- NY-IA (Series 17-70) is scheduled on demand through PSI - there is no fixed quarterly "window" to wait for.
- The exam fee is $40, and you can sit at a PSI test center or use remote proctoring from home.
- Once you pass, you must apply for licensure within two years and submit fingerprints.
- Independent-adjuster licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years, no matter when you're issued one.
How NY-IA Scheduling Actually Works in 2026
If you're searching for "NY-IA exam dates 2026," it's worth resetting expectations first. The New York Independent General Adjuster Exam, Series 17-70, is not administered on a handful of set calendar dates like a college entrance exam. It's governed by the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) and administered by PSI on a continuous, candidate-scheduled basis. In practical terms, that means you pick your own date once you're eligible, register through PSI, and pay the $40 examination fee - there's no annual cycle to track and no season where the exam "opens" or "closes."
This structure is actually good news for planning purposes. Instead of building your prep around a fixed deadline months away, you set the deadline yourself. That flexibility is exactly why a solid NY-IA Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt matters more here than it would for a cert with rigid testing windows - your preparation timeline is entirely self-directed.
Why There's No Fixed "Testing Window"
Because PSI runs Series 17-70 as an on-demand exam rather than a batch-administered one, "2026 exam dates" really means "2026 availability at PSI test centers and through remote proctoring." Candidates choose a date and location (or a remote proctoring slot) that fits their own schedule, subject to seat availability at the center they select.
This on-demand model changes how you should think about deadlines. Rather than counting down to a single test date announced by a regulator, your real planning milestones are:
- The date you feel ready based on your mastery of all 16 domains
- The date you actually book your seat or remote session
- The two-year window after passing during which you must apply for your license
Understanding this rhythm is part of understanding the credential itself. For more background on what the designation covers and who oversees it, see What Is NY-IA? and NY-IA Meaning.
Registration, Fees & Proctoring Options
Registering for Series 17-70 involves a straightforward fee structure and two delivery formats:
- Exam fee: $40 per attempt, paid at registration through PSI.
- Format options: test at a PSI test center in person, or use PSI's remote proctoring option and sit for the exam from your own location.
- Exam length and structure: 100 scored, multiple-choice questions in a closed-book format, with a two-hour time limit. PSI may also insert five to 10 unscored experimental questions that look identical to scored items but don't count toward your result.
- Passing score: 70%, calculated only on the 100 scored questions.
Because you won't know which questions are experimental, you should approach every single question on the exam with the same level of focus. For a deeper breakdown of how scoring actually works, read NY-IA Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass, and for a full accounting of every dollar involved in the licensing process, see NY-IA Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown.
Key Takeaway
Book your PSI session only after you've run realistic timed practice - you get one two-hour block to answer 100+ scored and unscored items, so pacing has to be automatic before test day, not something you're figuring out during the exam.
Deadlines That Actually Matter for NY-IA Candidates
Since there's no fixed exam calendar, the deadlines that matter for Series 17-70 candidates are administrative rather than seasonal. The two that most affect your 2026 planning:
- The two-year application window. After you pass Series 17-70, you must submit your license application within two years of your passing date. Wait too long and your passing result no longer qualifies you to apply - you'd need to retest.
- Fingerprinting. Independent-adjuster applicants must submit fingerprints as part of the licensing process. Build time into your plan to get this done rather than treating it as an afterthought once you've already passed.
Notably, bond and Certificate of Character requirements that apply to public-adjuster applicants do not apply to independent-adjuster applicants - one less document to chase down before you finalize your license. For the complete list of what you do and don't need before you can sit for the exam or apply afterward, see NY-IA Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
License Terms & the December 31 Even-Year Expiration
Once you're licensed, timing becomes relevant again - this time around your license's expiration date rather than the exam itself. Independent-adjuster licenses in New York are issued for a term of up to two years, and every license expires on December 31 of an even-numbered year, regardless of when during the cycle it was issued. That means someone licensed in early 2026 and someone licensed in late 2026 could both see their license expire on the same date.
Fee structure ties directly to term length:
| License Term | Fee |
|---|---|
| Longer than one year | $100 |
| One year or less | $50 |
One more scheduling-relevant fact worth planning around: independent-adjuster licenses in New York are exempt from continuing education requirements. That removes one recurring deadline that other insurance licenses carry, but it makes the renewal date itself - December 31 of even-numbered years - the one date on your calendar you truly cannot miss.
These renewal mechanics sit alongside the exam schedule as part of the full lifecycle of the credential. If you're weighing whether the entire process - exam, fees, licensing cadence - is worth pursuing given your career goals, Is the NY-IA Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 lays out the tradeoffs, and NY-IA Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis covers what independent adjusters in this line of work typically see on the earnings side.
Mapping Domains to Your Study Calendar
Because you control your own exam date, the smartest scheduling decision isn't picking a date on a regulator's calendar - it's reverse-engineering your date from how long you genuinely need to master all 16 domains. Series 17-70 weights content unevenly, and your calendar should reflect that:
Domain 3: Adjusting Losses (11%)
This is the single largest domain on the exam and deserves the most calendar time. It covers the core mechanics of investigating, evaluating, and settling claims.
- Loss evaluation and negotiation concepts
- Claims investigation procedures
Domain 7: Homeowners (2011) Policy (10%)
The second-heaviest domain. Expect detailed questions on coverage forms, exclusions, and endorsements specific to the 2011 homeowners policy.
Domains 8 & 9: Auto Insurance (9%) and Commercial Package Policy (CPP) (9%)
Together these represent nearly a fifth of the exam. Auto coverage triggers and CPP structure (property, liability, and other coverage parts bundled together) both need dedicated review sessions.
Smaller domains - Domain 12: Surety Bonds (2%), Domain 5: Understanding the Language of Medical Reports (4%), Domain 13: Fidelity Coverages (3%), Domain 14: Aviation Hull Coverages (3%), and Domain 15: Aircraft Liability Coverages (3%) - need less time, but skipping them entirely is risky since every scored question counts equally toward your 70% threshold. A full breakdown of all 16 content areas, including the ones easy to underweight, is available in NY-IA Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 16 Content Areas.
Foundations
- Domain 1: Insurance Regulation (6%)
- Domain 2: Insurance Basics (6%)
Heaviest Domains
- Domain 3: Adjusting Losses (11%)
- Domain 7: Homeowners (2011) Policy (10%)
Mid-Weight Property & Commercial Lines
- Domain 8: Auto Insurance (9%)
- Domain 9: Commercial Package Policy (CPP) (9%)
- Domain 10: Businessowners (2010) Policy (8%)
- Domain 16: Other Coverages and Options (8%)
Specialty Lines & Full Review
- Domain 4: Accident and Health Insurance Basics (6%)
- Domain 6: Dwelling (2014) Policy (6%)
- Domain 11: Workers' Compensation Insurance (6%)
- Smaller domains: Surety Bonds, Fidelity, Aviation, Aircraft Liability, Medical Reports
- Timed full-length practice runs
If you're unsure whether eight weeks is realistic for your background, the honest difficulty assessment in How Hard Is the NY-IA Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 can help you calibrate before you lock in a PSI date. Running consistent practice sessions on our practice test platform is one of the fastest ways to confirm you're actually ready rather than guessing.
What to Expect on Test Day: Format, Timing & Question Style
Whether you choose a PSI test center or remote proctoring, the exam experience itself is identical: 100 scored multiple-choice questions (plus up to 5-10 unscored experimental items), closed-book, with a two-hour clock. There's no partial credit and no penalty for guessing beyond simply not getting the item right, so leaving answers blank is never advantageous.
Because the exam is closed-book, you won't have reference materials during the session - everything from policy form details to regulatory definitions needs to be committed to memory beforehand. A condensed, high-frequency reference like the NY-IA Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts is useful in the final days before your scheduled date, precisely because you can't bring notes into the room.
After you pass, remember that the clock immediately starts on your two-year application window, so it's worth having your fingerprinting and application paperwork lined up before test day rather than scrambling afterward. If you're curious about who actually hires for this credential once you're licensed, NY-IA Jobs and the broader NY-IA Training resources cover the employer side of the equation, while NY-IA Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows puts your test-day expectations in context.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Series 17-70 is administered on demand through PSI year-round rather than on fixed calendar dates. You register and pick an available slot at a PSI test center or through remote proctoring whenever you're ready.
The examination fee is $40, payable when you register through PSI. This is separate from the license issuance fee you'll pay later, which is $100 for a term longer than one year or $50 for a term of one year or less.
Yes. You must apply for your independent-adjuster license within two years of passing Series 17-70. Missing that window means your passing score no longer qualifies you and you'd need to retest.
Licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years, regardless of the exact date they were issued, and are issued for a term of up to two years. There's no continuing education requirement to maintain the license between renewals.
No. Independent-adjuster candidates in New York are not required to complete a prelicensing course before sitting for Series 17-70, so you can register as soon as you feel prepared for the 16 domains.