Skip To Content



Maryland Mortgage Lending Resources

Licensing Requirements

The SAFE Act requires Maryland licensed mortgage loan originators to meet minimum licensing standards. The minimum requirements to be a licensed mortgage loan originator in Maryland are:
  1. 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;
    • five hours of Maryland mortgage law.
  2. Pass the national component of the SAFE MLO Test and the Maryland component of the SAFE MLO Test.
  3. Submit fingerprints to the NMLS for a criminal background check.
  4. Authorize a credit report within the NMLS.
  5. Register and obtain a Unique Identifier with the NMLS.
For information on Maryland licensing requirements, visit the Maryland Commissioner of Financial Regulation website or the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System website.