines Property and Casualty License
After you pass the exam and complete fingerprinting, submit your application online.
TDI says resident applicants for the General Lines Property and Casualty license must apply through Sircon or the National Insurance Producer Registry, submit the application within one year of passing the exam, and pay a $50 application fee. TDI also warns that if you apply before passing the exam, you will need to submit a new application after passing and pay the application fee again.
Before submitting your application, double-check:
- Correct license type
- Legal name
- Date of birth
- Social Security number
- Address
- Exam status
- Fingerprint receipt
- Background questions
- Application fee
Texas gives candidates a one-year window after passing the exam to submit the application. The Candidate Handbook states that candidates who do not submit a completed license application within 12 months after passing must retake the exam.
Texas Property and Casualty Exam Details
The Texas General Lines Property and Casualty exam is administered by Pearson VUE and is based on official Texas exam content outlines.
The Texas Candidate Handbook explains that major lines exams are multiple-choice and include two parts: a general section covering basic insurance product knowledge and a state section covering Texas-specific laws, rules, regulations, and practices. The score is based on the exam as a whole, not on each part separately.
Texas P&C Exam Quick Facts
| Exam Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Exam vendor | Pearson VUE |
| Exam format | Multiple choice |
| Exam name | General Lines Property & Casualty |
| Time allowed | 150 minutes |
| Exam fee | $49 |
| Passing score | 70 scaled score |
| Content structure | General knowledge plus Texas-specific law |
The Texas Candidate Handbook explains that the passing score is reported as a scaled score, and that a score below 70 shows how close the candidate came to passing rather than the exact percentage of questions answered correctly.
What Is on the Texas P&C Exam?
The Texas property and casualty exam covers both national P&C concepts and Texas-specific rules.
General Property and Casualty Topics
Candidates should be ready for topics such as:
- Types of property policies
- Homeowners insurance
- Dwelling policies
- Personal auto insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- Commercial general liability
- Commercial auto
- Businessowners policies
- Inland marine
- Crime
- Bonds
- Professional liability
- Workers’ compensation concepts
- Umbrella and excess liability
- Insurance terms and related concepts
- Policy provisions
- Risk, hazards, and indemnity
- Negligence and liability
- Loss valuation
- Binders, endorsements, representations, and warranties
The current Texas content outline section for Property and Casualty includes insurance terms and concepts such as risk, hazards, indemnity, insurable interest, loss valuation, negligence, liability, binders, warranties, representations, concealment, endorsements, damages, and Fair Credit Reporting Act compliance. It also includes policy provisions such as declarations, insuring agreement, conditions, exclusions, duties after loss, cancellation and nonrenewal, proof of loss, subrogation, and loss settlement.
Texas-Specific P&C Law Topics
The Texas-specific portion may test topics such as:
- Commissioner powers and duties
- Licensing requirements
- Agent duties and responsibilities
- Marketing practices
- Unfair or prohibited trade practices
- Texas property insurance rules
- Texas casualty insurance rules
- Policy cancellation and nonrenewal
- Claims practices
- Rates and forms
- Texas-specific consumer protections
This is where many candidates get ambushed by the state-law cactus. They know what a deductible is. They know what liability means. Then Texas-specific wording walks in wearing boots and asks a regulation question.
For a dedicated exam strategy page, visit How to Pass the Insurance Licensing Exam in Texas.
Texas P&C License Fees
Here are the common costs associated with getting a Texas property and casualty insurance license:
| Cost Type | Typical Amount |
|---|---|
| General Lines Property & Casualty exam fee | $49 |
| License application fee | $50 |
| Fingerprinting | Paid to fingerprinting vendor |
| Study materials / exam prep | Varies |
| Renewal / continuing education | Varies by provider and renewal situation |
TDI lists the General Lines Property and Casualty application fee at $50. The Texas Candidate Handbook lists the General Lines Property & Casualty exam fee at $49.
Fingerprint and Background Check Requirements
Fingerprinting is part of the Texas licensing process for many resident applicants. TDI uses the fingerprint background check process to review criminal history information.
The Candidate Handbook states that if fingerprints are required, the application will not be processed until TDI receives criminal history reports from DPS and the FBI. It also says TDI strongly encourages electronic fingerprinting because it is fast, accurate, and can help avoid processing delays.
Common Fingerprinting Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these little paperwork gremlins:
- Scheduling under a nickname instead of your legal name.
- Using information that does not match your exam registration.
- Losing your fingerprint receipt.
- Applying before completing the fingerprint process.
- Choosing the wrong fingerprinting category.
- Assuming fingerprints from another context automatically count.
When in doubt, verify the current fingerprinting instructions directly with TDI or IdentoGO before applying.
Texas P&C License Application Process
The application process should be done in the correct order.
Recommended Order
- Study for the Texas P&C exam.
- Schedule the General Lines Property & Casualty exam through Pearson VUE.
- Pass the exam.
- Complete fingerprinting through IdentoGO.
- Apply online through Sircon or NIPR.
- Pay the application fee.
- Watch for TDI updates or requests for additional information.
- Receive license approval.
TDI specifically says resident General Lines Property and Casualty applicants must pass the state licensing exam before applying and submit the application within one year of passing.
Texas P&C License Renewal and Continuing Education
Texas insurance licenses are typically renewed every two years. The Texas Candidate Handbook states that individual licenses are typically valid for two years and that TDI sends renewal notices before expiration.
For General Lines Property and Casualty, TDI lists the continuing education requirement as 24 hours per two-year renewal period, including 3 hours of ethics.
Texas P&C CE Quick Facts
| CE Category | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Renewal period | Every 2 years |
| CE requirement | 24 hours |
| Ethics requirement | 3 hours |
| Classroom / classroom equivalent | At least half of required hours |
| CE status | Must be compliant to renew |
TDI’s general licensing information also states that most Texas insurance licenses expire every two years on the last day of the agent’s birth month, although first-time license terms may be shorter so future renewals line up with the birth month.
Texas-Specific P&C Licensing Quirks
The Official Name Is “General Lines Property and Casualty”
Many people search for “Texas P&C insurance license,” but the official license name is General Lines Property and Casualty Agent. Use the official name when applying, scheduling the exam, or checking TDI requirements.
You Must Pass the Exam Before Applying
Texas is very clear on the order. Pass first, apply second. TDI warns that applying before passing can require a new application and another application fee.
The Application Deadline Is One Year After Passing
Do not pass the exam and then let the application sit in the glovebox. TDI and the Candidate Handbook both state that the application must be submitted within one year after passing the exam, or the exam must be retaken.
Temporary Licenses May Be Available in Some Sponsored Situations
The Texas Candidate Handbook states that General Lines applicants may receive a temporary 180-day license before passing the required exam if a sponsoring company, agent, or agency requests it and the applicant is otherwise eligible. The temporary license is not renewable, and the exam must be passed within 180 days.
This is not the normal path for every candidate, but it is a Texas-specific wrinkle worth knowing.
Texas State Law Matters
The P&C exam includes Texas-specific laws, rules, regulations, and practices. Do not study only generic P&C concepts. A candidate who skips Texas law is walking into the exam with one boot missing.
Recommended Study Tools for the Texas P&C Exam
The Texas P&C exam covers a wide spread of topics. That means your study approach should not depend on one method alone.
Useful TESTivity tools for Texas P&C candidates include:
- Insurance Exam Prep Course: TESTivity Platinum Study Package
- Insurance Exam Practice Questions / Exam Simulator
- Insurance Exam Study Guide / Study Manual
- Insurance Exam Flashcards
- Insurance Exam Audio Course
- Insurance Exam Video Course
- AI Insurance Exam Tutor
- Insurance Exam Cheat Sheet
- Insurance Exam Mind Maps
- Insurance Exam Learning Games
Each tool serves a different purpose. The Study Manual teaches the core concepts. The Exam Simulator helps you practice under exam-style pressure. Flashcards help lock down terms and distinctions. Audio review lets you reinforce concepts while driving, walking, or pretending to clean the garage. Mind Maps help connect related topics so the exam feels less like a junk drawer full of policy parts.
Prepare for the Texas P&C Exam with TESTivity
A Smarter Way to Study for the Texas Property and Casualty Exam
The Texas property and casualty insurance exam tests both broad insurance knowledge and Texas-specific law. That means you need more than a stack of notes and a hopeful coffee mug.
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FAQ: Texas Property and Casualty Insurance License
Where should I go next?
Your next step depends on what you need:
- For the broader licensing overview, visit Insurance Licensing in Texas: Complete Guide to License Types and Requirements.
- For exam strategy, visit How to Pass the Insurance Licensing Exam in Texas.
- For a different license path, visit How to Get a Life and Health Insurance License in Texas.
About This Texas Insurance License Guide
This Texas property and casualty licensing guide was created for GetTheLicense.org as part of our state-by-state insurance licensing resource library. Our goal is to help future insurance professionals understand the licensing process, compare license types, and prepare for state insurance exams.
This page summarizes information from official Texas insurance licensing sources, including the Texas Department of Insurance and the Texas Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook from Pearson VUE. Licensing rules, fees, exam outlines, and application procedures can change, so candidates should always verify final requirements with TDI and Pearson VUE before scheduling an exam or submitting an application.
About the author
Matt Williams
Matt Williams has been teaching insurance pre-licensing curriculum for over 20 years and has helped thousands of people pass their exams on their first attempt. Matt holds Life & Health, Property & Casualty, and Adjuster insurance licenses along with the Series 7, 8, 24, 63, and 65 FINRA/NASAA designations, and the CLU, ChFC, and CFP® professional credentials. He is a certified trainer in adult education and the founder of TESTivity.
The TESTivity Platinum Study Package is built around exactly this map: video lessons weighted to the actual exam outline, mind maps that show how coverage types relate to each other, a full-length exam simulator that mirrors the Texas P&C exam, and a pass guarantee. Built by the people who teach the exam — used by the candidates who pass it!
Ready to Get Your Texas P&C Insurance License?
Getting licensed starts with the process. Passing the exam starts with preparation.
TESTivity helps future Texas insurance producers study with a complete system built for how people actually learn: reading, watching, listening, practicing, reviewing, and recalling.
Whether you are preparing for Property and Casualty, Life and Health, or another Texas insurance exam, TESTivity gives you the tools to study with structure instead of guesswork.
Put yourself on the fast track to pass your Texas P&C licensing exam with the TESTivity Platinum Study Package
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📋 Official Texas P&C Insurance Licensing Resources
To ensure absolute accuracy when registering for your exam and filing your application, we recommend utilizing these official state materials alongside your TESTivity Platinum Study Package.
Instant PDF Downloads
-
Texas P&C Insurance Licensing Candidate Handbook (PDF)
Direct mirror hosted by GetTheLicense.org -
Texas P&C Insurance Licensing Exam Content Outlines (PDF)
Official exam breakdown and topic weighting
Official Portals & Live Verification
-
Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)
For resident agent regulations and fee schedules -
Pearson VUE Texas P&C Insurance Licensing Page
To schedule your exam, find test centers, or check live updates