Getting Your Washington Property & Casualty License
A Washington Property & Casualty license lets you sell and service property and casualty coverages - home, auto, commercial, farm, and more across the state. The process is straightforward: pass one combined PSI exam, submit your application and fingerprints, and you're typically licensed within two to four weeks.
To qualify you must be at least 18, be trustworthy and competent, be a Washington resident, and have a Social Security Number or FEIN. There's no sponsorship requirement.
Washington's regulator is the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) - led by an elected Insurance Commissioner rather than a 'Department of Insurance.' On the exam, references to 'the Commissioner' point to that office and its broad statutory powers under RCW Title 48.
Pre-Licensing Education: Not Required
Washington repealed mandatory pre-licensing education effective July 23, 2023. You can register and sit for the exam without completing any approved course first - this applies to the full-line producer exams including Life & Disability and Property & Casualty.
One caution: PSI's candidate bulletin still carries an older line stating pre-licensing is required for full-line licenses. That language is out of date - the OIC's own published guidance confirms the requirement was removed. Trust the OIC.
'Not required' is not 'not recommended.' The combined exam is 150 scored questions across a heavy block of Washington-specific law plus national content, and you need 70% to pass. A structured prep course is still the smart play.
The Property & Casualty Exam (the Property & Casualty Producer Combo)
Washington's Property & Casualty exam is the Property & Casualty Producer Combo, administered by PSI. It's a combined exam of 150 scored, four-option multiple-choice questions, and you get 195 minutes (3 hours, 15 minutes).
On top of the 150 scored items, PSI mixes in up to ~10 unscored experimental questions (about 10% of the count). They aren't labeled and they do count against your time, so pace accordingly.
You need 70% to pass. You can test at a PSI center or remotely via PSI's online proctoring. Your score appears on screen immediately and an emailed report follows; if you fail, the report includes a diagnostic breakdown of your weak areas.
Scheduling and Exam Fees
Register and schedule directly with PSI at test-takers.psiexams.com/waoic or by phone at (855) 205-5825. The combined exam fee is $55, paid when you book (credit, debit, or other accepted methods - fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable).
You can reschedule or cancel without forfeiting your fee if PSI receives notice at least 2 days before your appointment. Miss the appointment, arrive late, or show up without proper ID and you forfeit the fee.
After you pass, you have 180 days to submit your complete application package (application, fees, fingerprints, and any conviction documentation) or you'll have to retake the exam.
Fingerprints and Background Check
Washington residents submit fingerprints electronically through IdentoGO by IDEMIA (about $49.25, which covers the rolling fee and background check). When you schedule, select 'Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner' as the receiving agency. The Washington State Patrol forwards results directly to the OIC - you won't get a copy.
The sequencing is unusual: you do NOT fingerprint before the exam, and per an FBI requirement you must submit your license application BEFORE scheduling your fingerprint appointment. Pass the exam, file the application, then book IdentoGO. Your license won't issue until the OIC has your background results.
Non-residents have no fingerprint requirement.
Applying for Your License
Once you've passed, file your producer license application online through NIPR or the OIC portal at insurance.wa.gov. Your license fee ($55) is paid as part of the application. The application captures your conviction documentation and routes everything to the OIC's licensing unit.
After review and approval (typically a couple of weeks), your license is issued. Remember the 180-day clock from your exam pass date - submit the full package inside that window.
What It Costs
Because Washington dropped pre-licensing, mandatory costs are lean: roughly $159.25 to get licensed - $55 exam (PSI) + $49.25 fingerprints (IdentoGO) + $55 license fee (NIPR/OIC).
Optional prep (a TESTivity course, practice exams, study manual) sits on top - and with 150 scored questions and heavy Washington statute content, it's a worthwhile investment.
Continuing Education and Renewal
Washington resident producers complete 24 credit hours of CE every two-year cycle, including 3 hours of ethics. The other 21 hours carry no category restrictions - approved courses in any line count.
Good news for P&C agents: National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) course credits count toward your 24 hours. Washington does not impose a separate standalone flood-course gate the way some states do - flood shows up as exam content and as eligible CE.
Licenses renew biennially on the last day of your birth month. Renew through NIPR or the OIC portal ($55 per line); complete CE before you submit. A 60-day grace period (with late fee) follows expiration, and reinstatement is possible within 12 months.
Washington-Specific Property & Casualty Topics
The Washington state section is heavy: OIC authority, licensing/appointments, unfair practices and claims-handling (RCW 48.30, WAC 284-30), surplus lines, cancellation and nonrenewal rules, and the WA Property & Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association.
Know Washington's auto specifics: PIP endorsement benefits, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage and stacking under RCW 48.22.030, financial responsibility, and total-loss handling (WAC 284-30-391). The exam also tests the FAIR plan, credit-scoring adverse-action rules, and homeowners cancellation/nonrenewal where an actual reason is required.
On the national side, expect the full property and casualty body - dwelling and homeowners forms, the personal and commercial auto policies, commercial property, CGL, BOP, farm, inland/ocean marine, crime, surety, and umbrella/excess.
Quick Reference
Official Links
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