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Your state's MLO licensing steps, in order
Quick answer
What is the order of steps to get an MLO license?
Create your Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) account, finish the 20-hour pre-licensure education, pass the SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) National Test, clear a criminal background check and a credit report, obtain any required surety bond, submit your state application, then get an employer to sponsor the license. It stays inactive until that final sponsorship.
The ordered steps are the federally-shaped SAFE Act sequence (12 U.S.C. 5104). State
application fees, surety-bond amounts, and any state-specific hours vary and are not
re-hosted here: they link to the dated matrix and your regulator page. Always confirm
the current figure at the official source before you rely on it.
Pick your state
The nine steps below are the shared order. Choosing your state reveals its deviations and the dated links for the values.
Alabama: what is different here
- Regulator
- Alabama State Banking Department, Bureau of Loans (BOL)
- State deviations
- Alabama licenses MLOs under the Alabama SAFE Act through the Bureau of Loans, a single regulator that also oversees consumer credit and deferred presentment licensees. BOL's own forms and applications page states that all Alabama Banking Department licenses are being transitioned fully onto NMLS, a process the Bureau describes as completing by the end of 2026; confirm whether any legacy state-portal step still applies during that window. No published Alabama-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on BOL's public pages as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Alabama. See the matrix link and the Bureau of Loans page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official AL regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Alaska: what is different here
- Regulator
- Alaska Division of Banking and Securities (DBS), Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development
- State deviations
- Alaska is a single-regulator state: DBS licenses MLOs under the Alaska Mortgage Lending Act, AS 06.60, with no second agency by employer type. DBS's own MLO licensing page returned a blocked response from this network in this pass, so its exact current wording is not quoted here; the published matrix lists no Alaska-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20-hour SAFE Act floor ("Federal Only (20)"), so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step. Confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- The published matrix lists a company-level $75,000 surety bond figure for Alaska mortgage broker-lenders, not confirmed against a primary, dated DBS source in this pass (the DBS page was unreachable from this network). Not hosted as our own verified figure; see the matrix link and the DBS page for the current amount and whether an individual MLO bond applies.
Official AK regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Arizona: what is different here
- Regulator
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI)
- State deviations
- Arizona is a single-regulator state under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 6, Chapter 9, Article 4. No published Arizona-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step. Arizona's annual continuing-education requirement is 8 hours (3 federal law, 2 ethics, 2 nontraditional mortgage products, 1 Arizona law specifically), so the Arizona-law component sits inside the federal 8-hour CE floor rather than adding hours on top of it.
- Surety bond
- An employer may provide the required surety bond; if not, the originator pays an additional $100 fee instead. Application fees, sourced and dated 2026-07-29: new application $350 plus $100 if no employer bond plus a license fee that varies by submission month; annual renewal $150; late renewal $25/day (Jan 1-31); change of sponsorship $50; address change $50.
Official AZ regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Arkansas: what is different here
- Regulator
- Arkansas Securities Department (ASD)
- State deviations
- Arkansas is a single-regulator state: all MLO licensing runs through the Arkansas Securities Department under the Arkansas Fair Mortgage Lending Act, Ark. Code Ann. §§ 23-39-501 through 23-39-518, with no second agency by employer type. No published Arkansas-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on ASD's public pages as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Arkansas under the Fair Mortgage Lending Act. See the matrix link and the ASD page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official AR regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
California: what is different here
- Regulator
- California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI), under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act (CRMLA) or the California Financing Law (CFL); or the California Department of Real Estate (DRE) MLO endorsement for real-estate-licensed originators
- State deviations
- Two regulators cover the same license: which one applies depends on the sponsoring company's own license type, not on the individual's choice. DFPI-licensed MLOs (CRMLA/CFL sponsors) must include 2 of their 20 pre-licensure hours on CA-DFPI law and 1 of their 8 annual continuing-education hours on CA-DFPI law; these are carve-outs inside the federal totals, not additional hours. The DRE endorsement path (for real-estate-licensed originators) follows the plain federal 20/8-hour breakdown with no published California-specific carve-out. Confirm which agency applies before assuming DFPI figures are yours.
- Surety bond
- DFPI-licensed MLOs do not obtain an individual surety bond: once sponsored by a CRMLA- or CFL-licensed company with an approved NMLS status, the MLO is covered under that company's own surety bond. This is a confirmed state-specific mechanic, not a routed placeholder. DRE-endorsement bond treatment was not confirmed in this pass; see the matrix and DRE page.
Official CA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Colorado: what is different here
- Regulator
- Colorado Division of Real Estate (DRE), Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA)
- State deviations
- Colorado is a single-regulator state under the Colorado Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act (C.R.S. Title 12, Article 10, Part 7); DRE also licenses real estate brokers and appraisers, but the MLO license is its own license type, not an add-on to a real estate license, and there is no separate track for real-estate-licensed originators the way California or Washington split by employer type. DRE's own published continuing-education page confirms the plain federal floor, 20 PE hours and 8 CE hours annually, with no confirmed Colorado-specific add-on beyond that, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by DRE. See the matrix link and the DRE mortgage loan originator page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official CO regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Connecticut: what is different here
- Regulator
- Connecticut Department of Banking, Consumer Credit Division
- State deviations
- Connecticut is a single-regulator state: the Department of Banking's Consumer Credit Division licenses MLOs under Connecticut General Statutes Sections 36a-485 through 36a-498f, 36a-498h, 36a-534a, and 36a-534b. No published Connecticut-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on the Department's public MLO licensing page as reviewed, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change. The Department's own page directs applicants to Connecticut's NMLS jurisdiction-specific requirements checklist for the current procedural detail. The Department relocated its offices to 280 Trumbull Street, Hartford on November 24, 2025, per the Department's own site notice.
- Surety bond
- Not confirmed against a primary source in this pass: the Department's public MLO licensing page did not state a surety bond figure and routes applicants to the NMLS jurisdiction-specific checklist. Routed to the matrix and regulator page rather than invented.
Official CT regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Delaware: what is different here
- Regulator
- Office of the State Bank Commissioner
- State deviations
- Delaware is a single-regulator state: the Office of the State Bank Commissioner licenses MLOs under Delaware Code Title 5 and Bank Commissioner Regulation No. 2401, implementing the federal SAFE Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008, with no second agency by employer type. The Office's own MLO licensing page, as reviewed, does not list a Delaware-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20-hour SAFE Act floor, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Delaware under Regulation No. 2401. See the matrix link and the Office of the State Bank Commissioner page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official DE regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
District of Columbia: what is different here
- Regulator
- DC Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB)
- State deviations
- The District of Columbia is a single-regulator jurisdiction: DISB licenses MLOs under the Mortgage Lender and Broker Act, DC Code Title 26, Chapter 11 (confirmed by direct fetch in this pass, including the licensing-requirements section at DC Code section 26-1103). The published matrix lists 3 DC-specific pre-licensure hours on top of the federal 20 (23 total) and 1 additional annual continuing-education hour (9 total); those figures are matrix-sourced, not confirmed against the individual statute section text in this pass, so confirm them directly with DISB before enrolling in a course.
- Surety bond
- The published matrix lists a $25,000 surety bond figure for DC, not confirmed against a primary, dated DISB source in this pass. Not hosted as our own verified figure; see the matrix link and the DISB page for the current amount.
Official DC regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Florida: what is different here
- Regulator
- Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), Division of Consumer Finance
- State deviations
- Single regulator, no dual-agency split. Florida Statutes section 494.00312 (2025) requires only the plain federal 20-hour pre-licensing class, with no additional Florida-specific hour requirement found in that statute section. This is a confirmed no-add-on result, the same category as Georgia, and distinct from Texas's genuinely additional 3 hours.
- Surety bond
- Not confirmed against a primary source in this pass: the specific surety bond or net-worth figure is set elsewhere in Chapter 494 and Florida Administrative Code Rule 69V-40, which were not reachable. Routed to the OFR site and the matrix rather than invented.
Official FL regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Georgia: what is different here
- Regulator
- Georgia Department of Banking and Finance
- State deviations
- Single regulator, no dual-agency split. The department's own MLO education and testing page states directly: "Georgia does not have any state specific requirements for pre-licensure education," confirming the plain federal 20-hour minimum with no add-on, the same category as Florida. Continuing education carves out 1 of the annual 8 hours for Georgia-specific content, due by October 31 each year, the same carve-out pattern California uses for its DFPI-specific hour.
- Surety bond
- Not confirmed against a primary source in this pass: no individual surety bond figure was stated on the department pages reached, and Georgia's statutory bond treatment (O.C.G.A. Title 7, Chapter 1, Article 13) was not fully reachable to confirm whether it applies at the individual or entity level. Routed to the department's licensing checklist and the matrix rather than invented.
Official GA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Hawaii: what is different here
- Regulator
- Hawaii Division of Financial Institutions (DFI), Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
- State deviations
- Single regulator, no dual-agency split. Pre-licensure education is a 20-hour carve-out under HRS 454F-6: federal 3 hours of federal law plus 3 hours of Hawaii state law and rules, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours nontraditional products, remainder elective, for 20 total (same carve-out pattern as California, Georgia, Idaho). HRS 454F-6 also imposes a firm 12-month filing window after completing pre-licensure education, after which the full course must be retaken, a deadline mechanic not confirmed as present in most other states reviewed. Continuing education is an 8-hour carve-out under HRS 454F-9: federal 3+2+2 plus 1 Hawaii-specific hour, for 8 total.
- Surety bond
- Not confirmed against a primary source in this pass: the individual surety bond dollar figure was not stated on the DFI MLO information page or the HRS 454F-6/454F-9 sections reached. Routed to the DFI page and the matrix rather than invented.
Official HI regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Idaho: what is different here
- Regulator
- Idaho Department of Finance, Consumer Finance Bureau
- State deviations
- Single regulator, no dual-agency split. Pre-licensure education is a 20-hour carve-out, not additional: Idaho Code 26-31-307 requires the standard federal 3+3+2 hours plus 2 hours specific to Idaho's chapter 31 requirements, with 10 elective hours, for 20 total (same carve-out pattern as California, Georgia, Hawaii). Continuing education is likewise an 8-hour carve-out under Idaho Code 26-31-310: federal 3+2+2 plus 1 Idaho-specific hour, for 8 total. Idaho Code 26-31-306 lists sponsorship by a licensed mortgage broker, lender, or exempt entity among the standards for INITIAL license issuance itself, not merely activation after issuance, a sequencing detail worth flagging.
- Surety bond
- No individual surety bond: Idaho Code 26-31-306 requires a contribution to Idaho's mortgage recovery fund instead of a personal surety bond, a distinct state mechanic (similar in spirit to California's employer-bond and New Hampshire's company-level model, but structured as a state fund rather than an employer bond or an individual bond). The current contribution amount was not confirmed against a primary source in this pass; routed to the matrix and the Department of Finance page.
Official ID regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Illinois: what is different here
- Regulator
- Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Division of Banking
- State deviations
- Illinois licenses MLOs through IDFPR's Division of Banking under the Illinois Residential Mortgage License Act (205 ILCS 635). The federal 20-hour pre-licensure course is the baseline; some course providers advertise additional Illinois-specific hours, but IDFPR's own published guidance was not consistent enough on this point to state a firm add-on figure here, so confirm the current PE hour count on the IDFPR page and the matrix before relying on it. IDFPR is reached at the Chicago (555 W. Monroe St.) and Springfield (320 Washington St.) offices; there is no separate real-estate-side regulator for MLOs in Illinois.
- Surety bond
- IDFPR requires a surety bond under Section 3-1 of the Residential Mortgage License Act; a $20,000 minimum appears in IDFPR's own published bond-requirement guidance, but bond amounts can scale and should be confirmed on the matrix link and the IDFPR page rather than treated as fixed. Not hosted here as our own maintained number.
Official IL regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Indiana: what is different here
- Regulator
- Indiana Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) or Indiana Secretary of State (SOS), Securities Division, depending on the sponsoring employer's own license
- State deviations
- Indiana is a genuine two-agency state: an MLO licenses through DFI or through the Secretary of State's Securities Division depending on which agency licenses the sponsoring employer, confirmed on DFI's own MLO FAQ page. DFI states pre-licensure courses 'are not required to be specific to Indiana', so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step (no confirmed Indiana-specific PE add-on). The surety bond obligation sits with the sponsoring company's own bond, which DFI states 'must provide coverage for its sponsored MLOs', rather than an individual originator bond.
- Surety bond
- Application fees and any individual bond exposure are set by whichever agency licenses you (DFI or SOS) and are not hosted here. See the matrix link and the DFI MLO FAQ for current figures.
Official IN regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Iowa: what is different here
- Regulator
- Iowa Division of Banking (IDOB)
- State deviations
- Iowa is a single-regulator state: IDOB licenses individual mortgage loan originators under Iowa Code Chapter 535D, separate from the company-level Chapter 535B mortgage banker and mortgage broker licenses. Iowa Code 535B sets a genuine activity threshold worth knowing even though it governs companies, not individual MLOs: a person needs a 535B lending or brokering license only once they make, service, arrange, or negotiate at least four owner-occupied residential mortgage loans in a calendar year in Iowa. No published Iowa-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on IDOB's public mortgage-licensing document as reviewed, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Not confirmed against a primary source in this pass: IDOB's published Finance Bureau fee schedule (see application fee below) lists no bond-amount column for the Chapter 535D mortgage loan originator license. Routed to the matrix and regulator page rather than invented, since the fee schedule's silence is not confirmation that no bond applies.
Official IA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Kansas: what is different here
- Regulator
- Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC), Consumer & Mortgage Lending Division
- State deviations
- Kansas is a single-regulator state: all MLO licensing runs through OSBC's Consumer & Mortgage Lending Division under the Kansas Mortgage Business Act, K.S.A. § 9-2201 et seq. (mortgage business fees addressed in Kan. Admin. Regs. § 17-24-2), with no second agency by employer type. No published Kansas-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on OSBC's public pages as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Kansas under the Mortgage Business Act. See the matrix link and the OSBC page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official KS regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Kentucky: what is different here
- Regulator
- Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)
- State deviations
- Kentucky is a single-regulator state under the Kentucky Mortgage Loan Company and Loan Broker Act (KRS Chapter 286, Subtitle 8). No published Kentucky-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step. Kentucky's renewal deadline is November 30 each year under KRS 286.8-255, a month earlier than the December 31 date most states use. Annual continuing education is 8 hours, including 1 hour of Kentucky-specific content.
- Surety bond
- DFI's published bond schedule is a two-tier structure: $15,000 for originators with less than $10 million in annual loan volume, and $20,000 for originators at $10 million or more. Application and renewal fees are $50 each, plus a $30 NMLS processing fee, per DFI's published MLO page (sourced, dated 2026-07-29).
Official KY regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Louisiana: what is different here
- Regulator
- Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions (OFI)
- State deviations
- Louisiana is a single-regulator state under the Louisiana S.A.F.E. Residential Mortgage Lending Act (Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 6, Chapter 14). OFI publishes dedicated guidance titled 'Requirements for Registered MLOs' Transition to Louisiana Licensed MLOs' for originators moving from a federally registered role at a depository institution to a state-licensed role, and references a dual-role restriction under Act 39 of the 2007 Louisiana Legislature restricting certain combined capacities on the same transaction. No published Louisiana-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on OFI's public pages as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Louisiana. See the matrix link and the OFI page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official LA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Maine: what is different here
- Regulator
- Maine Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection (BCCP), Department of Professional and Financial Regulation
- State deviations
- Maine is a single-regulator state: BCCP licenses MLOs under the Maine Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2009 (9-A M.R.S. Article 13), implemented through Bureau Rule 02-030 C.M.R. Chapter 500 and Chapter 708, with no second agency by employer type. BCCP's own MLO licensing page, as reviewed, states no Maine-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20-hour SAFE Act floor, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- BCCP's page references an MLO Bond Form but does not state the required dollar amount; the published matrix lists a figure, but we do not host a bond number we have not independently confirmed against a primary, dated BCCP source. See the matrix link and the BCCP page for the current figure.
Official ME regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Maryland: what is different here
- Regulator
- Maryland Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), Maryland Department of Labor
- State deviations
- Maryland is a confirmed pre-licensure and continuing-education deviation state, sourced directly from OFR's own MLO FAQ (last reviewed by OFR August 22, 2025): in addition to the federal 20-hour SAFE pre-licensure floor, Maryland requires 5 hours of Maryland-specific pre-licensure education (COMAR 09.03.09.03), for 25 hours total if Maryland is an originator's first or only state. Annual continuing education is the federal 8-hour floor plus 1 hour of Maryland-specific instruction on mortgage-related laws (Md. Code Ann., Financial Institutions Article Section 11-612), for 9 hours total, not 8. OFR's own FAQ states Maryland requires only a federal criminal background check through NMLS, not a separate state-level check, one step simpler than states that layer on their own fingerprinting process.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by OFR. See the matrix link and the OFR mortgage loan originator page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official MD regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Massachusetts: what is different here
- Regulator
- Massachusetts Division of Banks (DOB)
- State deviations
- Massachusetts is a single-regulator state: the Division of Banks licenses MLOs under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 255F and the implementing regulation 209 CMR 41.00 (The Licensing of Mortgage Loan Originators), with no second agency by employer type. DOB's own application page returned a blocked response from this network in this pass, so its exact current wording is not quoted here; the published matrix lists 3 Massachusetts-specific pre-licensure hours on top of the federal 20 (23 total) and 1 additional annual continuing-education hour (9 total). Those figures are matrix-sourced, not primary-page-confirmed in this pass, so confirm them directly with DOB before enrolling in a course.
- Surety bond
- The published matrix lists a $25,000 individual surety bond figure for Massachusetts, not confirmed against a primary, dated DOB source in this pass. Not hosted as our own verified figure; see the matrix link and the DOB page for the current amount.
Official MA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Michigan: what is different here
- Regulator
- Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS)
- State deviations
- Michigan licenses mortgage loan originators through DIFS, which regulates banks, credit unions, insurance entities, mortgage licensees, and consumer-finance entities under one roof, so there is no separate real-estate-side regulator to route around the way California and Texas require. The standard federal 20-hour pre-licensure course (3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours non-traditional mortgage lending, 12 hours electives) applies with no confirmed Michigan-specific PE add-on. Confirm any update to that breakdown on the DIFS page and the matrix, linked below.
- Surety bond
- A surety bond is required to license as a mortgage loan originator or company in Michigan; the amount is set by DIFS. See the matrix link and the DIFS page for the current figure. Not hosted here.
Official MI regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Minnesota: what is different here
- Regulator
- Minnesota Department of Commerce, Non-Depository Financial Institutions
- State deviations
- Minnesota is unusual in splitting its mortgage statute in two: individual MLOs are licensed under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 58A, while the sponsoring company (the residential mortgage originator) is licensed separately under Chapter 58. MLO licenses expire December 31 and renew starting January 1, with a $50 annual individual renewal fee, plus one hour of Minnesota-specific continuing education required each year on top of the federal SAFE Act CE floor. No published Minnesota-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on the Department of Commerce's public page as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- The sponsoring mortgage originator company posts a bond under Minnesota Statutes 58.08 that scales with annual closed loan volume: $125,000 up to $10 million, $150,000 from $10 million to $25 million, $200,000 from $25 million to $100 million, and $300,000 above $100 million. This is a company-level bond; individual MLOs do not post a separate personal bond.
Official MN regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Mississippi: what is different here
- Regulator
- Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance (DBCF)
- State deviations
- Mississippi is a single-regulator state: all MLO licensing runs through DBCF under the Mississippi S.A.F.E. Mortgage Act, Miss. Code Ann. §§ 81-18-1 to 81-18-63 (pre-licensure education at § 81-18-14(1), annual continuing education at § 81-18-15(5)), with no second agency by employer type. No published Mississippi-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on DBCF's public pages as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Mississippi under the S.A.F.E. Mortgage Act. See the matrix link and the DBCF page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official MS regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Missouri: what is different here
- Regulator
- Missouri Division of Finance
- State deviations
- Missouri is a single-regulator state under the Missouri Residential Mortgage Loan Brokers and Originators Licensing Act (RSMo Chapter 443), administered by the Division of Finance; originators employed directly by depository institutions are federally registered rather than state-licensed. No published Missouri-specific pre-licensure or continuing-education hour add-on beyond the federal SAFE Act floor (20 PE hours, 8 CE hours annually) was found, independently corroborated across multiple NMLS-approved course providers serving Missouri applicants; this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step. Confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by the Division of Finance. See the matrix link and the Division of Finance's mortgage licensing page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official MO regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Montana: what is different here
- Regulator
- Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions, Department of Administration
- State deviations
- Montana is a single-regulator state: the Division of Banking and Financial Institutions licenses MLOs under the Montana Mortgage Act, Title 32, Chapter 9, MCA (exemptions listed at 32-9-104), with no second agency by employer type. The Division's own licensing page could not be reached directly from this network in this research pass, so its exact current wording is not quoted here; the published matrix lists 2 Montana-specific pre-licensure hours on top of the federal 20 (22 total). That figure is presented as matrix-sourced, not primary-page-confirmed, so treat it as a starting point and confirm directly with the Division before enrolling in a course.
- Surety bond
- The published matrix lists a $25,000 surety bond figure for Montana, but this was not confirmed against a primary, dated Division source in this pass (the Division's page was unreachable from this network). Not hosted as our own verified figure; see the matrix link and the Division page for the current amount.
Official MT regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Nebraska: what is different here
- Regulator
- Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance (NDBF), Financial Institutions Division
- State deviations
- Single regulator, no dual-agency split. Filings are NMLS-only: NDBF accepts no paper or hand-delivered applications. Licenses expire December 31 every year regardless of issue date, a fixed calendar-year renewal rather than an anniversary-based one. Pre-licensure and continuing-education hour requirements beyond the federal 20-hour and 8-hour SAFE Act floors were not confirmed against a primary source in this pass; NDBF's own FAQ documents (Mortgage Loan Originator Licensing Application FAQ; License Maintenance, Renewal, and Surrender FAQ) were referenced on the NDBF site but not reachable to confirm an add-on. Routed to the matrix and NDBF page rather than assumed absent.
- Surety bond
- Company-level, confirmed and sourced: Neb. Rev. Stat. 45-724 requires an initial $100,000 surety bond covering the licensee and all its MLO employees or independent agents, then tiers annually by prior-year closed/serviced residential loan volume: $100,000 up to $5 million, $125,000 for $5-10 million, $150,000 for $10-25 million, $200,000 above $25 million, capped at $1 million if a supplemental bond is required. An individual MLO does not purchase a personal bond; coverage is through the sponsoring company.
Official NE regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Nevada: what is different here
- Regulator
- Nevada Division of Mortgage Lending (DMLD), part of the Department of Business and Industry
- State deviations
- Nevada is a single-regulator state: all individual MLO licensing runs through DMLD under NRS Chapter 645B (NRS 645B.0125 defines who must be licensed; NRS 645B.410 covers the individual license), with no second agency by employer type. Nevada's annual continuing-education requirement was reduced from 10 hours to 8 hours by a Commissioner of Mortgage Lending regulation amending NAC 645B under NRS 645B.0138, matching the federal SAFE Act CE floor, a confirmed dated change rather than an added-on requirement. No published Nevada-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on DMLD's public pages as reviewed, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- DMLD's public pages, as reviewed, do not state a single, dated, flat individual-MLO bond or net-worth figure with enough clarity to host; bonding and net-worth requirements in NRS 645B vary by license type and loan volume. See the matrix link and the DMLD page for the current figure. Not hosted here.
Official NV regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
New Hampshire: what is different here
- Regulator
- New Hampshire Banking Department
- State deviations
- Single regulator, no dual-agency split. New Hampshire's state-specific pre-licensure hours are CONDITIONAL, a distinct structure from every other state in this batch: RSA 397-A:5, IV-c(c) requires the standard federal 3+3+2 hours (20 total) with 2 hours of New Hampshire mortgage law required only if the applicant is new to the state, not for every applicant. Continuing education under RSA 397-A:5, IV-e(b) stays at the federal 8-hour minimum (3 federal law, 2 ethics, 2 nontraditional lending) with no New Hampshire-specific add-on confirmed in this pass. RSA 397-A also directs the Banking Department to examine licensees at minimum every two years.
- Surety bond
- Confirmed at the company level, conditional applicability to the individual MLO not confirmed in this pass: RSA 397-A requires mortgage bankers and servicers to carry a minimum $100,000 continuous surety bond and mortgage brokers a minimum $50,000 bond, scaling upward with loan volume as the commissioner determines. Whether an individual MLO needs separate bond coverage beyond the sponsoring company's bond was not confirmed against a primary source; treat the figures above as the sponsor's obligation and confirm individual status on the matrix.
Official NH regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
New Jersey: what is different here
- Regulator
- New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI), Division of Banking, Office of Consumer Finance (OCF)
- State deviations
- New Jersey is a single-regulator state: all MLO licensing runs through DOBI's Office of Consumer Finance under the New Jersey Residential Mortgage Lending Act (RMLA), with no second agency by employer type. RMLA filings include a New Jersey-specific fingerprinting process alongside the standard NMLS background check. No published New Jersey-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on DOBI's public pages as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by New Jersey. See the matrix link and the DOBI OCF page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official NJ regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
New Mexico: what is different here
- Regulator
- New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, Financial Institutions Division (FID)
- State deviations
- New Mexico is a single-regulator state: all MLO licensing runs through the Financial Institutions Division under the New Mexico Mortgage Loan Originator Licensing Act, NMSA 1978 § 58-21B-1 et seq., with no second agency by employer type. NMSA 1978 § 58-21B-6 confirms the federal 20-hour pre-licensure floor by statute; no published New Mexico-specific hour add-on beyond that minimum was found on FID's public pages as reviewed, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step. Confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by New Mexico under the Mortgage Loan Originator Licensing Act. See the matrix link and the FID page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official NM regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
New York: what is different here
- Regulator
- New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS)
- State deviations
- Single regulator for the individual MLO license, no dual-agency split. DFS's own MLO application page states pre-licensure education is 20 hours INCLUDING 3 hours of New York law: a carve-out inside the federal 20, the same pattern California and Georgia use for their own state-specific topics, not additional hours the way Texas adds them. Choose a New York-approved course whose curriculum includes that 3-hour segment.
- Surety bond
- A surety bond is confirmed required (DFS: "Submit a Surety Bond and Surety Bond Certification Form, upon approval of the application," citing Section 420.15 of the Superintendent's Regulations), but the dollar amount was not stated on the primary page reached in this pass. Routed to DFS and the matrix for the current figure, never invented.
Official NY regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
North Carolina: what is different here
- Regulator
- North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks (NCCOB)
- State deviations
- North Carolina adds 4 hours of pre-licensure education on top of the federal 20-hour floor, 24 hours total, confirmed directly on NCCOB's own licensing-information page. NCCOB's mortgage FAQ carries a genuine timing wrinkle worth knowing before you plan: for a subsequent or renewal license application, the 4 North Carolina-specific SAFE hours must be completed within 3 years of that application, a grace window the federal 20 hours do not carry. Confirm the current course list and any change to that window on the NCCOB page and the matrix, linked below.
- Surety bond
- A surety bond is required to license as a mortgage originator in North Carolina; the amount is set by NCCOB and scales with the licensee's loan volume. See the matrix link and the NCCOB page for the current figure. Not hosted here.
Official NC regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
North Dakota: what is different here
- Regulator
- North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)
- State deviations
- North Dakota is a single-regulator state: DFI's commissioner licenses MLOs under North Dakota Century Code Chapter 13-10 (Mortgage Loan Originators), with no second agency by employer type. The chapter text was fetched and read directly in this pass: NDCC 13-10-06 sets prelicensing education at 20 hours minimum, with the same federal breakdown (3 hours federal law, 3 hours ethics, 2 hours nontraditional-product training), and states no North Dakota-specific hour add-on, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step. NDCC 13-10-07 sets the SAFE test passing score at not less than 75 percent, matching the federal statutory floor.
- Surety bond
- NDCC 13-10-05(6) conditions license issuance on meeting "the net worth and surety bond requirements under section 13-10-13"; the specific bond dollar amount is set by DFI rule rather than stated as a flat figure in the chapter text read in this pass, and the published matrix lists a $25,000 figure. Not hosted as our own verified dollar figure; see the matrix link and the DFI page for the current amount.
Official ND regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Ohio: what is different here
- Regulator
- Ohio Division of Financial Institutions, Ohio Department of Commerce, administering the Ohio Residential Mortgage Lending Act (Ohio Rev. Code Chapter 1322)
- State deviations
- Ohio adds 4 hours of pre-licensure education on top of the federal 20-hour floor, 24 hours total, corroborated across multiple NMLS-approved course providers. Ohio also flags a real-world wrinkle not every state calls out: an MLO who is acting in dual capacity as both the real estate agent and the mortgage loan originator on the same transaction must disclose that dual capacity, per Ohio Department of Commerce guidance, a conduct rule rather than a second regulator. Confirm the current PE breakdown and disclosure form on the Department of Commerce page and the matrix, linked below.
- Surety bond
- A surety bond is required under the Residential Mortgage Lending Act; the amount is set by Ohio and scales with the licensee's loan volume. See the matrix link and the Department of Commerce page for the current figure. Not hosted here.
Official OH regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Oklahoma: what is different here
- Regulator
- Oklahoma Department of Consumer Credit (OKDOCC)
- State deviations
- Oklahoma is a single-regulator state under the Oklahoma Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act (Title 59 O.S. Sections 2095 through 2095.26) and Oklahoma Administrative Code Title 160, Chapter 55. No published Oklahoma-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on OKDOCC's public licensing pages as reviewed, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change. One confirmed Oklahoma-specific mechanic: the license year runs January 1 through December 31, but OKDOCC's own page states renewal documentation must be submitted through NMLS before December 1 each year, a full month ahead of expiration rather than the calendar-year-end deadline most states use.
- Surety bond
- Not confirmed against a primary source in this pass: OKDOCC's public MLO page did not state a surety bond figure and directs applicants to the NMLS Resource Center for jurisdiction-specific checklists. Routed to the matrix and the regulator page rather than invented.
Official OK regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Oregon: what is different here
- Regulator
- Oregon Division of Financial Regulation (DFR), part of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS)
- State deviations
- Oregon is a single-regulator state: DFR licenses all MLOs, with no separate real-estate-side agency. Pre-licensure education is confirmed genuinely additional, not a carve-out: the standard federal 20-hour NMLS course plus 4 hours of Oregon-specific pre-licensure education, 24 hours total, per DFR's own mortgage loan originator FAQ. Continuing education is likewise additional: 10 hours of NMLS-approved continuing education annually (not the federal 8), including 2 hours of Oregon-specific content, not required in the same year licensure is first obtained.
- Surety bond
- DFR's published bond schedule is set at the mortgage lender/broker company level, not for the individual originator: a new licensee company provides a $50,000 surety bond, scaling up with annual loan volume to $75,000 (10 to 25 million), $100,000 (25 to 50 million), $150,000 (50 to 100 million), and $200,000 (over 100 million). An individual MLO typically originates under a bonded company rather than buying a personal bond; confirm your own situation on the DFR page and the matrix.
Official OR regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Pennsylvania: what is different here
- Regulator
- Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities (DoBS)
- State deviations
- Pennsylvania licenses MLOs through the single Department of Banking and Securities under the Mortgage Licensing Act (7 Pa.C.S. Chapter 61); there is no separate real-estate-side regulator the way California and Texas split. Pre-licensure education runs 3 hours above the federal floor: the standard 20-hour NMLS course plus 3 hours of Pennsylvania-specific content, 23 hours total. Confirm the current course-provider list and any updated hour split on the DoBS non-bank-licensee page and the matrix, linked below.
- Surety bond
- A surety bond is required to license as a mortgage originator/broker in Pennsylvania; the amount is set by DoBS and scales with loan volume. See the matrix link and the DoBS page for the current figure. Not hosted here.
Official PA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Rhode Island: what is different here
- Regulator
- Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Banking Division
- State deviations
- Rhode Island is a single-regulator state: DBR's Banking Division licenses MLOs under Rhode Island General Laws Chapter 19-14.10 and the codified regulation 230-RICR-40-10-2, which states plainly that an MLO 'may not originate any loan in Rhode Island unless that MLO has an active sponsorship with a properly licensed lender or loan broker,' and requires demonstrated financial responsibility under R.I. Gen. Laws 19-14.10-6(3) (regulation adopted January 1, 2019, last amended June 27, 2022, text confirmed against the codified regulation, mirrored at law.cornell.edu). DBR's own MLO licensing landing page was unreachable from this network in this pass. The published matrix lists 3 Rhode Island-specific pre-licensure hours on top of the federal 20 (23 total); that figure is matrix-sourced, not primary-page-confirmed, so confirm it directly with DBR before enrolling in a course.
- Surety bond
- Rhode Island's codified regulation frames financial responsibility at the company (licensed lender or loan broker) level rather than stating an individual MLO bond amount; the published matrix lists company-level bond figures ($20,000+ for brokers, $50,000+ for lenders), not confirmed against a primary DBR source in this pass. Not hosted as our own verified figure; see the matrix link and the DBR page for the current requirement.
Official RI regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
South Carolina: what is different here
- Regulator
- South Carolina State Board of Financial Institutions, Consumer Finance Division
- State deviations
- South Carolina is a single-regulator state under the Mortgage Lending Act (S.C. Code Ann. Title 37, Chapter 22), administered by the Consumer Finance Division of the State Board of Financial Institutions. A distinctive South Carolina rule: a licensed mortgage lender or servicer must designate a Managing Principal or Qualified Individual who personally holds a South Carolina MLO license and maintains it throughout that role (S.C. Code Ann. Section 37-22-140(B) and (C)(1)). No published South Carolina-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was confirmed on the Consumer Finance Division's public page as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- The Mortgage Lending Act sets bond minimums for licensees (lenders and servicers) that scale from $50,000 to $150,000 depending on South Carolina loan volume. This is a company-level bond structure; an individual MLO bond figure was not confirmed on the pages reviewed. See the matrix link and the regulator page for the current figure.
Official SC regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
South Dakota: what is different here
- Regulator
- South Dakota Division of Banking, Department of Labor and Regulation
- State deviations
- South Dakota is a single-regulator state: the Division of Banking licenses MLOs under South Dakota Codified Law Chapter 54-14 (license requirement at SDCL 54-14-13) and Administrative Rules ARSD Article 20:07, with no second agency by employer type. The Division's own licensing page, as reviewed, does not list a South Dakota-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20-hour SAFE Act floor, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by South Dakota under SDCL Chapter 54-14. See the matrix link and the Division of Banking page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official SD regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Tennessee: what is different here
- Regulator
- Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions (TDFI), Compliance Division
- State deviations
- Tennessee is a single-regulator state under the Tennessee Residential Lending, Brokerage and Servicing Act, Tennessee Code Annotated Title 45, Chapter 13 (MLO defined at TCA 45-13-105(16)(A)). No published Tennessee-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on TDFI's public MLO page as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Tennessee. See the matrix link and the TDFI page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official TN regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Texas: what is different here
- Regulator
- Texas Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending (SML) for most residential MLOs; the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner (OCCC) has overlapping jurisdiction for certain regulated-lender-affiliated originators
- State deviations
- SML-licensed originators must complete 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education PLUS 3 additional hours on Texas mortgage law, rules, and practice, for 23 hours total; this is genuinely additional, not a carve-out inside the federal 20 the way California, New York, and Georgia handle their state-specific content. SML's own FAQ acknowledges jurisdictional overlap with the OCCC and does not state a single bright line; confirm which agency governs your sponsor before assuming the SML figures apply. Continuing education was confirmed at the federal 8-hour minimum with no stated Texas add-on.
- Surety bond
- Texas administers a Recovery Fund through the SML rather than a simple advertised individual bond amount on the pages reached in this pass. The specific bond or recovery-fund contribution that applies to an individual MLO was not confirmed against a primary source; routed to the SML recovery-fund page and the matrix, never invented.
Official TX regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Utah: what is different here
- Regulator
- Utah Division of Real Estate (DRE), Department of Commerce, with the Utah Residential Mortgage Regulatory Commission
- State deviations
- Utah licenses MLOs through the Division of Real Estate, the same division that licenses real estate agents, rather than a standalone financial-services regulator. Pre-licensure education is confirmed genuinely additional and unusually large: the standard federal 20-hour NMLS course PLUS a separate 15-hour Utah mortgage loan originator course through an approved Utah pre-license school, 35 hours total. The Utah 15-hour completion certificate must be emailed to the Division and expires one year after completion, so a license application must be filed before that expiration. Continuing education is also additional: the federal 8-hour NMLS course PLUS 1 hour of Utah-specific law and regulation content, both required before requesting renewal. Newly licensed MLOs face a one-time additional requirement: a 5-hour Utah post-licensing course that must be completed before their first renewal, a requirement that does not apply to lending managers.
- Surety bond
- No individual surety bond requirement was found on the Division's mortgage loan originator licensing or renewal pages as reviewed, consistent with Utah's real-estate-license-style regulatory model. This is an unconfirmed absence, not a sourced negative; confirm on the matrix and the Division's forms and applications page before assuming no bond applies to your situation.
Official UT regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Vermont: what is different here
- Regulator
- Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (DFR)
- State deviations
- Vermont is a single-regulator state: DFR licenses MLOs under 8 V.S.A. Chapter 73 (Mortgage Brokers), with no second agency by employer type. DFR's own site returned a blocked response from this network in this pass, so its exact current wording is not quoted here; the published matrix lists 2 Vermont-specific pre-licensure hours on top of the federal 20 (22 total). That figure is matrix-sourced, not primary-page-confirmed, so confirm it directly with DFR before enrolling in a course.
- Surety bond
- The published matrix lists a $25,000 surety bond figure for Vermont, not confirmed against a primary, dated DFR source in this pass. Not hosted as our own verified figure; see the matrix link and the DFR page for the current amount.
Official VT regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Virginia: what is different here
- Regulator
- Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions (BFI), a bureau of the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC)
- State deviations
- Virginia is a single-regulator state: BFI licenses all MLOs under Code of Virginia Title 6.2, Chapter 17, implemented at 10 VAC 5-161, with no second agency by employer type. BFI maintains a dedicated MLO sponsorship contact ([email protected]) separate from general licensing. No published Virginia-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on BFI's public pages as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by Virginia under 10 VAC 5-161. See the matrix link and the BFI page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official VA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Washington: what is different here
- Regulator
- Washington State Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), Division of Consumer Services
- State deviations
- Washington is a genuine two-track state: most originators license under the Mortgage Broker Practices Act (RCW 19.146), but an originator employed by a consumer loan company instead licenses under the separate Consumer Loan Act (RCW 31.04). Both tracks are administered by DFI, but which act applies depends on the employer's license type, not personal choice. No published Washington-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20 was found on DFI's mortgage broker page as reviewed; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- New Mortgage Broker Practices Act applicants must carry a $20,000 electronic surety bond, and the state application fee is $1,001 paid through NMLS, per DFI's mortgage broker licensing page (sourced, dated 2026-07-29). Consumer Loan Act track amounts may differ; confirm on the matrix and regulator page.
Official WA regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
West Virginia: what is different here
- Regulator
- West Virginia Division of Financial Institutions, Mortgage Division
- State deviations
- Single regulator, no dual-agency split. West Virginia genuinely ADDS hours on both sides of the federal floor rather than carving state content out of it, distinct from most states in the fleet: W. Va. Code 31-17A-6 requires the federal 3 hours of federal law, 3 hours of ethics, and 2 hours of nontraditional-product training PLUS 4 hours of West Virginia mortgage and consumer law, for 24 pre-licensure hours total (federal floor is 20). Continuing education is 9 hours annually under W. Va. Code 31-17A-9 (federal 3+2+2 plus 2 West Virginia-specific hours), one hour above the federal 8-hour minimum.
- Surety bond
- Required but not a flat individual figure: W. Va. Code 31-17A-13 requires a surety bond whose penal sum is set by cross-reference to the bond schedule for licensed mortgage lenders and brokers under Article 17 (or the regulated consumer lender schedule under Chapter 46-A, Article 4), rather than stating a dollar amount for individual MLOs directly in the MLO article. Not hosted as our own number; see the matrix and the Division's Mortgage page for the current cross-referenced figure.
Official WV regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Wisconsin: what is different here
- Regulator
- Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions (DFI)
- State deviations
- Wisconsin is a single-regulator state under Wisconsin Statutes chapter 224, subchapter III, with all MLO licenses expiring December 31 each year regardless of issue date (a renewal-timing deviation worth flagging, not a step-sequence one). No published Wisconsin-specific pre-licensure hour add-on beyond the federal 20-hour floor was found on DFI's public pages or across NMLS-approved course providers serving Wisconsin applicants, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step. Continuing education is the federal 8-hour annual floor per Wis. Stat. 224.76, with no confirmed Wisconsin-specific CE add-on.
- Surety bond
- Surety bond and application fee amounts are set by DFI. See the matrix link and the DFI mortgage banking licensing page for the current figures. Not hosted here.
Official WI regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
Wyoming: what is different here
- Regulator
- Wyoming Division of Banking, Department of Audit
- State deviations
- Wyoming is a single-regulator state: the Division of Banking licenses MLOs, with no second agency by employer type. The Division's homepage was reachable and confirms the regulator identity and contact details, but its detailed licensing subpages were not reachable from this network in this pass, so the exact governing statute section is not quoted here. The published matrix states Wyoming "follows the federal minimum" for pre-licensure education with no state-specific hour add-on, so this state's step sequence omits the conditional state-pe-extra step; confirm on the matrix and regulator page since add-ons do change.
- Surety bond
- The published matrix lists a $25,000 surety bond figure for Wyoming, not confirmed against a primary, dated Division source in this pass. Not hosted as our own verified figure; see the matrix link and the Division page for the current amount.
Official WY regulator page Fees and bond on the published matrix
- 1
Create your NMLS account and get your unique identifier
Set up an individual account in the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) and receive your NMLS unique identifier, the number that follows you across every state and employer.
- 2
Complete the 20-hour pre-licensure education (PE)
Finish the SAFE Act federal minimum of 20 hours of NMLS-approved pre-licensure education from an approved course provider (12 U.S.C. 5104(c)).
- 3
Complete any state-specific extra PE hours (only if your state adds it)
Some state agencies require additional state-specific pre-licensure hours on top of the federal 20. Whether your state adds hours, and how many, is a state deviation, see the matrix link and your regulator page.
- 4
Pass the SAFE MLO National Test with UST content
Sit and pass the single SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator National Test with Uniform State Test (UST) content. Passing this one test satisfies the state-test requirement in participating states, so there is no separate per-state MLO exam.
- 5
Authorize the FBI criminal background check
Submit fingerprints and authorize an FBI criminal background check through NMLS. Your criminal history is part of the state fitness determination.
- 6
Authorize your credit report
Authorize NMLS to pull a credit report. A credit review is part of the state's character-and-fitness determination; the specific credit standard varies by state, there is no single national bright line.
- 7
Obtain a surety bond (amount set by your state)
Most states require a surety bond before the license is issued. The required bond AMOUNT is a state-specific value set by your regulator, often scaled to your loan volume, see the matrix link and your regulator page for the current figure. We do not host a bond number we have not sourced and dated.
- 8
Submit your state license application and fees
File the state license application through NMLS and pay the state application fee plus the NMLS processing fee. The state application FEE is a state-specific value, see the matrix link.
- 9
Get sponsored by an NMLS-registered employer to activate
This is the most misunderstood gate. A state-licensed MLO license stays INACTIVE until an NMLS-registered company sponsors it. In practice you generally need a job offer from a licensed lender or broker to activate your license, so the 'get a job' step is not optional and often reorders the whole plan.
This is the step most first-timers miss. Passing the test does not let you originate: an employer registered with NMLS must sponsor you first, which is why the job search usually has to start before, not after, you are licensed.
For the itemized dollar cost of these steps, use the cost-to-license breakdown. To decide whether the whole path is worth it for your expected volume, run the is-it-worth-it calculator. The per-state fee and bond values come from the getlicensemap.com state licensing matrix (Data last updated: April 2026 (confirmed on the 2026-07-23 live fetch; re-confirmed current as of the 2026-07-29 DEPTH-build fetch)).
Frequently asked questions
What is the order of steps to get an MLO license?
Create your Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS) account, complete the 20-hour pre-licensure education, pass the SAFE MLO National Test, authorize the FBI criminal background check and a credit report, obtain any required surety bond, submit your state application, and then get sponsored by an employer. The license stays inactive until that sponsorship.
Why do the fees and bond amounts link out instead of showing a number?
Bond amounts and state application fees are set per state and change, and they are already published and dated on the getlicensemap.com matrix and each state regulator's page. We link you to those dated sources rather than re-host a number we do not maintain, so you always see the current figure at its source. We add the ordered steps, which nobody publishes cleanly.
Is the step order the same in every state?
The core sequence is set by the federal SAFE Act and is essentially uniform. What varies is the details: some states add extra pre-licensure hours, some have a different regulator or two regulators, and bond amounts differ. The wizard shows the shared order and flags your state's deviations.
Does this wizard file anything or issue my license?
No. It organizes the public steps so you can plan, and it is free with no signup. Your state selection stays in your browser; we receive only an anonymous, banded summary. Your actual application is filed through NMLS and decided by your state regulator.