Becoming an insurance agent in Texas starts with getting the right license. But before you begin studying or register for an exam, you need to decide what type of insurance you want to sell. Your answer determines which license you need, which exam you should prepare for, and ultimately what types of insurance products you’ll be authorized to sell.
The good news is that Texas does not require pre-licensing education for most insurance producer licenses. However, you will need to pass the appropriate state licensing exam, complete fingerprinting and a background check, submit your application, and meet continuing education requirements once you’re licensed.
Here’s how the process works:
- Choose the right Texas insurance license
- Prepare for your Texas insurance exam
- Register for and pass the state exam
- Submit your fingerprints and license application
- Complete continuing education and renew your license
Let’s take a closer look at each step.
Step 1: Choose the Right Texas Insurance License
Before buying an exam prep course or registering for a state exam, decide which type of insurance you want to sell. Texas offers several insurance producer licenses covering different lines of authority.
For someone planning to sell Property & Casualty insurance, two common choices are General Lines Property & Casualty and Personal Lines Property & Casualty.
General Lines Property & Casualty
The General Lines P&C license provides broader authority and allows agents to sell both personal and commercial Property & Casualty insurance products. This can include coverage such as:
- Homeowners insurance
- Auto insurance
- Renters insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- General liability insurance
- Business insurance
For most people who want to build a career as a Property & Casualty insurance agent, All-Lines Training recommends the General Lines P&C license because it covers more lines of authority and provides greater flexibility as your career develops.
Personal Lines Property & Casualty
A Personal Lines license is more limited. It is designed for agents selling insurance products to individuals and families, such as homeowners, renters, and personal auto coverage.
Personal Lines can be the right choice if you know you’ll only be working with personal insurance products or an employer specifically requires that license. However, it doesn’t provide the same authority to sell commercial P&C products.
If you’re still deciding, read our Texas Property & Casualty License Guide for a more detailed comparison of General Lines and Personal Lines licensing.
Whatever license you choose, make that decision before you start studying. Your exam preparation, state exam, and license application all need to correspond to the license you intend to obtain.
Step 2: Prepare for the Texas Insurance License Exam
Texas does not require candidates to complete a pre-licensing course before taking most producer licensing exams. That doesn’t mean you should skip exam preparation.
The Texas insurance exams cover insurance terminology, policies, coverage, regulations, and state-specific rules. More importantly, exam questions may require you to understand and apply insurance concepts rather than simply recognize definitions.
Recent exam results show why preparation matters. According to pass-rate data published by Pearson VUE, only around 60% of first-time candidates have been passing the English General Lines Property & Casualty exam in 2025 and 2026. In other words, a significant percentage of first-time test takers don’t pass.
That’s why we recommend completing an All-Lines Training Texas Insurance Exam Prep Course before scheduling your state exam.
Our online exam prep courses are built around the topics you’ll need to understand for your chosen license and include tools to help you determine whether you’re actually ready to test, including:
- Comprehensive online lessons
- Practice quizzes
- Unlimited practice exams
- Customizable quizzes
- Printable reference and study materials
- Progress and performance tracking
- Regular course updates
Don’t rush to schedule your state exam simply because you’ve finished the material. We recommend consistently scoring 90% or higher on your practice exams and feeling comfortable with the concepts before testing.
Passing the first time saves you the time, frustration, and additional expense of preparing for and scheduling another attempt.
Step 3: Register for and Pass the Texas Insurance Exam
Once you’re prepared, register for your licensing exam through Pearson VUE, Texas’ insurance testing provider.
Be careful when registering. The exam you take must correspond with the license you plan to obtain and the material you’ve studied.
For Property & Casualty candidates:
- The General Lines Property & Casualty exam allows 150 minutes of testing time.
- The Personal Lines Property & Casualty exam allows 120 minutes of testing time.
Before your exam, review Pearson VUE’s current Texas Insurance Candidate Handbook for testing policies, identification requirements, procedures, scoring information, and other important details.
Pearson VUE also publishes its Texas insurance examination pass rates, so candidates can see how first-time and repeat test takers are performing on each licensing exam.
Step 4: Submit Your Fingerprints and Texas Insurance License Application
After passing your exam, you’ll need to complete the licensing process with the Texas Department of Insurance.
Texas requires insurance license applicants to submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.
Fingerprint appointments are handled through IdentoGO by IDEMIA. Appointments are required, so schedule yours in advance and follow the current instructions provided by the Texas Department of Insurance and Pearson VUE.
Use Texas insurance service code 11G6QF when scheduling your fingerprint appointment.
Keep the receipt showing that your fingerprints were submitted.
Once you’ve completed the required steps, submit your insurance license application online through either:
Again, make sure the license you’re applying for matches the licensing exam you passed.
Step 5: Complete Texas Continuing Education and Renew Your License
Getting licensed isn’t the end of the process. Texas insurance producers must keep their licenses active by completing continuing education and renewing on time.
Texas insurance producers are generally required to complete 24 hours of continuing education every two years.
Those hours include:
- 2 hours of ethics and consumer protection
- At least 12 hours completed through classroom or classroom-equivalent courses
You cannot receive credit for completing the same course more than once during a reporting period.
All-Lines Training offers Texas continuing education courses that meet the state’s classroom-equivalent requirement, making it possible to complete your required education online.
Texas producer licenses are generally renewed every two years on the last day of your birth month. Always check with the Texas Department of Insurance for your individual renewal deadline and current requirements.
You can renew your license through Sircon if you renew more than 30 days before your deadline ($8.25 fee). You can also renew through National Insurance Producer Registry ($5 fee) or Texas.gov (no charge) at any time.
How Much Does It Cost to Get a Texas Insurance License?
There are several expenses to consider when getting licensed. Costs can vary depending on the license you choose and may change over time.
Typical expenses include:
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| All-Lines Training Exam Prep Course | $179 |
| General Lines Exam Fee | $43 |
| Personal Lines Exam Fee | $33 |
| License Application | $50 |
| Fingerprinting | Varies; typically around $45 |
| License Renewal | $50 |
Third-party processing fees may also apply depending on which service you use to submit or renew your license.
Because state and vendor fees can change, verify current pricing with Pearson VUE and the Texas Department of Insurance before applying.
Texas Insurance License Reciprocity
Once you’re licensed in your home state, you may be able to apply for nonresident insurance producer licenses in other states without taking another state licensing exam.
This is commonly referred to as license reciprocity.
Your resident license must generally remain active and in good standing, and you’ll still need to apply and pay the appropriate licensing fees in each state.
The lines of authority also matter.
For example, holding a Texas Personal Lines license does not automatically qualify you for a General Lines Property & Casualty license in another state. Your nonresident licensing authority generally corresponds to the authority granted by your resident license.
This is another reason we recommend considering your long-term plans when choosing your initial Texas license. A broader General Lines P&C license can provide more flexibility both inside and outside Texas.
Texas Department of Insurance Contact Information
Texas Department of Insurance
Agent & Adjuster Licensing
PO Box 12030
Austin, TX 78711
Phone: 512-676-6500
Email: [email protected]
For the latest licensing requirements, application instructions, fees, and continuing education rules, always verify information directly with the Texas Department of Insurance.
Ready to Start Your Texas Insurance Career?
Choosing the correct license is the first step. Preparing thoroughly for the state exam is the next.
Whether you’re pursuing a General Lines Property & Casualty license, Personal Lines license, or another Texas insurance license, All-Lines Training’s online exam prep courses can help you learn the material, test your knowledge, and walk into your licensing exam prepared. If you have any questions about licensing or our courses, contact us. We’re here to help.
