- What "Scaled Score of 70" Actually Means
- Property Exam Scoring Breakdown
- Casualty Exam Scoring Breakdown
- Why the Pretest Questions Don't Count (But You Still Answer Them)
- Turning Domain Weights Into a Passing Strategy
- A Domain-Aware Study Schedule
- What Happens the Moment You Pass
- Frequently Asked Questions
- A scaled score of 70 is the passing threshold on both the Property exam and the Casualty exam.
- Property has 85 total questions (75 scored, 10 pretest) in two hours for $75.
- Casualty has 90 total questions (80 scored, 10 pretest) in two hours for $75.
- Combination Property & Casualty exams are no longer offered - you sit for each line separately.
What "Scaled Score of 70" Actually Means
If you're preparing for the District of Columbia Property & Casualty Insurance Producer Exam, the single number that matters most on test day is 70. That's the scaled passing score set by the DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB) for both the Property exam and the Casualty exam, administered through Pearson VUE testing centers.
A scaled score is not a raw percentage of questions answered correctly. Pearson VUE converts your raw performance into a standardized scale so that scores are comparable across different exam forms, even when the specific questions vary from one test-taker to the next. This means you can't simply count "how many of 75 questions do I need right" and assume that number is fixed - the scaling process accounts for slight differences in item difficulty between forms. What you can rely on is the outcome: score at or above 70 on the scale, and you pass.
Property Exam Scoring Breakdown
The Property exam consists of 85 total questions, but only 75 of them are scored. You get two hours to complete it, and the fee is $75. Those 75 scored questions are distributed across Domains 1 through 6, with the heaviest weight on policy types and District-specific law.
| Domain | Topic | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 1 | Types of Policies | 29.3% |
| Domain 2 | Insurance Terms and Related Concepts | 20.0% |
| Domain 3 | Policy Provisions and Contract Law | 17.3% |
| Domain 4 | DC Laws Common to Life, A&H, Property, and Casualty | 26.7% |
| Domain 5 | DC Laws Pertinent to Property and Casualty | 4.0% |
| Domain 6 | DC Laws Pertinent to Property Insurance Only | 2.7% |
Notice that Domains 1 and 4 alone account for more than half of the scored Property questions. If your study time is limited, that's where the math tells you to spend it. For a full breakdown of what each domain actually tests, see the DC-PC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 12 Content Areas.
Casualty Exam Scoring Breakdown
The Casualty exam is slightly longer in question count: 90 total questions, 80 of which are scored and 10 of which are unscored pretest items. Like the Property exam, it's a two-hour test with a $75 fee, and it uses the same scaled passing score of 70.
| Domain | Topic | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Domain 7 | Types of Policies, Bonds, and Related Terms | 28.8% |
| Domain 8 | Insurance Terms and Related Concepts | 18.8% |
| Domain 9 | Policy Provisions | 15.0% |
| Domain 10 | DC Laws Common to Life, A&H, Property, and Casualty | 25.0% |
| Domain 11 | DC Laws Pertinent to Property and Casualty | 3.8% |
| Domain 12 | DC Laws Pertinent to Casualty Insurance Only | 8.8% |
Domains 7 and 10 together make up more than half of the scored Casualty content, mirroring the pattern on the Property side. Notably, Domain 12 (Casualty-only law) carries more weight than its Property-only counterpart, Domain 6 - a detail worth remembering if you're studying both lines back-to-back.
Key Takeaway
Since combination exams are no longer offered, you'll register, pay, and sit for Property and Casualty as two entirely separate $75 exam appointments - plan your study calendar and budget accordingly.
Why the Pretest Questions Don't Count (But You Still Answer Them)
Every DC-PC candidate answers more questions than actually count toward their score. On Property, 10 of the 85 questions are unscored pretest items; on Casualty, it's 10 of 90. These pretest questions are mixed in indistinguishably with scored content - you won't know which ones they are, so there's no strategy in trying to identify or skip them.
Pretest items exist so DISB and Pearson VUE can evaluate new questions for future exam forms before they become scored. Functionally, this means your actual test will feel a little longer than the number that determines your pass/fail outcome. Budget your two hours assuming every question is scored, since you have no way to distinguish them in the moment.
Turning Domain Weights Into a Passing Strategy
Because the passing score is scaled and applies to the exam as a whole, not domain-by-domain, you don't need to "pass" each domain individually. A weak showing on a low-weight domain like Domain 6 (2.7%) or Domain 11 (3.8%) can be offset by strong performance on high-weight domains. That said, ignoring any domain entirely is risky - you can't predict exactly which items you'll draw.
The smartest approach is proportional: allocate your study hours roughly in line with each domain's scored-question share. Domains 1, 4, 7, and 10 together represent the bulk of both exams, so they deserve the bulk of your review time, flashcards, and practice questions.
Domain 1 & Domain 7: Types of Policies
These are the largest domains on their respective exams, covering policy forms, coverage structures, endorsements, and how various property or casualty products are built and applied.
- Know the distinguishing features between major policy forms tested on each line
- Understand how bonds and related casualty products differ from standard policies
- Expect the largest raw number of scored questions from this single domain
Domain 4 & Domain 10: DC Law Common to All Lines
This is the second-heaviest domain on both exams and covers regulatory material that applies across life, accident and health, property, and casualty licensing - not just your specific line.
- Licensing procedures, producer duties, and DISB oversight rules
- Rules that apply uniformly regardless of which line you're testing on
- High-value material because it's tested on both the Property and Casualty exams
For candidates unsure how to structure this proportional review, the DC-PC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt walks through a full first-attempt preparation plan built around these exact weightings.
A Domain-Aware Study Schedule
Generic study techniques only help if they're pointed at the right material. Below is a sample schedule that applies spaced review specifically to DC-PC's domain weights rather than treating all content as equally important.
Heaviest domains first
- Domain 1 (Types of Policies) if testing Property, or Domain 7 if testing Casualty
- Build a running glossary of policy forms and endorsements
Shared law content
- Domain 4 / Domain 10 - DC law common to all insurance lines
- Cross-reference with DISB licensing and producer conduct rules
Terms, concepts, and provisions
- Domain 2/8 (Insurance Terms) and Domain 3/9 (Policy Provisions)
- Practice questions that mix terminology with contract-law scenarios
Low-weight law domains and timed practice
- Domain 5/11 and Domain 6/12 - line-specific DC regulations
- Full-length timed practice runs at 80-85 seconds per question
A quick reference of high-frequency facts across all 12 domains is compiled in the DC-PC Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts, useful for final review in the days before your appointment.
What Happens the Moment You Pass
Hitting a scaled score of 70 is the finish line for the exam itself, but not for licensure. Candidates must present proof of a prelicensing course of study to sit for the exam - note that DISB does not mandate a specific 40-hour minimum, unlike some other jurisdictions, so check your course provider's requirements directly. After passing, you must apply for licensure within one year; missing that window means you'd need to retest.
Once licensed, resident producers renew every two years and must complete 24 continuing-education hours, including 3 ethics hours and at least 6 hours tied to each line of authority they hold. If you're licensed in Property or Casualty, your first renewal period also requires 3 flood insurance hours. These post-exam obligations are detailed further in DC-PC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
If you're weighing whether the licensing investment is worthwhile relative to the career outcomes it opens up, Is the DC-PC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and DC-PC Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis cover that decision in more depth, while DC-PC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown breaks down every fee beyond the $75 per-exam charge. You can also sharpen your timing and question-style familiarity using full-length simulations on our DC-PC practice test platform before exam day.
Frequently Asked Questions
You need a scaled score of 70 on either exam. This applies uniformly to both the Property exam and the Casualty exam administered by Pearson VUE for DISB.
Yes. Both exams use a scaled score of 70 as the passing threshold, even though Property has 75 scored questions and Casualty has 80 scored questions.
No. Property includes 10 unscored pretest questions among its 85 total, and Casualty includes 10 unscored pretest questions among its 90 total. You cannot identify which ones they are during the exam.
No. Combination exams are no longer offered. You must register, pay the $75 fee, and sit for each line separately.
Candidates must apply for licensure within one year after passing the exam. Waiting longer than that generally requires retesting.