Quick Answer
Do not automatically start with Texas. Always begin by checking your home state’s licensing requirements. If your state licenses insurance adjusters, you should obtain your resident adjuster license there first.
Put simply: if you live in Texas, then yes, get your Texas adjuster license first. But if you live in any other state, your first step is to check that state’s requirements. If your state licenses adjusters, you should start by getting that license.
If your state doesn’t license adjusters, you will likely need a designated home state license before applying for licenses in other states. A Texas or Florida Designated Home State license is an appropriate first license for those who reside in non-licensing states.
Why Choosing the Wrong Adjuster License Can Cost You
Advice about which adjuster license to get first is often more confusing than it needs to be. You may have heard that new adjusters should start with Texas or Florida, or that either license “is the best” and automatically allows you to work in multiple states. Neither claim is accurate.
Following that advice without checking your home state’s requirements could lead you to invest time and money in the wrong course, submit an application you are not eligible for, or earn a license that limits where you can work in the future.
At AdjusterPro, we have helped hundreds of thousands of aspiring adjusters understand licensing requirements and prepare for their exams. Although we sell licensing courses, our goal is to help you invest only in what you actually need, without wasting money or heading down the wrong path.
In this article, we’ll explain when Texas should be your first license, when it should not, and how licensing affects your ability to apply for licenses in other states.
Licensing rules vary by state and can change. Always confirm current requirements with the appropriate state Department of Insurance before applying.
Table of Contents
- What Adjuster License Should You Get First?
- What if Your Home State Does Not License Adjusters?
- What Is Adjuster License Reciprocity?
- Is There a Multi-State Adjuster License?
- The Bottom Line: Which Adjuster License Should You Get First?
What Adjuster License Should You Get First?
In almost every case, your first adjuster license should be the resident license offered by the state where you live.
That resident license becomes the foundation for applying for nonresident licenses in other states. Depending on the states involved, your home-state license allows you to obtain additional licenses without repeating the required education or examinations.
Your first license will usually fall into one of two categories:
- A resident license from your home state
- A Designated Home State license if your state does not license adjusters
The best starting point depends on your residency, not simply which state has the broadest or most favorable reciprocity.
Who Should Get Texas Adjuster License First?
- Texas residents should get a Texas license first
- Residents of non-licensing states who want to get a Texas Designated Home State (DHS) license
- Other licensing states do issue DHS licenses although Texas is one of the most popular
Who Shouldn’t Get A Texas Adjuster License First?
- Residents of states that issue their own adjuster license. If your state licenses adjusters, you should obtain that license first.
How To Determine Which Adjuster License to Get First?
Start by checking whether your home state licenses insurance adjusters.
If it does, review the requirements for its resident adjuster license. If it does not, you’ll need to choose a Designated Home State. We generally recommend starting with Florida or Texas, then comparing which option better fits the type of adjusting work you plan to perform and where you expect to seek assignments.
Learn more in our guide, Which Adjuster License Should I Get First?
Or identify the requirements in your state.
What if Your Home State Does Not License Adjusters?
If your state does not issue resident adjuster licenses, you may want to obtain a Designated Home State license, commonly called a DHS.
A DHS license gives an adjuster from a non-licensing state a ‘home state’ for licensing. That license then serves as the foundation for applying for nonresident licenses in other states, subject to each state’s requirements.
Texas and Florida are the most common DHS choices, especially for adjusters who plan to pursue licenses in multiple states. Both offer an all-lines equivalent license and require an exam, continuing education, and fingerprinting, meaning they meet the requirements for reciprocal licensing in most other states.
Before choosing your DHS, consider:
- The type of adjuster license you need
- Education and examination requirements
- Continuing education obligations
- The states in which you expect to work
A DHS license is intended for someone whose actual state of residence does not offer the necessary resident adjuster license. It is not a way to bypass the licensing requirements of a state that licenses its own residents.
Once you establish the correct resident or DHS license, you can begin applying for nonresident licenses in the states where you want to work.
What Is Adjuster License Reciprocity?
Adjuster license reciprocity is an arrangement that can simplify the process of obtaining a nonresident adjuster license in another state.
Depending on the states and license types involved, reciprocity allows an adjuster to apply without taking another state examination or completing another pre-licensing course.
However, reciprocity does not mean your original license automatically licenses you in every reciprocal state.
You may still need to:
- Apply for a nonresident license
- Pay the destination state’s licensing fee
- Meet additional state-specific requirements
- Maintain your resident or DHS license
- Receive approval before working in that state
The license types and lines of authority must also be comparable. For example, a limited P&C license will not qualify someone for an all-lines license in another state.
Reciprocity is best understood as a way to make additional licensing easier. It does not create one license that covers several licensing states.
Is There a Multi-State Adjuster License?
No. There is no single multi-state or nationwide adjuster license that automatically gives you authority in every state.
In practice, most adjusters are able to work in several states through a combination of:
- A resident or Designated Home State license
- Separate nonresident licenses obtained through reciprocity
- States that do not require their own adjuster license
For example, an adjuster who holds a Texas resident license can use reciprocity to obtain additional licenses in Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana, allowing them to work claims there. They can also work in Kansas and Missouri, which don’t require adjusters to hold a license. So now this adjuster has authority to work in multiple states, but the original Texas license didn’t automatically grant that authority.
One license can be the foundation of a multistate licensing strategy. It is not itself a nationwide or all-state license.
The Bottom Line: Your First Adjuster License Depends on Where You Live
You should not automatically start with Texas or Florida (or anywhere else) simply because those states are known for favorable reciprocity.
If you live in Texas, then yes, the Texas resident adjuster license should be your starting point. If you live in another state that licenses adjusters, you will begin with your home state’s resident license. If your state does not license adjusters, you can investigate whether a Texas or Florida Designated Home State license fits your needs.
Once you have the correct resident or DHS license, you can use reciprocity to pursue the individual nonresident licenses needed for the states where you want to work.
Your next step is to review your home state’s requirements before selecting a course or pursuing a license.
From there, you can build a licensing plan based on where you live and where you expect to work, not on generalized advice that may not apply to your situation.
