ND Property & Casualty exam-day guide
ND Property & Casualty · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID with signature
Bring a valid, unexpired driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. The first and last name on the ID must match your exam registration exactly. If your name changed recently, call the provider before test day to update the registration rather than hoping it slides.
Appointment confirmation and testing-provider details
Have your appointment confirmation number, the test center address, and the provider's phone number saved offline (screenshot or printout). Confirm with the provider whether a printed confirmation is required - many centers accept a digital copy, but do not assume.
Second form of identification
Some test centers request a secondary ID (credit card, signed employee badge). Requirements vary by site and can change; confirm with the provider whether a second ID is required so you are not turned away.
Proof of prelicensing education completion
North Dakota has prelicensing education requirements for some lines and license types, and the certificate is usually submitted with your license application rather than at the test center. Confirm the current hours requirement and whether the test center needs to see anything with the North Dakota Insurance Department and your provider.
Current exam content outline and state-specific rules summary
Bring your own one- or two-page handwritten-style summary of the outline's weighted domains and North Dakota-specific statutes (claims timing, cancellation/nonrenewal rules, producer duties). Review it in the car or waiting area - not inside the testing room.
Test center logistics plan
Know the exact address, parking, building entrance, and floor. Do a dry run or map it the night before. Aim to arrive at least 30 minutes before your appointment so ID verification and check-in do not eat into exam time.
Leave prohibited items behind
Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, notes, bags, hats, and outerwear generally must be stowed in a provided locker. The fewer items you bring, the faster check-in goes. Confirm the site's specific prohibited-items list with the provider.
Know what is provided vs. what you bring
Scratch paper and a writing instrument are typically supplied and collected by the test center, and an on-screen calculator is usually available if the exam allows one. Do not bring your own paper or calculator; confirm the calculator policy with the provider.
Sleep, food, and hydration plan
Eat a normal meal beforehand, bring water for the car, and plan caffeine so you are not jittery or crashing mid-exam. A 2-to-3-hour proctored exam rewards steady blood sugar more than last-minute cramming.
Reschedule/cancellation policy in hand
Write down the provider's rescheduling window and fee before test day. If something goes wrong (illness, weather, car trouble), call as early as possible - no-shows can forfeit the fee. Confirm the exact window with the provider.
Backup plan for technology or weather problems
If your exam is delivered remotely, test your camera, microphone, and connection the day before and have a phone handy for support. If it is in person, check the forecast and build in extra travel time for snow or ice.
Your licensing next steps
Know what happens after you pass: fingerprinting/background check, application submission, and fees. Confirm the current sequence and any post-exam deadlines with the North Dakota Insurance Department so a pass does not stall out administratively.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Take one full-length timed practice exam under test-like conditions, then spend the remaining time only on the domains where you scored weakest. Rewrite your one-page state-rules summary from memory and check it.
Reconfirm your appointment date, time, and test center location, and re-read the provider's ID and prohibited-items policy. Verify the name on your registration matches your ID exactly.
Do a focused pass on North Dakota-specific content: producer licensing and duties, cancellation and nonrenewal notice rules, claims handling timeframes, and the state's regulatory authority. These are the easiest points to lose because they are not general insurance theory.
Light review only - your summary sheet and a handful of missed practice questions. Pack your ID, confirmation, and directions. Lay out clothes. Confirm transportation and, if driving, parking. Set two alarms.
No new practice exams and no cramming past early evening. Sleep is worth more than one more chapter. Avoid alcohol and heavy meals late at night.
Eat breakfast, hydrate moderately, and arrive at the test center roughly 30 minutes early. Leave your phone and smartwatch in the car or locker. Bring only your ID, confirmation, and keys.
Expect ID verification, a photo, a palm vein or signature capture, and a rules acknowledgment. Ask the proctor for scratch paper and a pen if they are not already at your station, and ask how to flag a question for review.
Do a quick first pass answering everything you know cold. Flag and skip long calculation or multi-step scenario questions. On the second pass, work the flagged items, then use any remaining time to re-read the stems of questions where two answers looked plausible - most missed items are misread stems, not unknown content.
Divide the total question count by the time limit to get your per-question budget, and check the clock at the one-quarter, one-half, and three-quarter marks. If you are behind, guess-and-flag rather than stalling, since unanswered questions cost more than wrong ones.
Make sure no question is blank. Second-guess only where you have a concrete reason - changing answers on a hunch usually hurts. Submit, then collect your score report before leaving the building.
Rules to check
Bring one valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID with signature, and make sure the name matches your registration exactly. Name mismatches are the most common reason candidates are refused admission, and the fee is generally not refunded.
Do not bring notes, phones, smartwatches, or study materials into the testing room. Possession of a prohibited device, even powered off, can void your score and be reported as a testing irregularity. Confirm the site's specific list with the provider.
Follow all proctor instructions and the candidate rules agreement you sign at check-in. Talking, looking at another candidate's screen, or leaving the room without permission can end your exam.
Scheduled breaks are typically not part of the exam clock for most insurance licensing exams, but unscheduled breaks usually do not stop the timer and may require an escort. Confirm the break policy with the provider before you start, and plan to sit through if unsure.
The exam is scored on a pass/fail basis against a scaled passing standard; North Dakota insurance exams commonly use a scaled score of 70 as the passing mark. Confirm the exact passing standard and score reporting method for your specific exam with the provider or the North Dakota Insurance Department rather than relying on a remembered number.
A pass on the exam is not the license. You still must complete the application, fees, fingerprinting or background check, and any prelicensing documentation the state requires. Confirm the current post-exam steps and deadlines with the North Dakota Insurance Department.
If you fail, you generally may retake after a waiting period and payment of a new fee, and some states limit the number of attempts or require additional education. Confirm the retake waiting period and attempt limits with the provider before you rebook.
Report any testing irregularity, equipment problem, or disruption to the proctor immediately during the exam. Concerns raised after you leave the building are much harder to remedy.