HI-PC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass

What "Passing Score of 70" Actually Means

If you've searched for the HI-PC passing score, you've probably seen the number 70 and assumed it works like a percentage on a school test. It doesn't - not exactly. The Hawaii Property and Casualty Insurance Producer Exam, administered for the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Insurance Division by Pearson VUE, reports results on a scaled score, and the passing threshold is 70 on that scale.

A scaled score converts your raw number of correct answers into a standardized number that can account for slight variations in question difficulty across different exam forms. Because Pearson VUE draws from a bank of items, no two candidates necessarily see an identical test, and the scaling process keeps the passing standard consistent even when the specific questions differ. In practical terms, this means you should stop hunting for a "magic number of correct answers" and instead focus on mastering the content across all six domains, since that's what actually drives your scaled result upward.

Scored Questions vs. Pretest Questions: Why 83 Matters More Than 93

The Property Producer exam presents 93 total multiple-choice questions, but only 83 of them are actually scored. The remaining 10 are pretest items - questions Pearson VUE and the Insurance Division are evaluating for potential use on future exam forms. They're mixed in with the scored content, unlabeled, so you can't skip them or treat them differently during the 120-minute testing window.

This distinction matters because your passing score of 70 is calculated only from those 83 scored questions. Every one of them counts equally toward your result, while the 10 pretest questions have zero effect on whether you pass. The practical takeaway is simple: answer every question as if it counts, since you have no way to know which ones don't.

Property vs. Casualty: Two Exams, Two Score Targets

Hawaii tests Property and Casualty as separate licensing exams, and it's important not to blur the two when you're calculating what you need to pass. This site's primary focus is the Property Producer exam, but many candidates pursue both lines, so understanding how the formats differ helps you plan study time and testing appointments accurately.

Both exams share the same $75 fee structure and closed-book, computer-based format, and both are proctored through Pearson VUE test centers or the OnVUE remote option. If you're licensing for both lines, Pearson permits scheduling two exams within a single test-center session - though that flexibility isn't available if you test through OnVUE. For a deeper cost breakdown across licensing steps, see the HI-PC Certification Cost 2026 guide.

How the 2026 Domain Weights Shape Your Score

The content outline effective January 1, 2026 organizes the Property exam into six domains, each weighted by the percentage of scored questions it contributes. Because your scaled score is built from performance across all 83 scored items, the domains with the heaviest weighting deserve proportionally more study time. Here's the full 2026 breakdown:

Together, Domains 1 and 4 account for more than half of the scored questions on the exam. That means a candidate who thoroughly masters Types of Policies and the general Hawaii Laws and Rules domain has already positioned themselves within reach of the scaled passing score of 70, even before touching the smaller domains. For a question-by-question walkthrough of each domain's subtopics, the HI-PC Exam Domains 2026 guide is the most detailed resource on this site.

Where Most Points Are Won or Lost

Because Domains 1 and 4 together make up more than half the scored content, candidates who underprepare for either one put a disproportionate share of their potential score at risk. Domain 4 in particular trips up candidates who assume "Hawaii law" is a small, memorizable checklist. In reality, this domain draws from statutes and rules that apply across life, accident and health, property, casualty, and personal lines insurance - meaning candidates preparing only for property-specific content sometimes underestimate its scope.

Domain 2, Insurance Terms and Related Concepts, at 18.1%, is the next-largest section and tends to be where vocabulary gaps show up - terms like indemnity, insurable interest, and subrogation need to be understood conceptually, not just defined. Domain 3, Policy Provisions and Contract Law, at 13.3%, tests how those concepts apply within an actual contract, including conditions, warranties, and the legal elements of an insurance agreement.

The two smallest domains - Hawaii Laws and Rules Common to Property and Casualty Insurance Only (4.8%) and Hawaii Laws and Rules Pertinent to Property Insurance Only (7.2%) - contribute fewer scored questions individually, but together they still represent roughly a tenth of your total score. Skipping them entirely to "save time" for bigger domains is a common mistake that candidates researching how difficult the exam feels often flag; see How Hard Is the HI-PC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 for a broader discussion of where the exam actually challenges candidates.

Registration, Fees, and Test-Day Mechanics

Understanding the mechanics around your test appointment helps you avoid non-content mistakes that have nothing to do with insurance knowledge but can still cost you the exam. The Property Producer exam costs $75, runs 120 minutes, and is closed book - no reference materials, notes, or outside resources are permitted at your workstation. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, and Hawaii does not require completion of a specific prelicensing education program before sitting for the exam, though many candidates still choose structured prep.

You can test at a Pearson VUE test center or remotely through OnVUE. If you're pursuing both Property and Casualty licenses, note that Pearson allows scheduling two exams back-to-back within a single test-center visit - a convenience not extended to OnVUE test-takers, who would need to schedule separate remote sessions. Full eligibility details, including age and application requirements, are covered in the HI-PC Requirements 2026 guide, and scheduling windows are covered in HI-PC Exam Dates 2026.

A Domain-Focused Study Timeline for Hitting 70

Generic study advice rarely accounts for how unevenly weighted the HI-PC domains are. Instead of splitting study time evenly across six sections, allocate time in proportion to each domain's share of the 83 scored Property questions. Here's a sample four-week structure built around those weights:

For a step-by-step version of this approach with more detail on resources and pacing, see the HI-PC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. You can also run realistic practice questions modeled on the actual domain weighting at our practice test platform before test day.

After You Pass: CE and Keeping Your License

Passing the exam and hitting the scaled score of 70 is the entry point, not the finish line. Hawaii requires producers to complete continuing education to keep their license active. For a property-and-casualty-only producer, that means 24 total CE credits, made up of 21 credits in P&C subject matter and 3 credits specifically in ethics and/or Hawaii laws and rules.

Given that Domain 4 on the licensing exam - Hawaii Laws and Rules Common to Life, A&H, Property, Casualty and Personal Lines Insurance - is the largest tested section, it shouldn't be surprising that Hawaii law and ethics content also carries forward into ongoing CE requirements. Producers who understood this domain well for the exam typically find the ethics and law portion of CE more familiar than those who crammed it at the last minute.

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