What This License Is
A California Property license lets you sell coverage protecting homes, buildings, and personal property against loss — homeowners and dwelling property coverages, commercial property, inland marine, and flood in California. It is issued by the California Department of Insurance.
Licensing runs through the same process as every California producer line — the difference is the focused Property exam.
For the 12-hour Code & Ethics course California still requires before your license is issued, TESTivity recommends [Achievable](https://app.achievable.me/study/california-insurance-code-and-ethics/purchase#a_aid=getthelicense). The Achievable insurance courses were built by the same subject-matter expert behind TESTivity, so the two are designed to work together.
One important distinction: TESTivity is not an approved pre-licensing provider in California and does not issue certificates of completion. The TESTivity learning tools and study packages will absolutely help you pass the exam — but treat them as a supplement to your Achievable course, not a substitute for it.
Disclosure: TESTivity has a partnership with Achievable and may earn a commission if you enroll through links on this page.
Exam Options & Format
The Property exam is Property Broker-Agent: 75 scored (+5-10 unscored trial items) questions, 98 min, $55 CDI fee + $43 PSI convenience fee (waived at the CDI Los Angeles site) per attempt. Passing standard: 60% — California's pass mark is lower than most states.
California also offers the combined exam (Property & Casualty Broker-Agent: 150 scored questions, 3 hr 15 min, same fees), which licenses both lines in one sitting. If there is any chance you will sell casualty products later, the combined exam is usually the better value.
What It Costs
Budget about $360 in state and vendor fees for a first-time pass: roughly $98 for the exam at a PSI site ($55 base + $43 convenience), the $188 license filing fee, and $74 for fingerprinting, plus the 12-hour Code & Ethics course.
If you license Property and Casualty as two separate lines, expect a second $188 filing fee. The $43 convenience fee is waived at CDI's Los Angeles center, and exam fees are non-refundable.
Fingerprinting & Background Check
California's live-scan vendor is Capital Live Scan (CLS). Register at applicantservices.com/CADOI, choose from 800+ sites statewide, and pay the $74 total ($17 FBI + $32 DOJ + $25 CLS).
Submit fingerprints only after your license application is filed, and keep your completed BCIA 8016 form in case prints are rejected and must be resubmitted.
Submitting Your Application
File through NIPR (nipr.com) or Sircon, paying $188 per license. The 12-hour Code & Ethics course must be done before the license issues, even though it is not needed to test.
You have one year from your pass date to apply. A license alone does not authorize sales — a carrier must file an appointment for you (the California appointment filing fee is $32).
Keeping Your License Active
Important CE details: 24 hours every 2 years, including at least 3 hours of ethics, for Property, Casualty, and Personal Lines licensees. Renews on the last day of your birth month every 2 years; finish all CE before filing the renewal.
California requires 24 hours of CE every two years, including at least 3 hours of ethics, renewing on the last day of your birth month. Complete all CE before filing the renewal.
Unlike some states, California does not impose a separate flood-CE mandate on P&C producers — the 24-hour total with its 3 ethics hours is the core requirement.
Quick Reference
Official Links
Don't study generic. Study California.
You've got the roadmap. Now get the California-specific Property question bank, mock exams, and video course built by instructors with 20+ years teaching this material.