Licensing Requirements
The SAFE Act requires California licensed mortgage loan originators to meet minimum licensing standards. The minimum requirements to be a licensed mortgage loan originator in California are:
- Complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved prelicense education. The education must include a minimum of:
- three hours of federal mortgage law;
- three hours of ethics;
- two hours related to the nontraditional mortgage market place.
- Pass the national component of the SAFE MLO Test and the California component of the SAFE MLO Test.
- Submit fingerprints to the NMLS for a criminal background check.
- Authorize a credit report within the NMLS.
- Register and obtain a Unique Identifier with the NMLS.
For information on California licensing requirements, visit the California Department of Corporations
website, California Department of Real Estate
website or the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System
website.