Abstractor Licensing
West Region

ARIZONA

There is no separate abstractor's license.

CALIFORNIA

The CA insurance code provides as follows:

12389.5.  Every person engaged in the business of preparing title searches, title examinations, title reports, and certificates of abstracts of title, upon which a title insurer writes title policies, is required to be licensed as an underwritten title company in compliance with the licensing requirements of this article.

HAWAII

Hawaii repealed it law governing abstracting in 1977.  However abtracting is within the definition of the business of title insurance.  HRS 431:20-102.  Title insurers and their agents (producers) must be licensed.

§431:20-102 Definitions. For the purposes of this article:
. . .
(2) Title insurance business or business of title insurance means:
(A) Issuing as insurer or offering to issue as insurer a title insurance policy; or
(B) Transacting or proposing to transact by a title insurer any of the following activities when conducted or performed in contemplation of the issuance of a title insurance policy:
(i) Soliciting or negotiating the issuance of a title insurance policy;
(ii) Guaranteeing, warranting or otherwise insuring the correctness of title searches;
(iii) Handling of escrows, settlements or closings;
(iv) Execution of title insurance policies;
(v) Effecting contracts of reinsurance;
(vi) Abstracting, searching or examining titles; or
(vii) Doing or proposing to do any business in substance equivalent to any of the foregoing in a manner designed to evade the provisions of this article.
. . .

NEVADA

Nevada does not specifically require an abstractor to be licensed.  However, a title officer or agent must be licensed to issue a binder, commitment or preliminary report. In order to do business in Nevada, a title agent or title insurer must be licensed.