How to Become a North Carolina Title Producer

North Carolina law requires anyone who sells, solicits or negotiates an insurance contract — called an insurance producer — to be licensed. The North Carolina Department of Insurance oversees the issuance of licenses for all insurance producers, including title insurance producers, and requires applicants to pass a written examination and submit fingerprints for a criminal background check. As of October 2011, the department uses a third-party administrator for its licensing exam called Pearson VUE. After qualifying for a title producer's license, you must be appointed as an agent for a title insurance company before you can sell any title insurance products.

Things You'll Need

• Insurance Licensing Examination Candidate Guide
• Title exam content outline
• Examination admission ticket

Instructions

1. Obtain a copy of the Insurance Licensing Examination Candidate Guide for the State of North Carolina. The Department of Insurance instructs all applicants to contact its exam administrator, Pearson VUE, either online or by phone [phone]) to receive a free copy of the guide. All North Carolina pre-licensing and examination requirements for insurance producers are provided in the guide, including the requirements for a title producer's license.

2. Obtain a copy of the content outline for the title exam, which provides a list of topics and subject areas that will be on the exam. Although most applicants for an insurance producer's license in North Carolina must take a pre-licensing education course before taking the licensing examination, applicants for a title insurance producer's license are not required to do so. However, you can take a pre-licensing course to prepare for a topic in the outline that you are not familiar with. The outline is available from Pearson VUE.

3. Complete the Examination Admission Ticket when you are ready to take the title license examination. The form is located in the back of the Insurance Licensing Examination Candidate Guide. You must complete the top part of the form by printing and signing your name, along with your scheduled exam date and confirmation number, which you'll receive from Pearson VUE when you reserve an exam date. Section I of the form is left blank and check the box for "Title" in Section II. You must take your Examination Admission Ticket to the test site on your exam date. The licensing guide includes information on how to reserve an exam date from Pearson VUE. The fee for the exam is $51.50 as of October 2011.

4. Appear for the exam on the scheduled date. You must bring proper identification along with your Examination Admission Ticket. The exam consists of two parts, which is administered in two 30 minute segments. One part covers general knowledge regarding title insurance, and the other part covers title insurance practice and laws specific to North Carolina.

5. Apply for your license three days after you are notified that you passed the exam. The Department of Insurance requires that the application be submitted electronically through the National Insurance Producer Registry, which is also used by many other states for insurance licensing. The department's licensing guide includes information on the screening questions that must be answered on the application so that you can gather any necessary information before starting. As of October 2011, the license application is $50.

6. Obtain the SBI Electronic Fingerprint Submission Packet from the department, which includes instructions and forms required to submit your fingerprints for a criminal history background check. You must have your fingerprints submitted by a local law enforcement agency that uses the Live Scan system. The department provides a list of agencies throughout the state that can perform the required fingerprint submission.

Tips & Warnings

• You will be notified by an email from the Department of Insurance when your application is approved. The department's license guide provides information on how to print your license.

• Attorneys licensed by the North Carolina State Bar can work as title producers and are exempt from the licensing examination requirement.

• All licensed title insurance producers must comply with the state's minimum continuing education

• requirements to maintain a valid license. Any licensee who fails to meet his continuing education requirements is subject to having his license canceled by the North Carolina Department of Insurance.

References

• North Carolina Department of Insurance: Insurance Producer Definition
• North Carolina Department of Insurance: Resident Prelicensing Requirements and Exemptions Chart
• North Carolina Department of Insurance: Obtain a License
• North Carolina Department of Insurance: Insurance Licensing Examination Candidate Guide
• Pearson Education, Inc.: Content Outlines
• North Carolina Department of Insurance: Licensing Frequently Asked Questions
• National Insurance Producer Registry: Electronic Resident Licensing or Renewal
• North Carolina Department of Insurance: SBI Electronic Fingerprint Submission Packet (Insurance Producer)
• North Carolina Department of Insurance: Listing of Some North Carolina Electronic Fingerprint Submission Locations
• Prometric: North Carolina Insurance Continuing Education Licensee Handbook